Please age this sheep.

[Mr. Dean]

http://api.photoshop.com/home_93c183238c264b21aebf84403f631f01/adobe-px-assets/b01be6b59a95448c8cfb5b7058f2e340


I *think* 7 but am not sure....

[Moose72]

Rookie but say 6.

[Blainer]

From what information I have received from this site and from previous threads,my guess would be 6 1/2 yrs old.
I look forward to what the sheep experts have to say.

[bigwhiteys]

looks like 7.5

[Slee]

7 1/2.......

[tracker]

7 1/2 :grin:

[showtimebc]

my guess is 6 1/2 yrs

[mr.280]

I get 7.5 as well. Not yet a shooter unless maybe it's living in a 3/4 curl leh zone, but still needs a good side view to be shure.

[Elkhound]

Dean.....where did sheep pic go

[Jagermeister]

I'm aging it at 6, anything else is too liberal.

[nerka992003]

my guess 6.5

[d6dan]

I'm seeing 7 1/2.

[Mr. Dean]

Dean.....where did sheep pic go



???
No where... You hittin' the bottle again?

[palmer]

7.5 ....too young...

[6.5x55mm]

Yep I agree 7.5 years old

[yukon john]

Its 7.5 all the guys saying 6.5 dont realize that the ram has a annuli that you cant see right at the tip of the horn (lamb tip) their first year they still get a small nub which usually rubs down over years of going through the brush.

[mark]

Its 7.5 all the guys saying 6.5 dont realize that the ram has a annuli that you cant see right at the tip of the horn (lamb tip) their first year they still get a small nub which usually rubs down over years of going through the brush.

I say 6.5, rocky or calis can grow a 4 inch horn in their lamb year!

[Slee]

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg203/efdkelly/b01be6b59a95448c8cfb5b7058f2e340.jpg

?????


"I say 6.5, rocky or calis can grow a 4 inch horn in their lamb year!"


I would dissagree. I have seen a pile of sheep at the feeders on the salmo/creston durring the winter and all the lambs have short 1-2" horns at that time of year. Winter is when a annuli is made on a horn.... not at the one year mark. The first annuli growth is only from when the sheep was born to the first winter....

[bigwhiteys]

I say 6.5, rocky or calis can grow a 4 inch horn in their lamb year!

Even then Mark, his growth has slowed down considerably as you get to his bases. I would think a 6.5 year old would be putting up a little more then what he has. I am not a bighorn expert, although annuli are formed for the same reasons.

Carl

[GoatGuy]

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg203/efdkelly/b01be6b59a95448c8cfb5b7058f2e340.jpg

?????


"I say 6.5, rocky or calis can grow a 4 inch horn in their lamb year!"


I would dissagree. I have seen a pile of sheep at the feeders on the salmo/creston durring the winter and all the lambs have short 1-2" horns at that time of year. Winter is when a annuli is made on a horn.... not at the one year mark. The first annuli growth is only from when the sheep was born to the first winter....

You're a year late.

If you've sat at the feeder picture what a yearling ram looks like (1 1/2 years old - technically 1 year old) and count again.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg203/efdkelly/b01be6b59a95448c8cfb5b7058f2e340.jpg

?????


"I say 6.5, rocky or calis can grow a 4 inch horn in their lamb year!"


I would dissagree. I have seen a pile of sheep at the feeders on the salmo/creston durring the winter and all the lambs have short 1-2" horns at that time of year. Winter is when a annuli is made on a horn.... not at the one year mark. The first annuli growth is only from when the sheep was born to the first winter....


Odds are those short-looking lamtips were "ewe lambs" where the ram lambs should be sporting 3-5" horns(and possibly up to 7")...and you may have suspected that they were yearlings???

What did we learn last yr with this thread???
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=27027&highlight=Spences

Typical ram lamb growth is 3-5" with 7" not unheard of.....yearling ram lamb is 12-15"(and possibly more).........bighorn lambtip annuli is usually much more pronounced than in thinhorns........and bases or much heavier than thinhorns even at ther first annuli.

When/where was this pic taken???? Down in the southern states or somewhere here in BC??? Oct or June???
His growth rate slowed down tremendously from where Slee marked from 3-4.......typically growth would not slow so quickly....bad yr? Injury?? Growth seemd to really slow downat that point.

SSS

[Slee]

Odds are those short-looking lamtips were "ewe lambs" where the ram lambs should be sporting 3-5" horns(and possibly up to 7")...and you may have suspected that they were yearlings???

What did we learn last yr with this thread???
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=27027&highlight=Spences

Typical ram lamb growth is 3-5" with 7" not unheard of.....yearling ram lamb is 12-15"(and possibly more).........bighorn lambtip annuli is usually much more pronounced than in thinhorns........and bases or much heavier than thinhorns even at ther first annuli.

When/where was this pic taken???? Down in the southern states or somewhere here in BC??? Oct or June???
His growth rate slowed down tremendously from where Slee marked from 3-4.......typically growth would not slow so quickly....bad yr? Injury?? Growth seemd to really slow downat that point.

SSS


So you are saying that a male lamb will grow 5-7" from the spring to its first winter?? I find that hard to believe myself but thats why were on here is to learn from each other.............???????


So you you say that the annuli I have marked as "2" is really its first annuli at 7 months old??




Im not olny going by what I have seen. I have helped out with a pile of sheep transplants over the year and have personaly held male lambs with only 1-2" horns durring its first winter (when annuli rings are formed) at 7-8 months old......

[GoatGuy]

So you are saying that a male lamb will grow 5-7" from the spring to its first winter?? I find that hard to believe myself but thats why were on here is to learn from each other.............???????


So you you say that the annuli I have marked as "2" is really its first annuli at 7 months old??




Im not olny going by what I have seen. I have helped out with a pile of sheep transplants over the year and have personaly held male lambs with only 1-2" horns durring its first winter (when annuli rings are formed) at 7-8 months old......

You gotta remember 1/2 years aren't years. The 2 you have marked is actually 1 1/2 (18 months) - so in effect 1.

If you help out on the transplants in the Koots, you should ask a couple of the guys there to give you a hand. A couple of them are pretty good at aging sheep.

Annuli are normally formed before the rut. You can get false annuli sometimes, depending on where they winter. For rockies, sometimes there's a little growth spurt in the winter time depending on who's pets they are. 8)

My guess is that picture's from mid summer.

For a rocky to broom back to 2 years old you're going to end up with tips that are the size of most guys biceps - pretty tough to do.

[GoatGuy]

Here's a yearling (~17 months) ram

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/yearling_ram.JPG

[ibehuntin]

I say 5 or 5 1/2 if you like.

[shaner338]

I'm in for 6-6.5.

[Slee]

You gotta remember 1/2 years aren't years. The 2 you have marked is actually 1 1/2 (18 months) - so in effect 1.



I know that, I am going by the regs where they say evidenced by true horn annuli....... Countable rings. hence the lamb tip would be 1 and not .5 ????

[GoatGuy]

I know that, I am going by the regs where they say evidenced by true horn annuli....... Countable rings. hence the lamb tip would be 1 and not .5 ????


the true annuli part is there for false annuli.

I got where you're going.

Definition:

"Mountain Sheep - Mature Bighorn Ram
– means any bighorn ram mountain sheep
that has attained the age of 8 years as evidenced
by true horn annuli as determined
by the regional manager or designate, or
whose horn tip, when viewed squarely
from the side extends upwards beyond the
forehead-nose bridge."

At 7 1/2 you haven't had your 8th birthday. Does that make sense?

[Slee]

yep, that why i would call that sheep 7.5 ....... no???

[rifleman]

i get 6 1\2 also

[GoatGuy]

yep, that why i would call that sheep 7.5 ....... no???

no, your 2 is 1 year old.

[Mr. Dean]

For clarifiacation; this sheep is local AND pic was taken exactly 1 week ago.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

So you are saying that a male lamb will grow 5-7" from the spring to its first winter?? I find that hard to believe myself but thats why were on here is to learn from each other.............???????


So you you say that the annuli I have marked as "2" is really its first annuli at 7 months old??




Im not olny going by what I have seen. I have helped out with a pile of sheep transplants over the year and have personaly held male lambs with only 1-2" horns durring its first winter (when annuli rings are formed) at 7-8 months old......

I used to think as you did before last yrs Spences Ram fiasco. In fact,
I had previously been trying to find out how long a bighorn ram's horn could grow before his first winter.
Finally found a reliable source last yr that I have complete confidence in...which also was confirmed by other reliable sources.
I've also participated in bighorn transplants and picked the brain on the bio in charge on the subject of ram lambtips. Originally I thought he was wrong but it turned out he wasn't.

As you said, learning from others is a good thing. Done lots on here.

SSS

[mark]

Soooooo...... just for the record????? The ram is 6 not 7?????? I sure dont see any remains of a ring at the tip!

[bighornbob]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/ram1.jpg

I get 7.5 for an age. I count differently in that I always count the horn from the last ring to the skull as one (as technically there is a growth ring at the skull or there will be). Yes we can spilt hairs and say he wont be 7 1/2 until the winter. So right now he is 7.

Also that is based on one look and one angle. The one that I count as 6 1/2 may not be a ring. I would like to see the other horn and the backs of the horns too plus all the angles inbetween as the ram is turning its head. Easy to count when you see all the angles and can follow a ring around and see the other horn too.

As others have said lambs in the interior can grow 5 inch lamb tip. I did not beleive it either until I started going through all my sheep photos. Have pics of all sorts of age groups and ewes.

The clincher was this Feb. where I organized and helped out with the three transplants the Wild Sheep society did. I was able to go and look at every sheep as guys held them down and did some rough measurements on the lambs. Low and behold 5-6 inch lamb tips.

BHB

[Jagermeister]

Some of you guys are expending a lot of energy on a moot point. Age means nothing when you're trying to tag one, it's the curl of the horn as defined in the regulations that will determine a taker or not.

[GoatGuy]

Some of you guys are expending a lot of energy on a moot point. Age means nothing when you're trying to tag one, it's the curl of the horn as defined in the regulations that will determine a taker or not.

Or 8 years at spences bridge.

Hate to burst the bubble.

[Jagermeister]

Who would want one at 8 years if it didn't measure up to trophy size?

[GoatGuy]

Who would want one at 8 years if it didn't measure up to trophy size?

What's trophy size mean?

Most of the 'trophy' guys measure it by score.

My buddy shot an 11 yr old out of spences last year that would end up in the low 170s. It was nowhere near full curl.

Some guys would say it's a trophy by age, some by score and some because it's a legal ram. Who's right and who's wrong varies from hunter to hunter. It's all just a bunch of BS to me.

I've seen 8 year old that weren't legal that would score better than that and 6 year olds that were prettier than that and legal. Lots of rams that take more work and skill on the part of the hunter.

Guess the 'trophy' part or the 'memories' part is in the eye of the beholder.

At the end of the day it's all just a bunch of BS. Beauty's in the eye of the beholder and judging 'success' should be up to the individual through hunting regulations that are based on conservation but here in BC we don't do that.

[6616]

What I have observed watching the sheep at the Kicking Horse Canyon feeding station for over 20 years now is that ram lamb horns can grow 2 to 3 inches during the winter months if the feed is good and the lamb is in top shape as would be the case in the Kicking Horse or at Salmo where they are fed all winter. I have seen winter growth in the area of 2 to 4 inches during the winter months following the rut. I don't know about Cali's and I'm pretty sure this growth would be very slight or non-existent with Rockies under normal highly stressful winter conditions.

Here's what I've noted. The ram lambs come onto the winter range with horns 3 to 5 inches long. Shortly thereafter the rut commences and the first annuli is formed which is always merely a slight bulge in the horn, he is 6 to 7 months old at that time and this annuli is between 3 and 6 inches from the tip. As the winter progresses the horns grow until spring when they are 5 to 7 inches long (at least with the feed supplimented herds). Then the major summer growth occurs and when the same lamb comes back to the winter range his horns are 10 to 15 inches long. Shortly thereafter rut commences and his second annuli forms at an age of approximatelly 18 months. This second annuli is a grooved annuli similar to those on older rams but noticably less pronounced.

Not all rams are created equal, there are good quality rams and runts. Lamb horn lengths can vary from 4 to 7 inches in the spring and a portion of this growth has often occurred after the first annuli was formed. The total growth at 18 months can vary from 10 to 15 inches.

Judging from this picture and keeping in mind I'm used to Rockies and not Cali sheep and there may be a difference, I would say this ram is a runt with very short lamb tips and also comparativelly short growth during his first summer. Thus the first clearly defined annuli is approx 18 months of age even though it appears there may be only 8 or 9 inches of total growth to that point in his life.

In my opinion this makes this ram 6 1/2 years old when the last obvious annuli a little over an inch above the hair at the base was formed during last falls rut, unless of course the extra annuli Alex drew neared the base is actually an annuli. I don't thinks there's an extra annuli there alex, that would normally make them much too close together for a ram of that age, but I don't toally discount this idea either because like I said this looks like a runt ram. Thus not counting Alex's extra annuli he will be 7 1/2 years old this fall during the rut when another annuli is formed and 8 years old next spring. The reason I have come to this conclusion is because the annuli 8 or 9 inches from the tip does not look like a ram tip annuli, it's a grooved annuli just like like a yearling annuli should look like.

What I learned last year during the Spences Bridge thread was that thinhorn sheep differ considerably in that the lamb tip annuli is usually much closer to the tip, around 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches from the tip.

[GoatGuy]

What I have observed watching the sheep at the Kicking Horse Canyon feeding station for over 20 years now is that ram lamb horns can grow 2 to 3 inches during the winter months if the feed is good and the lamb is in top shape as would be the case in the Kicking Horse or at Salmo where they are fed all winter. I have seen winter growth in the area of 2 to 4 inches during the winter months following the rut.

Like I said, depends on who's pets they are. You see winter growth on other pet EK rams as well. That's when you get false annuli.

[GoatGuy]

Some politically correct for ya'll

Lamb with external genitalia

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/lamb_ram.JPG



Lamb with internal genitalia

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/lamb_ewe.JPG

[6616]

Like I said, depends on who's pets they are. You see winter growth on other pet EK rams as well. That's when you get false annuli.

I have no idea if that winter growth causes false annuli or not, but I'm sure it's not common on sheep fending for themslves on the high elevation winter ranges in the EK, and is probably fairly exclusive to pet sheep or sheep with supplimental winter feed.

The pictures you posted clearly show the horn differences between a ram lamb and a ewe lamb. A yearling ewe can sometimes be mistaken for a ram lamb but usually the male horn is broader from the side and flat shaped where the female horn is nearly round in cross-section at that age.

[6616]

Some politically correct for ya'll

I would suspect those pictures may have been taken in the Kicking Horse due to the Burdock burrs on the ram lambs face. Those poor buggars are always gobbed up with Burdocks.

[GoatGuy]

I have no idea if that winter growth causes false annuli or not, but I'm sure it's not common on sheep fending for themslves on the high elevation winter ranges in the EK, and is probably fairly exclusive to pet sheep or sheep with supplimental winter feed.

The pictures you posted clearly show the horn differences between a ram lamb and a ewe lamb. A yearling ewe can sometimes be mistaken for a ram lamb but usually the male horn is broader from the side and flat shaped where the female horn is nearly round in cross-section at that age.

The rams also get the bluish tinge to their horns.

You see those short (false) annuli on other 'low elevation' winter ranges, especially if you guys get a couple of them warm weeks in the winter time.

[6616]

The ram posted by Mr. Dean also had very poor growth during his third year, must have run into a bit of bad luck that year.

[GoatGuy]

I would suspect those pictures may have been taken in the Kicking Horse due to the Burdock burrs on the ram lambs face. Those poor buggars are always gobbed up with Burdocks.

I didn't think there was anything outside of Cranbrook in the East Kootenay? I thought Cranbrook was the East Kootenay, tied for second with Montreal, after Toronto of course, for centre of the universe?

[6616]

You're a funny guy GG, but with a slight warpage in the sense of humor dept...?????

[Stone Sheep Steve]

The ram posted by Mr. Dean also had very poor growth during his third year, must have run into a bit of bad luck that year.

I completely agree with that. His growth at that age seemed to slow completely. Possibly and injury or just plain poor genetics? I tried to avoid giving him an final age because of that.
As you said early, Andy, not all rams are created equal.

One thing that I've noticed since the Spences' ram last yr is that one every set of bighorn horns that I've seen has had easily visible lamtip annuli. If this guy fits in with the rest, I'm not seeing anything that with this ram unless his first winter's annuli is where GG marked it.
The only way to tell 100% is if he had an ear tag from when he was just a month or two old.

Regardless, it looks like he's only had one good yr of growth his entire life:-?

SSS

[6616]

I completely agree with that. His growth at that age seemed to slow completely. Possibly and injury or just plain poor genetics? I tried to avoid giving him an final age because of that.
As you said early, Andy, not all rams are created equal.

One thing that I've noticed since the Spences' ram last yr is that one every set of bighorn horns that I've seen has had easily visible lamtip annuli. If this guy fits in with the rest, I'm not seeing anything that with this ram unless his first winter's annuli is where GG marked it.
The only way to tell 100% is if he had an ear tag from when he was just a month or two old.

Regardless, it looks like he's only had one good yr of growth his entire life:-?

SSS


He also might have been born very late in the lambing season (late conception) and thus might have been a month younger then most lambs during his first rut. That might possibly account for the poor definition of the lamb tip annuli and the extra short first 6 months of horn growth. I'm convinced for whatever reason (poor nutrition, injury, or poor genetics), that he was a runt ram and growth is less then on a typical bighorn.

[Mr. Dean]

Who would want one at 8 years if it didn't measure up to trophy size?

ME!

IMO a 1st sheep that's 8 years old, that's been hunted without use of guide (either Pro or Buddy), would be a very deserved trophy, regardless of it's mass.

[GoatGuy]

I completely agree with that. His growth at that age seemed to slow completely. Possibly and injury or just plain poor genetics? I tried to avoid giving him an final age because of that.
As you said early, Andy, not all rams are created equal.

One thing that I've noticed since the Spences' ram last yr is that one every set of bighorn horns that I've seen has had easily visible lamtip annuli. If this guy fits in with the rest, I'm not seeing anything that with this ram unless his first winter's annuli is where GG marked it.
The only way to tell 100% is if he had an ear tag from when he was just a month or two old.

Regardless, it looks like he's only had one good yr of growth his entire life:-?

SSS

The first two years are always the biggest.

[willy442]

7.5 years and very poor growth for a big horn.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

The first two years are always the biggest.


You sure??
Even then his growth seemed to slow more than normal....even compared to my little rocky.:redface:
Note that the third yr growth is better than his first.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/pics_001.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=11453&perpage=18&ppuser=1509)


Mr Dean....is he a cali??
SSS

[6616]

7.5 years and very poor growth for a big horn.

Do you mean: He will be 7 1/2 later this fall when the rut commences and a new annuli is forming?

[6616]

Mr Dean....is he a cali??
SSS

I've been wondering that as well???

The light coloration and the pointed ear indicates he's likely a Cali, but one cannot see the ear good enough to be sure, and summer bighorns come in various shades but rarely that light. The sun reflecting off him could also make his color appear different then it really is. Location of the sighting should tell us.

[Kody94]

What I have observed watching the sheep at the Kicking Horse Canyon feeding station for over 20 years now is that ram lamb horns can grow 2 to 3 inches during the winter months if the feed is good and the lamb is in top shape as would be the case in the Kicking Horse or at Salmo where they are fed all winter. I have seen winter growth in the area of 2 to 4 inches during the winter months following the rut. I don't know about Cali's and I'm pretty sure this growth would be very slight or non-existent with Rockies under normal highly stressful winter conditions.

Here's what I've noted. The ram lambs come onto the winter range with horns 3 to 5 inches long. Shortly thereafter the rut commences and the first annuli is formed which is always merely a slight bulge in the horn, he is 6 to 7 months old at that time and this annuli is between 3 and 6 inches from the tip. As the winter progresses the horns grow until spring when they are 5 to 7 inches long (at least with the feed supplimented herds). Then the major summer growth occurs and when the same lamb comes back to the winter range his horns are 10 to 15 inches long. Shortly thereafter rut commences and his second annuli forms at an age of approximatelly 18 months. This second annuli is a grooved annuli similar to those on older rams but noticably less pronounced.

Not all rams are created equal, there are good quality rams and runts. Lamb horn lengths can vary from 4 to 7 inches in the spring and a portion of this growth has often occurred after the first annuli was formed. The total growth at 18 months can vary from 10 to 15 inches.

Judging from this picture and keeping in mind I'm used to Rockies and not Cali sheep and there may be a difference, I would say this ram is a runt with very short lamb tips and also comparativelly short growth during his first summer. Thus the first clearly defined annuli is approx 18 months of age even though it appears there may be only 8 or 9 inches of total growth to that point in his life.

In my opinion this makes this ram 6 1/2 years old when the last obvious annuli a little over an inch above the hair at the base was formed during last falls rut, unless of course the extra annuli Alex drew neared the base is actually an annuli. I don't thinks there's an extra annuli there alex, that would normally make them much too close together for a ram of that age, but I don't toally discount this idea either because like I said this looks like a runt ram. Thus not counting Alex's extra annuli he will be 7 1/2 years old this fall during the rut when another annuli is formed and 8 years old next spring. The reason I have come to this conclusion is because the annuli 8 or 9 inches from the tip does not look like a ram tip annuli, it's a grooved annuli just like like a yearling annuli should look like.

What I learned last year during the Spences Bridge thread was that thinhorn sheep differ considerably in that the lamb tip annuli is usually much closer to the tip, around 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches from the tip.

I think he's currently 6 and change. 6616, I agree there is an outside chance he could be 7 if his first full growing season (I know...that's forestry talk!!) was exceptionally lousy, but I would err on the side of the first clear line in this case being his lamb-tip.

[Mik]

My rookie guess...71/2

[Mr. Dean]

Mr Dean....is he a cali??
SSS

With certainty, I couldn't say. :redface:

[Stone Sheep Steve]

With certainty, I couldn't say. :redface:

If you look in the hunting regs.....would you have to shoot him under a "full curl bighorn" regulation or would you have to shoot him under "mature bighorn" regulation??????

SSS

[ramseeker]

7.5 years, very determining factors by the most experienced sheep hunters

[Mr. Dean]

If you look in the hunting regs.....would you have to shoot him under a "full curl bighorn" regulation or would you have to shoot him under "mature bighorn" regulation??????

SSS


The point is moot for the intentions of this thread; according to them, a bighorn is a bighorn. All I was hoping for was to see if I got my "Sheep Facts" correct when it came to aging.

And besides that (and trust me on this), If anyone decided to go off and hunt this sheep, there would be serious implications. I'd strongly advise not to do so - You'd have a hell of a time extracting the regs from your ass once you were "done with". :mrgreen:

[Stone Sheep Steve]

The point is moot for the intentions of this thread; according to them, a bighorn is a bighorn. All I was hoping for was to see if I got my "Sheep Facts" correct when it came to aging.

And besides that (and trust me on this), If anyone decided to go off and hunt this sheep, there would be serious implications. I'd strongly advise not to do so - You'd have a hell of a time extracting the regs from your ass once you were "done with". :mrgreen:

Oh....so he's behind a fence??:shock: Didn't you look at the sign?:tongue:.

If he was a cali the point of aging him would be moot since, technically, there is zero need to age a cali.. Athough it's good practice and the technique is the same, the growth rate "can" vary greatly between rockies and calis. Most here on this site suspect he's is a runt and that his lambtip annuli are not visible but the law states....as evidenced by true horn annuli..so you'd better be able to see them and not just highly suspect where they could be. I'd do as SSSSter suggested and age him conservatively as if the first visible annuli was his lambtip.

If he was a cali, to shoot him he would have to be 3/4 curl(if you had an LEH...unless you had one of the coveted "any ram" draws) or "full curl" if you were hunting him under a GOS.

SSS

[BCrams]

I'm going with 6 ....

Do I win another shirt?? :roll:

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I
Do I win another shirt??:roll:

Don't remind BHB. He's still bitter about being ripped off:mrgreen:

SSS

[Mr. Dean]

He meets the 3/4 requirement eeeeeasy. I gotta pic of him that clearly shows it but because of the way the light fell on him with his head turned, the annuli isn't as well defined. Either way (Bh or Cali), I don't plan on hunting sheep, anytime soon. I struggle hard enough with Mule deer. :redface:

None-the-less, it'll be interesting watching the progression with this fella.

[riflebuilder]

It looks like 7 1/2 to me.

[Elkhound]

Well today the pic shows up for me. Mr.Dean and I are both not sheep hunters so we were curious on the age. We both guessed 7 from the picture and wanted to know if we were even close. LOL.

[Mr. Dean]

Well today the pic shows up for me. Mr.Dean and I are both not sheep hunters so we were curious on the age. We both guessed 7 from the picture and wanted to know if we were even close. LOL.

Translation;
Elkhound FINALLY sobered up enough to focus. :p

[Mr. Dean]

I'd like to thank all those that responded. It's turned out to be a very imformative thread. Thanks!

[ElectricDyck]

This sheep's home range doesn't happen to be 100 yards east of 264th does it?

Excellent picture by the way.