Sheep ID - Guess The Age #2

[dana]

I hope more of the experienced guys will pipe up and keep Sheep #1 going. But as we wait, lets giver a go on another one. Both these rams were hanging out with each other. What is the age on Sheep #2? Is he a legal Full Curl Bighorn? Is he a legal Mature Bighorn?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC290080.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC290090.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC290050.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC290051a.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC290090b.jpg

[little moose]

I'd go 61/2 on this guy

[dana]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC290097.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC290055a.jpg

[RiverOtter]

7 1/2.....

[325]

7 or 8 and a legal full-curl.

[just hunt]

I think 7 and legal full curl can't wait for more input

[stonefever_14]

I would say 7 1/2 year old nice ram

[Caveman]

9 1/2 yrs old

[Caribou_lou]

7.5 some good looking sheep!

[Bisonfirst]

I'll go 8 and legal.

[yama49]

6 maybe 7 legal forsure, not sure i would say mature legal..JMO

[bighornbob]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC290097.jpg



This is the only real picture that helps. 6 year old ram. I dont have the time to color in lines but the lamb tip (Thats #1) would be 7 oclock to the eye. #2 would be 3 o clock to the eye. #3 would be the wet ring. #4 is at 12 o clock. #5 is at 10 o clock. #6 and the last ring would be at the end of the light colored horn near the base.

One thing to remember the segments between the horns gradualy get smaller in roughly equal segments. Meaning if you have 4 inches of growth one year and 3 inches the next year, you are not going to get 4-5 inches the thrid year. Yes there can be a bad year in there or the ram can be sick but I have glassed enough sheep to know that its pretty rare. This is a perfect examle how they get smaller each year. Also in most cases you are not going to go from a 3 inches of growth down to 1 cm the following year near the base. So on a broomed bighorn in Region 3 the first ring you see is most likely the 2nd ring (1 1/2).

Legal sheep in the northern part of 3-17, Region 3-31 and 3-32 under the full curl season. At Spences Bridge 3-17 (mature Bighorn only ), not legal.

BHB

Also bighorns can have a 6 inch lamb tip especially in the kamloops herds and in Spences Bridge. Also the bio said he has never seen brooming past the 2nd growth ring (or 1 1/2 ring for some) as the horn is just so massive by that point.

[ryanb]

7.5, could be younger but I see no evidence he's any older than that.

[Rackmastr]

I see a 6 year old ram as well.

[.300WSMImpact!]

my guess is 9

[hunter1947]

Full curl Legal for sure two inches or so to the good I would say a 6.5 to 7 year old ram


http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/PC290097_1_2_.jpg

[knightcc]

I would say 7.5. Thanks Dana. This is a great idea. Helps to pass the winter months and makes us all better hunters.....potentially.

[Freshtracks]

I would say a tight curled young 7 yr.old ... let him walk.

[kennyj]

7 1/2, Full curl but not mature full curl. Thats my guess.
kenny

[d6dan]

7 yrs old.

[Jack Russell]

Just a quick look gives me 7 and full curl.

[goinghunting]

6 1/2 yrs old, full curl

[sheep hunter]

8 1/2 years old and Full curl..

[325 wsm]

not to familiar with bc regs. but.... pics are taken from downhill making the curls look longer than they would from 90 degree. longer horned ram is very tight curl and shorter horned one is lacking mass.Neither ram is older than eight. If i was there on a once in a lifetime hunt i wouldn't shoot either of those rams, even on the last day, legal or not. These are the herds breeding rams and should be given a couple more years.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

6 1/2 yr old full curl bighorn...but doesn't make the mature bighorn regulation.

[Gateholio]

I want to say 7, but can only see 6, so 6 it is. :)

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I want to say 7, but can only see 6, so 6 it is. :)

Hey, it's 2013 so, yes, he will be 7 this yr:wink:

SSS

[wsm]

ok , i am not a sheep hunter.nor any good at guessing the age of a sheep , but i'll 6 not knowing what i am doing. seing this thread disturbs me . there is only 1 age of that animal and tons of different guesses . are we that bad . ?

[wsm]

so if you were out hunting sheep how many would harvest that sheep . beautiful pic by the way dana ,as per usual .

[Gateholio]

so if you were out hunting sheep how many would harvest that sheep . beautiful pic by the way dana ,as per usual .

In a full curl area, it would be legal to shoot

[Rackmastr]

so if you were out hunting sheep how many would harvest that sheep . beautiful pic by the way dana ,as per usual .

I'd gladly harvest that ram. Wouldnt be trying to age it in the field as bighorns usually are pretty tricky, but if I was hunting in a full curl zone I'd harvest him. Obviously not a 'mature' over the bridge of his nose but yes, I'd shoot him.

[boxhitch]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC290097.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC290055a.jpgOn pic from below and one from above, not sure if legal based on these pics alone.

[dellis]

7 1/2 years old. Legal full curl.........not shooting him as a mature bighorn though.
Darcy

[Brez]

6 1/2 and I'd need a better view before I shot...........close, for sure.

[1 shot 1 kill]

going with 7+ an legal full curl...

[bcmulie]

Full curl Legal for sure two inches or so to the good I would say a 6.5 to 7 year old ram


http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/PC290097_1_2_.jpg

Don't be fooled by this picture. It appears to be taken from slightly below and behind the ram, which makes the horn appear higher relative to the bridge of the nose or the line from the base of the horn through the center of the nostril. The only way to tell if a ram is legal is to view the horns squarely from the side with the horns aligned. This ram may very well be a full curl bighorn ram, but you can't tell for sure from any of the photos Dana posted.

[bcmulie]

Just to be clear - if i had a tag no way would i be walking away from this ram until i was able to view him squarely from the side. I think he's legal, especially on the right side. But "i think" isn't enough to get me to pull the trigger on a sheep.

And I make him 7-1/2.

[Timberjack]

Don't be fooled by this picture. It appears to be taken from slightly below and behind the ram, which makes the horn appear higher relative to the bridge of the nose or the line from the base of the horn through the center of the nostril. The only way to tell if a ram is legal is to view the horns squarely from the side with the horns aligned. This ram may very well be a full curl bighorn ram, but you can't tell for sure from any of the photos Dana posted.

Exactly - can't tell for sure with the pics supplied. I would not shoot if these were the only looks I got. NEEDS to be viewed squarely from the side. Chances are good its full curl, but not a chance I would take...

TJ

[dana]

You guys are right that the pics aren't taken squarely from the side. I find taking pics with the animal above me makes for a better photo, especially if there is a skyline. ;) When I was taking the pics, the last thing on my mind was doing a thread like this. That was an afterthought. :) For those who have noted the angle, you are correct to wonder if the ram is indeed a full-curl. I can tell you from observing him, he is a full curl above the eye but not mature above the bridge of the nose.
As for age, I had this ram at 6 years. Learning more as these threads continue, he may be 7 if that is a ring at hairline.

[BChunter]

His right horn is legal full curl. Pull the trigger, I would! The second pic right horn is proof! So far on stones I've been correct. A veteran Stone sheep hunter once told me, "don't ever pass up a legal ram". He tried for a 40 incher for years and passed many dandy sheep he probably now regrets! The 40 inch mark should be discouraged as a benchmark. A 37 or 38 inch full curl stone is an absolutely fantastic trophy!

[Rackmastr]

His right horn is legal full curl. Pull the trigger, I would! The second pic right horn is proof! So far on stones I've been correct. A veteran Stone sheep hunter once told me, "don't ever pass up a legal ram". He tried for a 40 incher for years and passed many dandy sheep he probably now regrets! The 40 inch mark should be discouraged as a benchmark. A 37 or 38 inch full curl stone is an absolutely fantastic trophy!

Aint that the truth about 40" rams. I guided a hunter once who said his benchmark for what he wanted to shoot was a 40" ram. He had never shot a ram before. I advised him of the difficulty in not only finding a ram that big, but also judging it properly for me to call it an honest 40 inches. He passed up a couple legal rams that were beauties and on the last day wanted to go shoot one....haha. Not a chance that happened the way he planned, and of course he went home empty handed.

Now...if I could just find myself a legal stone's ram, I'd be a happy man!!

[riflebuilder]

7 1/2 and a legal full curl I bet the other ram would score better

[oscar makonka]

7 1/2 . wouldn't shoot based on the pictures until I got a better square angle. still even if he's legal he's a squeeker, I wouldn't pull the trigger.