Techniques on judging Stone sheep horn size

[Call of the Wild]

After a few years of seriously researching the forum and the web on how to age Stone sheep horns and analysing horns at every opportunities I had at taxidermy shops, hunter’s house and hunting stores I’d like to improve my ability to judge horn size now. I feel confident in my ability to age thinhorn sheep without calling myself an expert and reaching a higher level at judging horns is a goal of mine now.

There are lots of discussions on how to determine if a ram is mature on the forum (typical body shape of an old animal, roughness at the base, flare out tip, mass, darker at the base, tight growth section etc) and bigwhiteys wrote an excellent article last fall on this subject.

This past year I seriously started to notice the curl and mass of sheep horns from looking at all the various sheep in the Ovis/Grand Slam magazines. What I’m inquiring about is the various aspects you experienced guys use when it’s time to judge horns to determine a length and mass estimate number. I understand it takes a lot of practice but knowing exactly how and what to look for is what I’m missing. When it comes to whitetail I can see so many things and I have a system to estimate their rack score I learned after advices, reading and years of practice analysing and using a tape on antlers. But all a sheep have is two curly horns and right now I don’t find if that obvious the difference between 3-4-5 inches of length or 1-1½ inches of mass.

Don’t get me wrong I can see a difference between a 40 inches vs 35 inches horn, if a sheep carry its weight, a really massive ram or if a ram is BIG but to come up with a realistic number I’m not there yet. There are lots of pictures of live and dead sheep here and I can see many different horn shapes between the posted pictures but I can’t really put a horn length or mass measurement unless posted.

The following are few basic tips that I’m told or read on how to judge horn size


if the horns are at the jaw line or lower is a very good indication the horns will be in the high 30 or low 40 inches
how high the horns curl up
if the tip of the horns are well above the bridge of the nose that’s sign of horn length
if a ram has these features it should break the 40 inch mark easily and could make it’s way in the mid 40 inches
I find it somewhat easy to see if a ram carry its weight but how to call how much mass it has at the base is tough to tell
I recall a taxidermist saying if a baseball ball doesn’t fit inside the inner curl it equal mass, something like that



I’m sure new and experienced sheep hunters can learn from this and improve too.

Thanks

[bowhunterbruce]

although i'm no expert, i do know that nothing beats accually seeing good mature animals along side of lesser ones is a valuable comparison that one never forgets. spending time in good sheep habitat will prove that all the givin information you already have in your arsenal is viable.
its no different then any other animal when it comes to determining if its a good one or if its a full mature one, experience in the field is your best teacher.imho of coarse
bhb

[Rackmastr]

Good thread, and should have some GREAT info and pics I'd imagine!!!

I use the same type of thing you look at, but havent spent nearly the time or energy to try and 'perfect' my skills at judging. Jaw lines and depth of horn is one I look at. I also look at how 'high' horns come off a head before turning, as some turn quite sharply downward.

I've looked at bighorns and used the 'baseball' or 'softball' method to judge depth of curl, as well as looked for the ear and how much ear I could see inside a curl in profile. I'd imagine using the ear as reference on a thinhorn works easily as well.

Cant wait to see where this one goes.

[325 wsm]

well first off it's always a guessing game and not a science, secondly, regardless of what the ram might score you have to make sure it's a ram you want .
Judging can be simplified a lot if you leave some room for error as well. To me a 40" ram is somewhere between 39 and 41 "maybe". Bases are "around" 14.
for a book ram find one
40 x 15
42 x 14
44 x 13
rams under 160 usually look small
160 to 170 rams are the ones you need to study
170 and bigger usually stands out and doesn't take much time to decide.
long distance spotting I look for mass between the eye and nose (side view).
Lone rams can be tough, friend of mine shot a dall he thought was going to go 42 +, dwarf ram less than 150lb with 36 " x 12" horns 4" over full curl
measure as many sets of horns as you can. put an estimate on the horns first and see how close you are and why.
If your following the basic tips you mentioned you will do alright and find one that makes you proud.
Lastly ....measure your hunt not your horns.

[srupp]

so many variables...bases....drop of curl..ie below jaw or not...how far forward they go before they turn up..mass along length..still havnt got my 2009 scored however did see a photo yesterday of a local fellow who shot a fine ram..just opposite of mine..his was extremely shallow curl that went 4" above the bridge of the nose, slender horns with smal beases and not much mass.. but extremelly pretty symetrical with lamb tips...great thinhorn..

steven

[proguide66]

My personal 'rule' for rams and all other game is " you KNOW its huge the first 1/4 second of first sighting". This holds true with any species. When guideing I always ask , " do you wan a 'BIG' one or an "EFFING MONSTER". A true monster ram (or any other species) is going to look like it no matter WHAT kind of 'theory' or 'characteristics' to 'look' for.
'If' you have to start judging it ( if its a monster you are after) it isnt 'The One' , period. Age should be looked at in a ram no matter what as some true 'HUGE' rams can be 7 and short of the nose.(seen a 169.5" ram confiscated wich was 7 and 1/4" under full curl.)
When spotting my first item to look for is depth of curl under the chin and weight.The only way you will be able to judge weight is to see other rams in real life , pics arent going to gain you this experience , only the field will.
Body size can vary on rams and will as well throw out the ' fit a baseball' myth.Some sheep can be genetically 'challenged' in the body wich makes horns look to be what they arent , seen it first hand more than a few times.This as well will make what 'should be' a " baseball sized hole actually be a tennis ball hole.
As far as scores go , horn length wont play role as much as weight. We have shot many many 39 to 40" rams wich look amazing and they are comonly 159 t0 162" on a score sheet.
At a 'distance' where I am trying to decide if a ram is worth the hike to look closer at , depth of curl , space between the bases on the forehead is what I look at first...unless its a 'no brainer'.
Many manay guys try to apply ' rule of thumb' when it comes to judging sheep age and size with different ' they say' theories.....throw em all out.....there is ' no rule' as pr say. They either have 8 or more rings or they dont,PERIOD..if you can " count 5 to the top of ear" the rest doesnt mean shit....count 8 rings or NOT , period.
Fitting a " baseball" doesnt mean shit.....its either a BIG one or its not....Experience is going to make you learn , period.No 'theories' , no 'rule of thumb' should be paid attention to, it will only confuse you and add to a chance of failure or a confiscated animal.
Again , legal age should be #1 on your mind , then depth of curl , space between the bases ( if its a BIG ******* you are after) , really though , seeing them alive first hand and lots of them is the ONLY true route to learning how to judge 'trophy class'.