dhoftiezer
FNG
2017 was to be my 3rd year sheep hunting and I was still searching for my first ram, something I'd been dreaming of since I was about 12 years old. 2015 brought my brother success on our walk-in hunt, 2016 a friend and I went in for a quick 4 day hunt and the weather left us with only 2 hunting days and we were unable to locate anything legal. The plans for this year began as I hiked out last year. My brother was on board to join me again...until the draw results came out and he had to save his time off for his draw tag. I continued the planning for a 14 day solo hunt until 2 weeks before the season opened, when a good friend, Adam, was able to clear his schedule and join me. This would be Adams first sheep hunt.
August 6:
Hike in day, we left at about 10 AM. After 11 hours of hiking we finally gave in and set up camp short of our destination drainage.
August 7:
After sleeping in and a good breakfast we once again headed up hill towards our destination, arriving about noon. We set up camp just below the ridgeline with the intention of spending the next couple days scouring the drainage with our optics. As the afternoon wore on we had located 2 bands of ewes and lambs but no rams. As evening set in we had our dinner and continued to glass every nook and cranny we could find. Our determination paid off at about 8 PM when a band of 5 rams worked their way up a ridge about 2 miles north of us. A few minutes of scrutiny told us that 1 ram was definitely legal and we hit our beds full of hope.
August 8:
Once again we slept in and while eating breakfast we began to search for the 5 rams and they were bedded down in the same area we saw them at dark the night before. We decided our best option was to pack up camp and get a little closer before the opener. We found a good route towards them and at about noon, a great place for our camp with a bubbling brook about 100 yards away. After setting up camp, we headed up the ridge that separated us. As we crept over the ridge we were greeted with all 5 rams bedded down at 400 yards and spent a couple hours looking them over really well with the spotter. 1 was clearly legal and a second ram was close, but just to close to shoot. We backed off down to camp and spent the remainder of the day lounging around camp and searching for more sheep across the drainage. Our searching turned up an additional band of 10 rams 3 miles away, a couple that appeared to be very good rams. Once again we went to bed with extremely high hopes.
August 9:
We woke up early to high hopes and beautiful weather. We spent the first couple hours watching the band of 10 rams across the drainage. At about noon we decided to make a sneak up the ridge to verify the 5 rams were still hanging out in the same area. As we crept up to the rock pile we were using as our "hideout", we couldn't find the rams. A sharp look to our left revealed the band had moved in our direction and was bedded on a grass bench just over the ridge. We knew we had to sneak out and patiently await opening day. We crossed the valley past our camp and spent the remainder of the afternoon glassing the other band of rams, trying to determine their size. At about 4 PM I glanced over at the ridge that hid the 5 rams, and to our surprise they had crossed over the ridge and were now in the same valley as our camp. We patiently waited while they fed and after 30 minutes they went back over the ridge. We hustled back to camp, grabbed our hunting gear, and decided we'd sneak up to the rock pile and wait out the midnight opener. As we crested the rock pile, we were shocked to see the rams in a single file line quickly heading away from us. They traveled about 3/4 mile away and then went straight up into what could only be described as "no mans land". We both looked like a couple of kids who just had the prize stolen from their box of cereal. We walked back to camp dejected and trying to figure out all the rookie sheep hunter mistakes we made. At 11 PM I snuck back up the ridge to see if they had dropped back down. Nope, they were still comfortably bedded up in the cliffs. We went bed with the plan of getting up early and spending the day on the "rock pile" watching their movements and hoping they'd make a mistake. Sleep did not come easy.
August 10:
Opening day! Today also marked my 50th birthday, and I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate it!!!We didn't get up quite as early as we hoped. Neither of us slept well thinking about what we could have done different. We got all our gear loaded up and headed for the ridge. As we walked past the last small hill before the ridge top, I was greeted to the sight of a ram feeding 100 yards away. We both dropped to our bellies and thankfully the ram was facing away from us. We crawled back, shed our packs, grabbed our rifles and snuck up this small hill that also held a nice boulder pile on top. As I peeked over the boulders, the rams was 50 yards below me feeding unaware. It was clear he was sub legal and I couldn't see any other rams without the risk of spooking him. We sat back against a couple boulders where we could see all escape routes around the hill. We didn't know if this was the band of 5 or a different ram that wandered in overnight. After about 15 minutes, Adam excitedly said it was the band of 5 and they were all facing away feeding at 150 yards. We quickly crawled up the hill and began searching for the big one. As if on cue, they all turned and started giving us side views. I picked out the 4th ram from the left as the shooter, when I looked at Adam, he held up 4 fingers and I knew it was time. I only had to wait a few seconds for him to clear another ram and 2 shots later a dream had come true. After celebration and reflection time, the work began. The weather was once again absolutely beautiful. We skinned the ram, built a small fire at the kill site and enjoyed fresh sheep tenderloins! I can't thank Adam enough for the help and company. What a birthday gift indeed.
August 11:
Shortly after arriving back at camp the previous day, the rains began. It rained on and off during the night. Once again we awoke to sunny skies, the rains had passed. We had decided that 1 ram was enough to pack out and by 7:30 AM camp and ram were packed and ready to go. We felt that God had indeed blessed us on the entire hunt. We had sunshine every day, safe hiking, no bugs, solitude, and great comradery. The ram was an unexpected bonus. After 7 hours of hiking we were back at the vehicle and real life.
What a great place we live in, God is Good!!!
August 6:
Hike in day, we left at about 10 AM. After 11 hours of hiking we finally gave in and set up camp short of our destination drainage.
August 7:
After sleeping in and a good breakfast we once again headed up hill towards our destination, arriving about noon. We set up camp just below the ridgeline with the intention of spending the next couple days scouring the drainage with our optics. As the afternoon wore on we had located 2 bands of ewes and lambs but no rams. As evening set in we had our dinner and continued to glass every nook and cranny we could find. Our determination paid off at about 8 PM when a band of 5 rams worked their way up a ridge about 2 miles north of us. A few minutes of scrutiny told us that 1 ram was definitely legal and we hit our beds full of hope.
August 8:
Once again we slept in and while eating breakfast we began to search for the 5 rams and they were bedded down in the same area we saw them at dark the night before. We decided our best option was to pack up camp and get a little closer before the opener. We found a good route towards them and at about noon, a great place for our camp with a bubbling brook about 100 yards away. After setting up camp, we headed up the ridge that separated us. As we crept over the ridge we were greeted with all 5 rams bedded down at 400 yards and spent a couple hours looking them over really well with the spotter. 1 was clearly legal and a second ram was close, but just to close to shoot. We backed off down to camp and spent the remainder of the day lounging around camp and searching for more sheep across the drainage. Our searching turned up an additional band of 10 rams 3 miles away, a couple that appeared to be very good rams. Once again we went to bed with extremely high hopes.
August 9:
We woke up early to high hopes and beautiful weather. We spent the first couple hours watching the band of 10 rams across the drainage. At about noon we decided to make a sneak up the ridge to verify the 5 rams were still hanging out in the same area. As we crept up to the rock pile we were using as our "hideout", we couldn't find the rams. A sharp look to our left revealed the band had moved in our direction and was bedded on a grass bench just over the ridge. We knew we had to sneak out and patiently await opening day. We crossed the valley past our camp and spent the remainder of the afternoon glassing the other band of rams, trying to determine their size. At about 4 PM I glanced over at the ridge that hid the 5 rams, and to our surprise they had crossed over the ridge and were now in the same valley as our camp. We patiently waited while they fed and after 30 minutes they went back over the ridge. We hustled back to camp, grabbed our hunting gear, and decided we'd sneak up to the rock pile and wait out the midnight opener. As we crested the rock pile, we were shocked to see the rams in a single file line quickly heading away from us. They traveled about 3/4 mile away and then went straight up into what could only be described as "no mans land". We both looked like a couple of kids who just had the prize stolen from their box of cereal. We walked back to camp dejected and trying to figure out all the rookie sheep hunter mistakes we made. At 11 PM I snuck back up the ridge to see if they had dropped back down. Nope, they were still comfortably bedded up in the cliffs. We went bed with the plan of getting up early and spending the day on the "rock pile" watching their movements and hoping they'd make a mistake. Sleep did not come easy.
August 10:
Opening day! Today also marked my 50th birthday, and I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate it!!!We didn't get up quite as early as we hoped. Neither of us slept well thinking about what we could have done different. We got all our gear loaded up and headed for the ridge. As we walked past the last small hill before the ridge top, I was greeted to the sight of a ram feeding 100 yards away. We both dropped to our bellies and thankfully the ram was facing away from us. We crawled back, shed our packs, grabbed our rifles and snuck up this small hill that also held a nice boulder pile on top. As I peeked over the boulders, the rams was 50 yards below me feeding unaware. It was clear he was sub legal and I couldn't see any other rams without the risk of spooking him. We sat back against a couple boulders where we could see all escape routes around the hill. We didn't know if this was the band of 5 or a different ram that wandered in overnight. After about 15 minutes, Adam excitedly said it was the band of 5 and they were all facing away feeding at 150 yards. We quickly crawled up the hill and began searching for the big one. As if on cue, they all turned and started giving us side views. I picked out the 4th ram from the left as the shooter, when I looked at Adam, he held up 4 fingers and I knew it was time. I only had to wait a few seconds for him to clear another ram and 2 shots later a dream had come true. After celebration and reflection time, the work began. The weather was once again absolutely beautiful. We skinned the ram, built a small fire at the kill site and enjoyed fresh sheep tenderloins! I can't thank Adam enough for the help and company. What a birthday gift indeed.
August 11:
Shortly after arriving back at camp the previous day, the rains began. It rained on and off during the night. Once again we awoke to sunny skies, the rains had passed. We had decided that 1 ram was enough to pack out and by 7:30 AM camp and ram were packed and ready to go. We felt that God had indeed blessed us on the entire hunt. We had sunshine every day, safe hiking, no bugs, solitude, and great comradery. The ram was an unexpected bonus. After 7 hours of hiking we were back at the vehicle and real life.
What a great place we live in, God is Good!!!
