Ages of sheep with pictures????

[BLJ]

Any pictures of sheep and their known age?
Post them up if you have some. I’d like to see them. Thanks.

 

[adventure907]

I'll go....

 

[BLJ]

Im going to say least 6 but probably 7. I can’t tell if there is another ring close to the hairline or not.

Thanks for the picture.

 

[S-3 ranch]

11 yo , according to the guy plugging the horn in Idaho

 

[grizz19]

7 1/2. Aged when plugged by California fish and game

 

[BLJ]

I'll go....

Is that the same sheep in your avatar?

 

[BLJ]

Are you guys aging these in the field through optics or are the majority just a legal/not legal scenario?

 

[S-3 ranch]

Are you guys aging these in the field through optics or are the majority just a legal/not legal scenario?

40x swavarski spotter , we have been fortunate to have a no doubt ram on most hunts , old and gnarled up looking stands out

 

[S-3 ranch]

What type sheep you hunting? And state ?
California BH , Rm Bh , dall , stone , Mexican Mainland DBH ?

 

[BLJ]

Not hunting. Just a new interest.
I’m 1400 miles from the nearest wild sheep.

Recently took a trip and saw some in the wild for the first time and have become interested.

Seems it’s quite the skill to determine if one’s legal and age it in the field.
I really enjoyed glassing and studying them when I had the opportunity and try to learn some more about that skill from guys who’ve done it.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Not hunting. Just a new interest.
I’m 1400 miles from the nearest wild sheep.

Recently took a trip and saw some in the wild for the first time and have become interested.

Seems it’s quite the skill to determine if one’s legal and age it in the field.
I really enjoyed glassing and studying them when I had the opportunity and try to learn some more about that skill from guys who’ve done it.

I hear you , they are very beautiful and very fun to watch
And very hard to age on the hoof ( even skilled guides have a hard time ( especially on stone sheep)
I have this guideline that they sent us
“”
Remember These Important Clues For Mature Rams

#1. Old rams usually have horns that will look pretty rough and weathered especially the bases. They may even have chunks missing and look very roughed up.

#2. Old rams will carry their weight from the base of their horns right to the tips (or broomed off section), the horns will look heavy and consistent as opposed to a younger ram who will have horns that appear to be quite thin, especially when viewed from a distance.

#3. Old rams will have stacked Annuli at the bases of their horns, meaning it will be such a mess of compacted “rings” you won’t really be able to decipher what is or what isn’t without the ram being on the ground.

Knowing more about these animals, and how to identify them will help you be more confident when you decide to pull the trigger

 

[BLJ]

Dalls and RMBH are really the only ones I’ve looked into so far (2-3 weeks).
#3 on your list seems to be a real, real challenge.
Identifying the annuli through the curl is not to bad (looking at high quality photos on my phone while sitting on the couch) but that stacked up mess right off there head is a chore.

 

[Gravel Road]

You can't just look at obvious rings. Don't forget to account for broomed horns and what they are missing, lamb tips, bad years where the annular rings are very close together, etc. Hint-the dall above is not 6 or 7.

 

[BLJ]

When I looked at it initially I thought the right side horn was broomed way back. Then counting the obvious annuli and assuming one more close to his head.

I looked again and noticed the full curl (at least) of the left side and realized my mistake.

Then I looked at his avatar and realized that if that’s the same sheep, I may be off by a decade.

 

[BAKPAKR]

My friend and I came up with 9.5 years old for this one. IDFG said 9. I am not sure if that meant 8.5 or 9.5. I think I should get another year or two for using a Tikka 6.5 CM and a 3-9 SWFA.

@cal30_sniper, Sorry to hear about the pad on your RokStok. My Tikka has a Limbsaver 10826 pad on it that hasn’t come unglued/delaminated despite some pretty rough use.

 

[BLJ]

That’s a tough one for me. Even zooming in on a good picture.

 

[ReddingArcher]

Aged at 9.5 both on the ground and while being plugged.

 

[elsb0048]

This guy is 6.5 years old according to IDFG biologist looking up the ear tag & date of capture as a lamb.

 

[ReddingArcher]

This guy is 6.5 years old according to IDFG biologist looking up the ear tag & date of capture as a lamb.

View attachment 942058View attachment 942059View attachment 942060View attachment 942061

What a good looking ram he is!

 

[Decker9]

8 years old stone from this year, 40” side.



Next years ram. Have pictures of him at 5, this year he was 7 and close. Next year he’ll be not bad.