An Important Life Lesson

Snyd

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Less than a minute in he misstated the legal requirements of a ram in Alaska. He said it "meets all three requirements". He is wrong. There are three ways a ram is legal in Alaska. Full Curl, Minimum 8 years old, or Broomed which mean both horns have to be broken on each side. Which would mean there would be no lamb tips and no way to know how old the ram is by counting rings. The ram is clearly not Broomed. At least 11 years old??? I wonder...

Lesson #1. Know the regulations.
Lesson #2. Make sure your guide knows the regs as well. It was the guide that said it is a unique ram in that it has all three qualities that make it legal. hmmm. Maybe the guy was just nervous when he was narrating?


The hunter said the first time he saw it in the scope he was really happy that it wasn't broomed. I wonder if it's because he just didn't want a broomed ram, or if he was under the impression that the ram HAD to have it lamb tips to be legal. The guide seemed to make a point about the lamb tips in the same sentences regarding it meeting all three requirements.

Congrats to them. Beautiful ram. Hunt of a life time for that man for sure.
 
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Ray

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I watched the hole series of that hunt last fall when they were posted up. Several short clips showing all the basic sheep hunting problems one can encounter.

As to what Snyd mentions, I think its one of the issues with judging sheep and having guides that only deal with sheep a few hours a year. That can make for a powerful series of problems when looking at a small ram.

I hope that the F&G guys finish up their field judging photo series soon. Last time I checked in they were struggling to get decent mulitiple photos of the same ram from different angles and had to higher a professional photographer rather than rely random shots sent in. They want to take Becky's wall poster and make something like it for pocket carry.
 
OP
PA 5-0

PA 5-0

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Snyd, not a thread on the lesson of judging rams.

Folks, this hunter, known as Jersey Joe on many hunting forums, suddenly passed away a short time after this hunt. As you can see in the video, he was as happy and content as a man can be. Joe clearly appreciated the spirit of that mountain he was sitting on. Jersey Joe was a VERY accomplished hunter and from people that knew him personally, just a really nice man. He was always willing to share his hunting expertise and experience and was a heavy contributor on many hunting forums. He had lost his brother the previous year which spurred the scheduling of that sheep hunt.

The lesson here: DON'T PUT OFF YOUR DREAM HUNT. We are on this earth for a short time and you don't control when your time is up. BOOK IT !!!!!!!
 
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Moose2367

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Good on him!
He also doesn't say it "meet's all 3 requirements" He says there are 3 ways a ram can be legal and Joh just harvested a ram that takes all 3 categories" He's just saying it meets all and any of the 3 requirements, making it 'unique'
 

Snyd

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Good on him!
He also doesn't say it "meet's all 3 requirements" He says there are 3 ways a ram can be legal and Joh just harvested a ram that takes all 3 categories" He's just saying it meets all and any of the 3 requirements, making it 'unique'

PA 5-0

I'm not judging the ram. I'm judging the statement of the guide! What the guide said is flat wrong and is a very misleading statement. In fact he makes it sound like having a flare and lamb tips is one way a ram is legal. Am I the only guy who actually listened to what the guide said??

Here's exactly what the guide says...

"... He's got a combination of everything. He's full, guaranteed to be at least 11, and a flare with lamb tips. There's three ways that a ram can be legal and John has harvested a ram that takes all three categories. So that's a unique feat in its self..."


This ram DOES NOT meet all three requirements like he makes a point of saying. It would have to be full curl, meet age requirement AND be broomed. I'd sure like to find a full curl broomed Dall Sheep this year, holy smokes. That would definitely be a "unique feat in its self" But it's not a unique feat to shoot a full curl ram with lamb tips. That's a typical legal ram.

Again like I posted originally. Congrats to them both. But the guide either needs to get some things straight or work on his communication skills because that ram does not meet all 3 requirement of a legal ram in Alaska like he says it does.
 

tstowater

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I was on a Stone sheep hunt 10 years ago in BC. I was 41 at the time and in reasonable shape, not good, not bad. There was another sheep hunter (Bill) in camp who was probably 63 to 65 at the time. Bill was a tough hunter, but you could tell that it was the mental toughness that got him a sheep, not physical ability. Bill already had a Dall at the time and shot a Desert in Mexico that winter. He booked a Rocky hunt in Alberta with a good young outfitter and went on the hunt. I talked to the outfitter after that hunt and found out that Bill physically and mentally gave up and demanded that the outfitter get him a helicopter to get him off the mountain. My life lesson out of this is that I'm going hunting while I can, especially some of the more physically demanding ones. I do not want to be at the bottom of a mountain or part of the way up and just give up because I am no longer physically or mentally capable of doing it.

I agree, hunt while you can and not wait until next year as there may not be a next year for whatever reason.
 

Snyd

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I know a guy in WA that dreamt of an Alaskan Dall Sheep hunt ever since he was 10 he told me. Then one day when he was in his 40's he took his wife to dinner and told here there was something he wanted to do before he turned 50 but it was gonna be expensive. I met him on the Alaska Outdoors Forums. Bottom line is he came to Alaska and fulfilled that dream. I felt blessed and honored to be a small part of it in that I met him at the Airport when he got here. We had breakfast and he asked me what the best advice was I could give him for his hunt. I think he thought I was gonna tell him some great hunting secret or something. Here's what I told him.

"Take your time and soak in every moment of every moment because before you know it, you'll be back here on a plane headed home."

I saw the tears well up in his eyes and at that moment knew he was gonna have an awesome adventure and experience, ram or no ram. He did. He shot a 38 incher at 400+ yds with his ol 270 and has quite a story to go with it. I also hosted him for a couple days when he got back from his hunt. Took him to Fish and Game when he got the ram sealed, took some pics and helped him with some logistical stuff. It was great. I made a new friend.

On that note. Other than the guides strange ramblings, what I noticed here was John soaking in the moment with the ram. No amount of pictures, video, no mount, no story telling, internet post, etc. can replace those moments in the sheep mtns like that. So, I leave you all with what I told FALCON.... When you get to go on your dream hunt... "Take your time and soak in every moment of every moment because before you know it, you'll be back on a plane headed home."

I take my own advice as well. Every year when I'm in the sheep mountains I wonder if it will be my last trip. A lot can happen in a year. At this point, it looks like this 53 year old will make it once again unless something catastrophic happens before August 8th. This will be year 10. I got a late start sheep hunting but know I am blessed to be able to have done what I've done. Stids "One man's sheep journey thread" really resonates with me. We have some parallels in that regard.

peace

Perry
 
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I miss shooting the breeze with John on the forums and PMs. He passed away a few months ago. RIP John. Nice ram buddy.
 

bobhunts

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Very good read. I got some of the same advice on my Bighorn tag I recieved this year from someone that has done it three times. Enjoy the hunt and don't get so concentrated on the kill that you forget the hunt. I am 50 and will try and take all of the pics from scouting to leaving so I have something to share and try and take in every moment on the hunt. Bob.
 

Falcon

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I know a guy in WA that dreamt of an Alaskan Dall Sheep hunt ever since he was 10 he told me. Then one day when he was in his 40's he took his wife to dinner and told here there was something he wanted to do before he turned 50 but it was gonna be expensive. I met him on the Alaska Outdoors Forums. Bottom line is he came to Alaska and fulfilled that dream. I felt blessed and honored to be a small part of it in that I met him at the Airport when he got here. We had breakfast and he asked me what the best advice was I could give him for his hunt. I think he thought I was gonna tell him some great hunting secret or something. Here's what I told him.

"Take your time and soak in every moment of every moment because before you know it, you'll be back here on a plane headed home."

I saw the tears well up in his eyes and at that moment knew he was gonna have an awesome adventure and experience, ram or no ram. He did. He shot a 38 incher at 400+ yds with his ol 270 and has quite a story to go with it. I also hosted him for a couple days when he got back from his hunt. Took him to Fish and Game when he got the ram sealed, took some pics and helped him with some logistical stuff. It was great. I made a new friend.

On that note. Other than the guides strange ramblings, what I noticed here was John soaking in the moment with the ram. No amount of pictures, video, no mount, no story telling, internet post, etc. can replace those moments in the sheep mtns like that. So, I leave you all with what I told FALCON.... When you get to go on your dream hunt... "Take your time and soak in every moment of every moment because before you know it, you'll be back on a plane headed home."

I take my own advice as well. Every year when I'm in the sheep mountains I wonder if it will be my last trip. A lot can happen in a year. At this point, it looks like this 53 year old will make it once again unless something catastrophic happens before August 8th. This will be year 10. I got a late start sheep hunting but know I am blessed to be able to have done what I've done. Stids "One man's sheep journey thread" really resonates with me. We have some parallels
 
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Bighorse

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Mar 15, 2012
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Perhaps the thing that breaks my heart a little in this discussion is that hunting the mountains is so unique to men nowdays. There was a time when and where it wasn't.

Mountains are everywhere for men to climb. Go get some!
 
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