My 2013 RAM

[InDeep]

Awesome ram man congrats !! Can't wait for my turn !!!

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

Congrats on a great ram! Nice pics too.

 

[chindits]

Very nice ram and good looking country up there.

 

[chindits]

Manosteel,
something along the lines of a the Vortex Razor HD 11-33x50, which is 25 ounces. In your opinion, would the 11-33 power be enough for sheep hunting?

490 this was the scope I used all summer so FWIW. I hate the lens caps and the rubber eye guard on the eye piece. The lens caps were always falling off. I folded the eye guard out of the way and just used a landmark where the top of my nose and and forehead meet. The last I heard, Vortex is not planning on making any other types of eye pieces for the HD 11-33, unlike the ED50.

 

[Muledeernv]

Congrats on an awesome ram

 

[luke moffat]

I ask as I am considering downsizing from a 20-60 power (heavy) spotting scope to something along the lines of a the Vortex Razor HD 11-33x50, which is 25 ounces. In your opinion, would the 11-33 power be enough for sheep hunting?

For sheep hunting more than any other animal I hunt I want as much spotting scope as I can stand to carry up the mountain. Determining if the ram you are looking at is even legal to take or worth hiking closer for a better looks saves a LOT of hiking which IMO is worth hauling a 4 pound spotting scope along not even counting the weight of the tripod.

I have a Vortex 50mm scope you mention. Its a great little scope and I loaned it to my buddy for his sheep hunt this year as we were going during the same time otherwise I probably would have went with to help out, but he said he liked it, but he doesn't own a spotter so anything was better than nothing.

I like the little vortex for caribou and bears if you aren't concerned about every tip/tine or shooting grizzilla, but for sheep hunting the better the spotter the happier I am to NOT be hiking more than I already am just to determine the ram across the was isn't legal and worth jumping off the ridge your on, down to the valley, and back up another ridge "just to see."

 

[Matt W.]

^x2.. I'll pack a little weight to gain more info. Upgrading my spotter is high on my list of to dos... I'd like to try out a Viper HD 20-60x80, the Razor HD 20-60x85 looks nice as well..

 

[Buster]

I carry the swarovski 20-60x80, but my buddy has the 65mm. I bought mine before I really got into sheep hunting, and having used the 65 and the 80 side by side on several occasions, I think that the 65 is probably the better choice. My 80 mm does collect a bit more light, but it's a matter of 2 more minutes of viewing at first and last light. Also, sheep judging hasn't been a first/light situation for me. Not only is the weight of the 65 nicer on the back, but I even see an advantage from it's smaller dimensions.

Both are great choices, and the differences are so minor that I haven't bothered to try trading my 80mm for the 65. It has been key on a tonne of harvests. I'm sure that products from vortex, leica, zeiss etc would all have similar results between their 65 and 80-85 mm products.

 

[ol490]

Manosteel and Luke, thanks for the info/advice on spotters. Sounds like packing a little more weight and staying with the 20-60 is the way to go. The scope I was talking about that I have is a swarovski 20-60 so it's usable all the way to 60 power. I'll stick with it and lose a couple of pounds somewhere else.

 

[Matt W.]

I carry the swarovski 20-60x80, but my buddy has the 65mm. I bought mine before I really got into sheep hunting, and having used the 65 and the 80 side by side on several occasions, I think that the 65 is probably the better choice. My 80 mm does collect a bit more light, but it's a matter of 2 more minutes of viewing at first and last light. Also, sheep judging hasn't been a first/light situation for me. Not only is the weight of the 65 nicer on the back, but I even see an advantage from it's smaller dimensions.

Both are great choices, and the differences are so minor that I haven't bothered to try trading my 80mm for the 65. It has been key on a tonne of harvests. I'm sure that products from vortex, leica, zeiss etc would all have similar results between their 65 and 80-85 mm products.

Thanks for the info. Daylight is usually not that big of an issue up here in August / early Sept. Good info to have as I debate option. Thanks!

 

[Mad Mountain Mike]

Great ram and write up! I'm obviously going to have to change zones next year, seams all I ever see are squeakers and banana heads. Thanks for proving that there are still nice rams in this province off the mine and wmu 437, good things happen to people who make it happen. Congratulations!