I was in shock when i drew my Chelan Butte ram tag. I only had 3 points. When i put in, i thought i was just getting another point. Never even dreamed i would draw. This isn't some backcountry unit. It's a butte along the Colombia River. You can drive all the way to the top. You can see Wallmart from the top. But a sheep tag is a sheep tag.
Im so thankfull I got to share the hunt with my friends and family. Had my dad, brother, 2 best friends, and my uncle and cousin drove out from North Dakota fo the hunt. That was way more important then the size of the ram.
I had guys offering to help out, show me pictures of the rams in the unit, and show me where they liked to hangout. Turned them all down. I wanted to find my own sheep. I wanted to feel like I really got to hunt sheep, not just shoot a sheep. I wanted to be able to sit in my chair, look up at my sheep, and know that was my accomplishment up on the wall. Even if that ment a smaller Sheep than what the unit had to offer.
As for the hunt. I watched this ram for several hours day before season. I passed him at 100 yards opening morning. I didn't want my hunt to be over in first 15 minutes. I got waved down by a guy and shown a group of rams. The gentleman claimed it had the best ram in the unit in it. The next day I worked in to 100 yards of the ram bedded. He was big but I wasn't even excited. I didn't find it. So I walked away. Next day I went back to look for my ram. He had been in a group of 9 rams. Spotted him all by himself working down the rocks into a draw. Lost him in some thick stuff in the bottom. I went down the ridge to get into position where we watched his group come out of the draw day before season and nothing. After awhile decided to walk the ridge he came from to see if the other rams he had been with were around. Get down the ridge look over and see him at 426 yards. Range him. Check wind, basically no wind. I can make that shot. Take off my bino harness for rear bag. Drilled him right in the shoulder. He wasn't expiring as fast as I liked, so I hit him again and watched him roll down the hill. One of the most exciting sites I've seen in my life!
Oh and if your wondering. I 100% carried a red bandana just so I could get pictures looking like Jim Shockey with my ram.
Im so thankfull I got to share the hunt with my friends and family. Had my dad, brother, 2 best friends, and my uncle and cousin drove out from North Dakota fo the hunt. That was way more important then the size of the ram.
I had guys offering to help out, show me pictures of the rams in the unit, and show me where they liked to hangout. Turned them all down. I wanted to find my own sheep. I wanted to feel like I really got to hunt sheep, not just shoot a sheep. I wanted to be able to sit in my chair, look up at my sheep, and know that was my accomplishment up on the wall. Even if that ment a smaller Sheep than what the unit had to offer.
As for the hunt. I watched this ram for several hours day before season. I passed him at 100 yards opening morning. I didn't want my hunt to be over in first 15 minutes. I got waved down by a guy and shown a group of rams. The gentleman claimed it had the best ram in the unit in it. The next day I worked in to 100 yards of the ram bedded. He was big but I wasn't even excited. I didn't find it. So I walked away. Next day I went back to look for my ram. He had been in a group of 9 rams. Spotted him all by himself working down the rocks into a draw. Lost him in some thick stuff in the bottom. I went down the ridge to get into position where we watched his group come out of the draw day before season and nothing. After awhile decided to walk the ridge he came from to see if the other rams he had been with were around. Get down the ridge look over and see him at 426 yards. Range him. Check wind, basically no wind. I can make that shot. Take off my bino harness for rear bag. Drilled him right in the shoulder. He wasn't expiring as fast as I liked, so I hit him again and watched him roll down the hill. One of the most exciting sites I've seen in my life!
Oh and if your wondering. I 100% carried a red bandana just so I could get pictures looking like Jim Shockey with my ram.
