Colorado sheep

[Elkhunter24]

great story and awesome ram Oak. Congrats!!

 

[Oak]

Ten or 11...I'm going with 11. There is some confusion around year 3-4...two false annuli or one? I think only one. CPW aged him at 10 by counting two rings at that point and not counting the broomed off 1st ring. This is the second sheep I have watched get checked by CPW and both people claimed the lamb tip was 9" long.

 

[T Bone]

Congrats Oak!

Perfect end to the best hunt.

That is one beauty of a ram.

 

[ashersdad]

One of the best write ups and adventures this year. Thanks Oak for taking us along and congrats on an outstanding ram.

 

[Baerman]

Damn good looking Ram Terry! Congrats!

 

[cur dog]

When I win the raffle tag next year, I know who I'll be talking to. Great Ram.

 

[TRS_Montana]

Best story I've read on here. Thanks and congrats!!!

 

[rmyoung1]

Sometimes these sheep tags go to people who appreciate the experience, folks who deserve the opportunity to hunt a ram. Such is the case this time. Congrats, Terry. You deserve it

 

[6mm Remington]

I think I came up with 11.5 also! Great story and awesome sheep. Thanks for posting.

 

[Roamer]

Congratulations Oak. I truly enjoyed following along, the pictures and the story were great.
Thanks for sharing

 

[jrabq]

Been elk hunting so missed this thread, WOW! Congrats on the awesome hunt and ram! And great pics!

 

[Big Fin]

I finally got around to reading this entire thread. Amazing hunt, Terry. A very deserving guy rewarded for all of his hard work and his dedication to conservation and hunting.

I'm very grateful that you took the time to provide such an amazing recount, with all the pictures, as you did here on Hunt Talk. Now I really owe you.

Congrats!

 

[MNHunter]

Wow, great story Terry! Congrats again

 

[Schaaf]

Ten or 11...I'm going with 11. There is some confusion around year 3-4...two false annuli or one? I think only one. CPW aged him at 10 by counting two rings at that point and not counting the broomed off 1st ring. This is the second sheep I have watched get checked by CPW and both people claimed the lamb tip was 9" long.

9" lamp tip? Seems reasonable.

I love this thread, I've gone back and read it a half dozen times over. Always pleased when a guy that truly deserves a ram gets his. It amazes me that some of the places in your pictures are in the lower 48.

 

[mrklean]

Awesome story thanks for sharing

 

[Bambistew]

9" lamb tip

Well, that seems a bit long.

Alaska recently came out with a very good reference for horn information/growth/legality for harvest.
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/h...ng_sheep_horns_under_full_curl_regulation.pdf

 

[Oak]

9" lamp tip? Seems reasonable.

I pulled 9" out of thin air. My point is that they start counting at the second annulus.

Ivan, that is a very good document AK has put together. Colorado's 1/2 curl requirement is measured a bit differently. Their reference line bisects the eye and the base of the ear. That said, I don't think they would ever issue a ticket for a sub-legal ram, as the purpose of the regulation is to prevent ewe harvest.

 

[Oak]

The next morning we split up again and I decided to drive back over to the area I had regularly seen 5-6 rams but had not gotten a good look at them yet. After some searching I once again relocated 6 rams, and this time the light was good enough that I could get a decent look. There were two nice rams in the group, including a heavily broomed ram that I recognized from previous years. He was previously radio collared, but the collar had since released and he only sported his red "58" ear tag. Friends of mine had nicknamed him Von Miller when scouting the unit 2 years earlier. He had grown up to be a stud, but had broomed his horns back heavily. The other nice ram was longer, but didn't seem to have the mass of Von Miller.

View attachment 143807

View attachment 143808

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A somewhat ridiculous photo of Von Miller from the back.
View attachment 143811

Since I had regularly seen these rams in the same area for nearly 2 months, I decided that they would be my backup plan if something went wrong and I couldn't find one of my top 3 rams.

Von Miller is dead. Congrats to the hunter!

 

[elk_hunter]

Oak, major congrats on an absolute stud ram. A super cool adventure and thanks for taking us along - helluva ride - incredibly well written and pictures were perfect!

 

[Festus]

Was hunting and missed this....
Amazing, truly amazing hunt and ram!
Awesome recap and pictures!
Congrats