For reals? I'm reading copious amounts of sarcasm in your post. You can't leave. There's a handful of people on here that make this forum run.....while you're not one of them, I do appreciate your presence...occasionally. :-(
Do we really? Whatever happened to sharing camp and high country scenery photos, and discussing gear selections?
Gray N. Thornton makes descent points in his letter, entirely valid ones in my opinion, provided the sheep is legitimately a 3/4 curl legal ram. A 3/4 curl requirement is unambiguously straight forward, workable and doesn't put undue stress upon hunters in already challenging circumstances. I have shot at two MT Unlimited rams--missing the first one cleanly--and did not require prolonged study to determine legal headgear on either one. While sitting upon a boulder and contemplating that first miss, I did study another ram that emerged from a draw and determined that its left horn projected well over an inch beyond that eye-intersecting line that I was superimposing with my scope's reticle. I passed on that ram, but would not have criticized another hunter's decision to shoot. I hope that the Boddington trophy does show up displayed in public forum(s) as several members here have predicted it will. Preferably, it will appear in a Euro-style mount, so that participants of this thread may judge its legitimacy for themselves while granting the Boddingtons the benefit of a larger eye (socket) opening .
BULLSHIT! You'll be back with spurs on the instant anyone posts an off-topic comment to this thread--the offender doesn't even have to be me!
He told me yesterday in person that he's not coming back for a while because he doesn't want me to be right about my previous comment. But it is friday and his drinks start pouring around 5 o'clock so we will see.
Hope you are a patent guy.........
I am not defending the Boddington ram. I would not have shot that ram and I have passed on shooting longer Unlimited rams.
Amazing how different units produce such drastic differences in health and horn structure.I am not defending the Boddington ram. I would not have shot that ram and I have passed on shooting longer Unlimited rams.
This is the last Unlimited ram that I shot. The year before I shot him, I passed on shooting him and another ram that looked like his twin, both standing broadside 20 yards from me. I actually picked up a golf ball size rock and threw it underhand and hit one of the rams.
This ram also has the shortest horns of any of my Unlimited unit rams. He is also the oldest. FWP and I both aged him at 9 1/2 years old. A string from the base of the front of his right horn through the back of his eye, just barely touched the tip of his right horn. The same measurement on his left horn makes him legal by 2 1/4".
While I was having him measured at FWD headquarters, another hunter brought in a ram that he had just shot in one of Montana's premier sheep units. That ram was aged at 4 1/2 years old and he green scored over 190 B&C inches.
Your dog must have been a badass. My feet hurt just looking at that pictureI am not defending the Boddington ram. I would not have shot that ram and I have passed on shooting longer Unlimited rams.
This is the last Unlimited ram that I shot. The year before I shot him, I passed on shooting him and another ram that looked like his twin, both standing broadside 20 yards from me. I actually picked up a golf ball size rock and threw it underhand and hit one of the rams.
This ram also has the shortest horns of any of my Unlimited unit rams. He is also the oldest. FWP and I both aged him at 9 1/2 years old. A string from the base of the front of his right horn through the back of his eye, just barely touched the tip of his right horn. The same measurement on his left horn makes him legal by 2 1/4".
While I was having him measured at FWD headquarters, another hunter brought in a ram that he had just shot in one of Montana's premier sheep units. That ram was aged at 4 1/2 years old and he green scored over 190 B&C inches.
I'll second that- When I brought my sheep in to the taxidermist, there was a ram from the Breaks nearly half the age of mine, but with nearly 40" of more horn. Something about the Beartooth genetics and scratching out winters at 10000' that keeps 'em a bit smaller, I guess.
Email Donna and see if she has a PO box you can send a Xmas present to!
Ooooooooooo now that would be good!
Genetics, nutrition and environmental stress--severe weather across long Winters in the Beartooth country especially--are the contributing and limiting factors.
Interesting thought- But I would say it's possibly more a genetic factor. 302- the Hilgards, mimics some of the Beartooth in many ways, yet is managed differently, and thus, produces more large rams. The 2nd 501 ram this year is a testament that the Beartooths can produce large rams, not on the scale of the Breaks, but still. Perhaps a better comparison yet is many of the record Rams coming from Alberta- I won't say they are enduring a Beartooth Winter in all areas of Alberta, but the Canadian Rockies are no slouch, either. I have no doubt that diet and habitat make a difference. But to what extent, I can't say.
