I am going sheep hunting this weekend!!!!!

[Brando]

I was at the house yesterday just hanging out with the kiddos when the phone rang. Was not a number I recognized so almost decided not answer it. Boy am I am glad I did. New Mexico Game and Fish called me and offered me a tag for a female bighorn sheep tag this weekend in the Rio Grande Gorge. I had checked yes on my fifth choice to contact me in the event that one of these hunts was held. I figured I better say yes since it may be my only chance to hunt a sheep. They are doing this because of a risk of some of the population coming in contact with domestic sheep and goats. I am beyond excited for this hunt. Going to take one of my sons and a couple buddies on this adventure. Hopefully I will have some photos to post when this is all said and done.

 

[Big Fin]

Cool. Congrats. Have a great hunt.

 

[YoungGun]

Very cool! That’s the area right outside Taos, correct? Awesome country if it is. That gorge means business! Enjoy the hunt and hopeful harvest- tasty critters!

 

[fishing4sanity]

Good luck! Looking forward to some photos and a happy hunter soon.

 

[SFC B]

Better than a telemarketer, eh?

 

[LopeHunter]

I hunted for a bighorn ewe in SE CO a few years ago. You should be able to identify the ewes and distinguish from young rams but the horns can be similar. A mature ewe's horns are around 9" long and if you find one over 11" then that is unusual. Here is a link to CO rocky horn measurements and look for "F" entries. http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hu...ghornSheep/2016BighornSheepHornsLocations.pdf

 

[TLowell02]

Awesome! Congrats! Sounds like you will be hunting this country

 

[pointingdogsrule]

Did you also buy a "powerball lottery" ticket... if not then I suggest that you do so

good luck to all
the dog

 

[rtraverdavis]

What a phone call! I get a call from a number I don’t recognize—I don’t answer. Maybe I should change that policy. Congratulations and good luck!

 

[Sowhntr]

Good luck post pics!

 

[LopeHunter]

Here is my 2012 CO rocky ewe. Bit over 9" each side.

 

[Oak]

It's nice that they are giving hunters the opportunity to remove those sheep. It's too bad that NM can't let that herd reach its potential because of domestic sheep. The NM G&F removed 8 bighorns in the area in January.

 

[bobbydean]

I love visiting the Gorge. Beautiful. Do not know how you hunt it. I would prefer to stay on top, but I would expect you would have to go down the sides to find sheep. What a great problem to figure out. Enjoy the hunt. Be safe.

I agree with Oak. Figure out the domestic sheep problem and let the bighorn herd grow. In that environment, bighorn populations would explode ( I hope).

 

[6mm Remington]

Hope you have success and enjoy the hunt! Bighorn sheep are great eating and I believe you will really like it.

 

[Oak]

I agree with Oak. Figure out the domestic sheep problem and let the bighorn herd grow. In that environment, bighorn populations would explode ( I hope).

According to NM G&F, the herd has grown to 300, and the area could support about 1,000 sheep. However, they are planning to remove 48 ewes with this hunt to bring it down to 250 due to hobby flocks of domestic sheep and nearby public lands grazing allotments.

 

[Brando]

Thanks for all the info and positive feedback. My new policy is answer the phone no matter what. I have spent hours on Onx studying the lay of the land and marking roads and access points up and down the gorge. I think glassing from the rim and locating sheep will be the best tactic. I do have to attend a mandatory meeting tomorrow morning before hunting. Plan is to put the meeting info together with the map studying I have done and make a plan from there.

 

[Brando]

Success!! I was hoping to have this big story of adventure and a long pack out but that is not how the hunt turned out. We arrived in plenty of time to the meeting area Saturday morning. The biologist went over why this hunt was happening. They sheep population is growing and spreading up and down the gorge which is a good thing but becoming a problem. The sheep had really moved into the area around the Taos junction bridge. This is a problem because of the domestic sheep and goats and the possible spread of pneumonia. Objective was to harvest some of the growing population in that area and get the sheep moving north. Long story short I end up shooting this ewe just north of the bridge and just off the road with the state bighorn biologist watching. Not how I would have liked to take my first sheep but it accomplished the objective of the hunt and was a good lesson in conservation for my almost 7 year old son who tagged along. I was reluctant to post because I shot her by the road because that is not how I like to hunt but it was just the way it turned out. Biologist aged her at 7 years old. Horns were 10.5 inches and 11 inches long.

 

[cur dog]

Very cool ! Congrats.

 

[LuketheDog]

What a great opportunity, good job!

 

[kansasdad]

Win win!

State bio is happy, and you have had a great adventure, son included to make it even better. Super