KHunter CO archery sheep hunt

[Khunter]

So where was I?

Oh yeah, bloody arrow, stem to stern, complete passthrough with frothy blood slathered on every inch. Seemed promising just one hour into to a hunt that started with first of many scouting trips in June. I think 14 days spent scoping out the unit, 38 individual rams spotted out of a CPW presumed 41 or so total rams and most were photographed at close range one or multiple times along the way.

As scouting progressed I prepared a photo folder of top rams I liked the most and made a concerted effort to learn the unique characteristics of the best rams in the hope I would know exactly what I was seeing at the moment of truth so I could make informed decisions to let rams walk or try a stalk for a close bow shot.

Along the way I met some awesome and generous hunters of my unit past and present. Brad killed a ram there a couple years ago and met me on scouting day one in June and provided a tour that yielded 31 rams spotted at close range—that blew my mind and assured I would suffer attention deficit and repeated vivid dreams of sheep hunting for the next 5 months.

Ed hunted the early season, a more challenging pre rut period than my December post peak rut hunt. He killed a tremendous ram. We shared thoughts on the unit, pictures from our separate scouting, ram habits etc. and he gifted me with regular updates on his hunt, including the lows and highs as it progressed. All of which helped prepare me mentally for my own hunt to come and of course had me fully stoked in anticipation of my December 1st opener.

My brother Brandon, ABQBW here, drove up from New Mexico to help scout a long weekend a week before my hunt and we saw incredible rut action and tons of rams in the snow. He has a great eye for spotting sheep in challenging spots like timber and at great distance, and found lone rams and small groups in spots far from where most tag holders and I had been looking or hunting. Quite simply sheep are spread all over in addition to also being densely covering the most popular couple spots most rams are hunted and killed in.

Not a shooter but seen up close opening day


Another subpar opening day ram chasing ewes


All along I was motivated to seek rams and hunt opportunities off the beaten path and Brandon’s keen eye caused me to redouble that effort so in the several days preceding my hunt I figured out access to spots with good and great rams that I knew the other two hunters would not be accessing so I felt confident I had as sure fire plans A, B, and C for opening day.


Packing out my ram! Getting to the good stuff tonight...

 

[Khunter]

Final scouting was November 29&30 with the opener Dec 1st and I was on a mission to put boots on the ground and was fortunate to sprout new great friend just before the hunt, Vic, who I called on the 27th for the first time and who had killed a great ram in the unit many years ago before it was so established and did it when the season was well before the rut and rams were very dispersed and hard to hunt. He jumped right in and joined me on the 29th and 30thas we put boots on the ground in these new spots Brandon and I found. I had only glassed from afar and we found fresh sheep tracks in the snow in one spot and good rams standing in their tracks and probably 20 sheep we could in the other.

My brother Brandon joined me afternoon of the 30th for final glassing and I showed him the new spot full of sheep up close that he basically found by having glassed rams there from a couple miles away to help make the decision of which spot to hunt opening day. While there Brandon and I found the big chocolate ram I posted back in post #77 and that had us pretty jazzed knowing he was very killable where he was and other hunters were unaware of this spot!

 

[Khunter]

My best Opening Day options seemed to be:

1) Hunt the more exclusive spot with the gorgeous chocolate ram I posted in post #77 in this thread and about 30? sheep overall

2) Hunt the “main” sheep spot I know one other hunter is sure to hunt and that has 70 or more sheep including several ‘shoot immediately’ rams I had studied extensively for months.

Ultimately, And knowing it would be only one other hunter, Wayne, an awesome dude and skilled bowhunter who I had been communicating back and forth with all fall (3rd tag holder would not start till 4 days into our season) I chose option 2 for opening morning with a plan to shift to option 1 if the morning was not panning out. Wayne is a hard core bowhunter and super guy. We agreed early on when we first met in the fall this would not be ‘combat hunting’ and with rutty sheep in a relatively small area of open county we would work together to assure we both had a great hunt, enjoyed the experience to the fullest and not turn it into a foot race—knowing we were unquestionably assured of chances at big rams.

Wayne and his buddy/helper and me and my Brother all hiked in at 6 am together and agreed to sort out who heads where and stalks which ram or group of sheep once we had them initially spotted. In fading light the night before opener we were all glassing 40 plus sheep from 1.5 miles away, including some big rams and having a good time. The tension and excitement was building to a crescendo in me.

We agreed to meet at 6 am and start hiking in. The only thing between me and my dream archery hunt hunt and a big ram was a thoroughly sleepless night, on where at 2:30 am I woke up and watched a “How to full body cape a bighorn” youtube vid…you know just incase I may need that skill set!

First light with sheep already in view less than 200 yards behind us. You can see sheep in the Selfie of me and Wayne, the other hunter and new friend. We are destined to have the most amazing day!

While we are in the thick of it with sheep all over the mountain, Vic and Chad, another super cool friend and killer of giant critters year after year were posted at the overlook 1.5 miles away watching the show with big glass.

 

[Irrelevant]

If my wife teased like this I'd get a divorce...

 

[geetar]

This guy is dragging a whole bunch of us along like dogs on a hot track now. We know good things are ahead.

 

[Khunter]

Some of the first sheep spotted at first light.

This ram was on land we could not hunt but ended up right in my lap after moving in on ewes on public land during a stalk.


I stalked into bow range of this ram not long after this photo.


Same ram as above.

 

[dgc1963]

oh come on !!! such a tease lol

 

[Khunter]

This Ram at 120 to 200 yards had both Wayne and I chomping at the bit right off. Same ram as in previous post. Our group of 4, having agreed to arrive together and coordinate so we were not working at cross purposes was watching the show Witht his guy and smaller rams chasing ewes and feeding. Then rut was on but definitely past its peak,

Wayne and I with our awesome helpers were just in awe of the scene in front of us. A great ram seen in the red rocks as we were topping out of the canyon hike up and into hunt area, more rams and ewes scattered further up the mountian within half a mile and this fine ram worthy of a stalk right in front of us.

Had to skirt around this buck and his 6 does without them blowing out and alerting the nearby sheep. Would like to characterize it as an epic sneak job but I reality the deer and sheep were too rutted up to care and were slowly walked by.

 

[Khunter]

Chad and Vic were 1.5 miles away and Chad was phone skoping the scene. Thanks guys


And this awesome buck!

 

[Khunter]

Ok so we need to HUNT these sheep and not stand around talking and watching!
Wayne and I discussed and he thought going around to the west and up the mountain to their level or above would be the ticket. I thought shuffling right in to them using the ole ‘lost wallet routine’ zig zagging a bit and looking at the ground and mostly being uninterested could work on these rutty sheep.

Wayne was very cool to agree to let me make the first go while he and Warren and Brandon watched. I committed that if my approach caused them to move off at all I would back out and the ram was his for the hunting and I would be the happy spectator.


At this point the target ram was with 15? Ewes 130 yards away across a small draw. We were at about same elevation and I needed to drop to bottom of draw and slowly find that ‘lost wallet‘ up the hill near the sheep!
Bottom of draw ended up putting me 85 yards from the sheep. Got there with no apparent alarm from the sheep. Worked my way up the hill and got to 55 yards!

My only firm rule I had in mind was I would not shoot beyond 40 yards no matter what, preferably closer. I was only 40? Minutes into my season! OK, there was a 2nd rule. DON’T SHOOT A DINK.

I work way up the hill and get to 55 yards. Most thrilling feeling and I was maybe not nervous but very excited after waiting and scouting for months for the hunt to go live. Ram looked great up close and I WANTED to get into bow range-Bad!!

Ram is following ewes around. I work in to exactly 40 yards of the ram and draw....but he is heavily covered by ewes and strongly quarting away. I stand there at full draw for 10-15 seconds arrow pointed to the side and then let down as ram takes a few steps. I am not going to shoot unless I have ranged the ram and know exact yardage so shuffling a few steps while guessing how far he went and how far we are now apart is not the plan.

Move in again another 10 yards and and have 5 ewes 15-25 yards in front and to right of me. Ram is at 38 yards broadside and covered in ewes. I draw with arrow safely pointed away from sheep and wait for clear shot...there it is, swing bow around and there went the clear shot opp, ram sauntered off directly away and with curve of hill was out of sight within 5 steps. Still have ewes super close to me and ram has even more as he walked away following them as they fed.

 

[Khunter]

Meanwhile outside my view, I learned later, the big ram in the red rocks at first light, bigger than the one I was stalking, had moved up hill above me and dropped down the into ewes and the big ram I am stalking. He dropped down into the group in the short moment ‘my’ ram was just beyond my view of him. The ram I am stalking thinks better of his morning plan to breed a few ewes and snack on nice grass and instead heads down the mountain and away from me. I see none of this in the 15 seconds ‘my’ ram was out of view. Far as I know it is game on and I just need to creep in closer and get my ram in view and in range without a pile of ewes blocking the path of my arrow.

Vic and Chad 1.5 miles away saw it go down as did my brother and Wayne and Warren below and behind me. Later I was told Warren said something like “There goes a gift from god for Kirby, wow”. I can’t say I disagree!

With ram just having trailed ewes out of view at a very slow pace, and considing rounded curve of the finger ridge I was stalking on, I decide going up hill 10 or so yards and then angling toward where I expect the herd of sheep to be is best. I go up and then sidehill maybe 10 yards and I have my ram and ewes in view now at 50 yards. I feel confident, same heavy brooming, heavy mass carrying to very end and close to full curl...no reason to 2nd guess and did not study the ram much at all other than quick “confirmation”.

I move in oblivious to fact I just locked onto the big brother of the ram I was stalking. From here it is pretty simple, aside from my crumbling overall sense of calm but still feeling intense happiness and gratitude at what I am so blessed to be doing after decades of dreaming and hoping for this sort of tag and opportunity followed by months of real anticiption. This ram does not know it but he is to be alive on this earth no more than 60 seconds more once I make my first steps to close in further from 50 yards.

I edge in to 39 yards. he is in the clear except ewes right behind him. I move in to 35 yards and now ewes are in front and behind and he is tail to me. 35 yards!! I draw and wait. The ewes clear after 10 seconds or so and he moves uphill parallel to a step or two and turns quartering away with no obstructions. I am DYING with excitement and calm myself as I lock in behind the shoulder...envisioning arrow coming out at or in front of opposite shoulder.

Let fly and shot looks perfect and IS perfect. Makes exactly the sound you expect of a perfect double lung that misses any significant bone mass. I see arrow pass though and hit the dirt and snow well behind the ram. Euphoria for me as ram takes off along with ewes.

I stand still and quiet as the 2nd step the ram takes puts him around curve of hill and out of view. I hear a distinct ‘THUD’ not 5 seconds after the shot. I hold my place and within a minute, or maybe 10 as time stands still for me, I see 20ish ewes and small rams coming into view below and away from me. Glassing I see no big ram!

I wait a couple minutes and feel my phone vibrate that a message was received. I darn sure paid it no mind in the moment but later when the outcome was clear to me and a ram was at my feet I read this note from Chad:

 

[Khunter]

Anyway, seeing no big ram with the ewes now a couple hundred yard down and away from me, maybe 2-3 minutes after the shot, that I knew had to be devastating, and having heard that immediate close range THUD! I figured was my ram going down, I edge forward arrow knocked to take a look. I go maybe 10 paces and see this:



And I call my wife at 8:01 am opening morning and she asks ”How are you, what’s the matter”. (She is not used to me calling to chat so close to first light when I am usually “in the zone” in full on hunting mode so her question is understandiable)

I tell here what just went down in what she said later was almost unintelligible excited blabbering and she congratulates me and I sign off.

I then call my brother and ask ”Did you see what happened?”

He said “yeah we saw the shot but the ram went out of view when he ran, what happened?.“

I said with false alarm in my voice “ You can’t see where he went?“ and then texted the above photo as he said “no, can you seem him?”.

WooHoo verbal high fives are flying.

The ram travelled only 10 yards and fell over dead before he hit the gound. No leg kicks or other movement at all were evident in the snow and no bleeding one would see with a dying animal.

Here are the next views of my ram as I have 5 minutes to myself to appreciate the moment:

The exit wound was impressive I thought

 

[Khunter]

A few hero shots.Will post more later....

 

[Mica Man]

Heck ya@!@ for sure!

 

[JosephBrown]

That is an absolute tank. Congrats!

 

[TheJason]

What a gorgeous ram. Congratulations!

 

[Khunter]

Packing out!



All smiles....



The two tag holders. Wayne will kill his ram shortly after this photo with my ram for double harvest on opening day.


What could be better than brothers hunting?!




This gang is having a ball already and we are not even 15 minutes into it. The extraordinary degree of teamwork and collaboration and friendship shared among us two tag holders at crunch time and the months of scouting leading up to this moment will be one of the lasting great feelings I take from the hunt. The very reason I asked Wayne to take a moment to capture ourselves at the cusp of what was surely to be the most incredible hunting day of bowhunting we have ever had. Morning light was incredible and beautiful. The ram I will stalk is just out of view above me but within sight as we take this selfie and the big ram I ended up killling is way to the right and below as at this point, before he joined the bigger herd and fatefully wandered into my stalk



Brandon and Wayne cutting up and having fun!

 

[Khunter]

Additional photos from the overall exprience.




Wayne packing out his huge ram. Proof karma pays forward....Two hours after he agreed I could make first stalk on a ram we both were excited about, and an hour after joining the celebration and photo session of my ram, he arrowed a whopper we had both been eyeing and dreaming about all summer and fall! As abqbw and I were slow and deliberate with full body cape job on my ram it turned out both hunt parties packed off the mountain the same way we climbed up...TOGETHER and maybe a tad overwhelmed with the ultimate feeling bowhunting satisfaction. We then had a few great beers at a local micro brewery to celebrate before parting ways.

 

[Jape]

That is so awesome! Congrats and thanks for taking us on a great ride!

 

[Irrelevant]

That is awesome. Totally worth the wait.