MT Bighorn Sheep - Better run for cover
- Thread starter Big Fin
- Start date
Ridge Runner
New member
OHHH Man!! WTG!!! Congrats to the crew !.
AZ402
Well-known member
Sweeeeeet! Can wait to see pics and hear the numbers on him!
Nemont
Well-known member
WOW, I am waiting to see pics of Hank the Tank. To pass on rams 185 and bigger to shoot Hank takes ALOT of moxie. CONGRATS to all and I hope you got it all on video.
Nemont
Nemont
Last edited:
Wally Dog
Well-known member
yee haaa, congrats from south Idaho.
WD
WD
Everything is documented u won't believe the story until you see the video it! Stay tuned...
Lawnboy
Well-known member
OH Boy!! Can't wait
BigFin=The biggest tease since Sally "The sure thing" Martin in 7th grade.
Look forward to the pics and story.
elk_hunter
Active member
Randy, you TEASE!! Congrats though!!
Let's start with the morning. Blowing snow, but the wind at least cleared the skies a little bit. 22F with mph winds is a bad mixture when you are spending a full day glassing and trying to stay warm.
First things, we saw three rams that were all between 175 and 180. We let them walk off, as no one, other than me, seemed too excited. I looked around, wondering what the hell we were going to find, before we would shoot something.
Zack and Bob found a group of five rams. Zack trotted up the ridge to find us, and we all dropped down and started to glassing. Within short order, the drooling was starting.
This group contained the buck I posted looked like a Dall ram, more than a big horn. Not that he is thin, but his length is so long, it makes you think he is out of proportion.
We were getting a strategy ready for filming the kill shot, when Vaughn said, "Nah, not as big as what I had seen earlier." I looked at him in disbelief. This is probably the cleanest, longest horned ram I have ever seen, alive or in photo. All the guys guessed him to be at the minimum, 45". The consensus was the ram would gross around 195. I am not a ram expert, so I did not even make a guess, other than to tell Vaughn, he should be shooting.
Here are some pics of the long horned ram, via my spotting scope at 500 yards.
And here is his biggest sidekick.
Who would pass on this kind of ram.
First things, we saw three rams that were all between 175 and 180. We let them walk off, as no one, other than me, seemed too excited. I looked around, wondering what the hell we were going to find, before we would shoot something.
Zack and Bob found a group of five rams. Zack trotted up the ridge to find us, and we all dropped down and started to glassing. Within short order, the drooling was starting.
This group contained the buck I posted looked like a Dall ram, more than a big horn. Not that he is thin, but his length is so long, it makes you think he is out of proportion.
We were getting a strategy ready for filming the kill shot, when Vaughn said, "Nah, not as big as what I had seen earlier." I looked at him in disbelief. This is probably the cleanest, longest horned ram I have ever seen, alive or in photo. All the guys guessed him to be at the minimum, 45". The consensus was the ram would gross around 195. I am not a ram expert, so I did not even make a guess, other than to tell Vaughn, he should be shooting.
Here are some pics of the long horned ram, via my spotting scope at 500 yards.
And here is his biggest sidekick.
Who would pass on this kind of ram.
montanadogs
New member
Holy crap. What a sheep!!!!!! Now for hank the tank pics.
OK, here is Hank the Tank.
Now do you want the full story?
Look at these pics, and it will make your stomach turn.
When Vaughn left last Sunday, Hank was hanging in this basin. He had seen him three days in a row.
This morning, we all split up and glassed different areas. After the gathering to look at the long horned dude in the previous post, Gary told us of all the ravens he saw way down below.
I offered to drop down and check it out. Thinking, that if we didn't check it out, we would wonder what it was.
I almost fell down when I saw a coyote standing on this ram eating away. Something had killed him. I have no idea what. I could not see any bullet marks, no injury to the head. He died in a place very visible from the river.
Did a hunter shoot and not follow up his hit? Did someone shoot him and have the idea they could come back and get him next spring? Who knows, but Hank the Tank is dead.
He is still laying in the coulee. MT law doesn't allow you to claim or carry out a dead ram, so I left him there. Took pics and video, climbed out, and told the guys the bad news. To say Vaughn was disappointed would be an understatement. He had passed this ram three times in the last few weeks, and now it was dead from some unknown cause. FWP has been called, and I am sure they will come to investigate tomorrow. Hopefully they will know the cause of death.
The rest of the guys climbed down to inspect, following my report. One carried a steel tape, and they measured the ram where he laid. Result was 199 4/8". The longest horn was 40 4/8" and the other 40".
So, tomorrow, we need to regroup and go after one of the other big rams known to exist.
Wish us luck, as we try to find one that Vaughn wants. I think the long horned guy could be in trouble in the morning.
Now do you want the full story?
Look at these pics, and it will make your stomach turn.
When Vaughn left last Sunday, Hank was hanging in this basin. He had seen him three days in a row.
This morning, we all split up and glassed different areas. After the gathering to look at the long horned dude in the previous post, Gary told us of all the ravens he saw way down below.
I offered to drop down and check it out. Thinking, that if we didn't check it out, we would wonder what it was.
I almost fell down when I saw a coyote standing on this ram eating away. Something had killed him. I have no idea what. I could not see any bullet marks, no injury to the head. He died in a place very visible from the river.
Did a hunter shoot and not follow up his hit? Did someone shoot him and have the idea they could come back and get him next spring? Who knows, but Hank the Tank is dead.
He is still laying in the coulee. MT law doesn't allow you to claim or carry out a dead ram, so I left him there. Took pics and video, climbed out, and told the guys the bad news. To say Vaughn was disappointed would be an understatement. He had passed this ram three times in the last few weeks, and now it was dead from some unknown cause. FWP has been called, and I am sure they will come to investigate tomorrow. Hopefully they will know the cause of death.
The rest of the guys climbed down to inspect, following my report. One carried a steel tape, and they measured the ram where he laid. Result was 199 4/8". The longest horn was 40 4/8" and the other 40".
So, tomorrow, we need to regroup and go after one of the other big rams known to exist.
Wish us luck, as we try to find one that Vaughn wants. I think the long horned guy could be in trouble in the morning.
That ram is a monster! Hopefully he sowed his seed during his lifetime and died naturally. Losing a specimen like that to a poacher would be more than a shame. Best of luck to you guys tomorrow, I imagine Mr. Longhorn is enjoying his last night's sleep.
JoseCuervo
New member
Wow, that is a shitty way to end the day. Strange circumstances.
shoots-straight
Well-known member
I see blood on his nostril, that would indicate some sort of lung hemorrhage. Your pictures might help F&G. Scavengers might remove what's left of any sign. Makes me sick to think a poacher would do this. Sheep do die of other diseases though. They certainly aren't the hardiest animal species.
csutton7
Active member
holy bat bwana--unbelievable
Holy cow, what a weird and horrible way for the hunt to turn.
I really feel for your buddy, but that long horned ram would definitely make a good consolation prize.
Also, as long as F&G doesn't suspect foul play, which they very well could, you're the owner of the head right?
I really feel for your buddy, but that long horned ram would definitely make a good consolation prize.
Also, as long as F&G doesn't suspect foul play, which they very well could, you're the owner of the head right?
TBinKodiak
Member
Looks like he took a fall by the fresh chunk out of his horn. Probably trying to escape coyotes or possibly trying to evade a hunter. That other ram looks very nice though, good luck tomorrow.
indian larry
Member
WOW that is horrible, my first guess was that he took a fall too with that bad of a chunk taken out and the other marks. I dont think the yotes dragging him around could of even came close to making marks like that. What a bummer I think the long horned one would be a good fix, good luck!
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