NM Bighorns 2001

[Bear Creek Adventures]

It was a good year for NM Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep hunters. I was fortunate to guide two of the eight hunters that drew for the Pecos Wilderness area. Here are the pictures of my hunters and their rams.

This picture is of Dr. LaValle of NM. He produces the TV hunting show "Hunting the Southwest" and the footage of this hunt should air on the Outdoor's Channel in July of 2002. This ram scored 168 B&C. It was taken on the second day he hunted with a 7mm mag. He missed a different ram on his first day using a compound bow that was estimated to score around 183 B&C points.

This picture is of Dr. VanBuskirk of NM. He hunted for four days before killing this 165 2/8 ram with his primitive long bow and wooden arrows. Prior to killing this ram, he shot one estimated to score about 180 B&C. His shot hit the ram in the scapula and did not penetrate. I saw the ram later on the day he was shot and he was just fine. Dr. Vanbuskirk missed shots at two other nice rams before killing this one which qualified to enter the P&Y record book.

This is a picture of some rams we located the day before the opener. We stayed with this group of 16 rams throught the day and on opening morning Dr. VanBuskirk shot the biggest one in the scapula and he got away. After that the band broke up into three smaller groups and we were never able to get another shot on the big ram.

I had a blast guiding these hunters, both were great guys and great sportsman. There is no hunt I enjoy more than the bighorn sheep hunts. Maybe some day I will draw a tag!

PS: Is that better MD4ME?????

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ November 15, 2001 20:27: Message edited by: Bear Creek Adventures ]</font>

 

[Muledeer4me]

Ok so you finally got them up but i can only see one and its to small LOL you post picture like I do.
Did you get the video of thoses hunts?
Id sure like to see them if you did

 

[Elkhunter]

That is great Bear. I love seeing these pictures and reading the stories that go with them. Thank you for sharing them with us.

 

[Muledeer4me]

BCA,yeah thats better and really cool,
great pictures.

 

[mtmiller]

Awesome pictures and story. Hope I get an opportunity to hunt rams like these one day. Guess money is one factor, but luck is probably the toughest part. Good hunting.

 

[Mountain Boomer]

Great Pictures BCA!!! Someday I hope to get a chance to hunt this great animals. You sure seem to know your sheep. Getting guys into bow range has got to be tough. Congrats on a job well done...

 

[csutton7]

great job on some great rams....chris

 

[Oak]

Wow, great rams! Thanks for posting the pics!

mtmiller, I suspect money may have something to do
with it as well! I noticed that both guy's names
started with Dr!!!!

Oak

 

[Nut]

Awright Bear!!!!

Maybe someday you will get a chance to take a peepy steppin buckeye and show him how it is done!

 

[Bear Creek Adventures]

Thanks guys. I think sheep are among the most royal wildlife there is and I trully enjoy hunting them. There is a factor of money involved, but mainly luck. There are eight public tags available for my area that anyone can apply for by sending your $96.00 for residents, $3,006.00 for non-residents. If you do not draw, you get all but $6.00 back. If you are unlucky in the draw and would still like to hunt sheep, you can purchase raffle tickets at $10.00 each or you can buy a sheep tag at the FNAWS auction. This is where money DOES come into play. Our Auction tag usually goes for between $65K and $80K! Now that is a rich man's game!! I understand the highly coveted Montana tag is going for $150K these days!! Many of these high dollar tag buyers hire guides to scout for 6 months prior to the hunt, them babysit a big ram until opening day. Both of my hunters were fortunate enough to draw public draw tags.

 

[Nut]

Never mind what I posted Bear

 

[mtnboy]

Right on, nice rams and photos!!! I'm still playing our lottery for ours - the odds are about 150:1, once in a lifetime...

 

[Utbowman]

I was wondering if NM uses a bonus pt system for their rams. If so, can a non res just apply for the pt each year?

 

[Bear Creek Adventures]

Utbowman,

No, there are no preference points in NM for any species.

An interesting thing though, on elk and most other draws in NM, twenty-two percent of the tags go non-residents, but with sheep, there is no set percentage. So, in essence, all of the sheep tags could go to non-residents or they could all go to residents, everyone has the same chance of drawing. Usually, there is 1-2 non-residents that draw for the eight tags available for my area. There are usually about 800 applicats, so you have a 1/100 chance of drawing. But like they say, if you don't apply, you can't draw!!

If you or anyone else would like to apply, let me know and I will mail you the apps. when they come out in March or April.

 

[Left Behind]

BCA,
Cool

Nice picture's with your lucky hunter's, thankx to you

That is great