T Bone
Well-known member
Sat 09/30 -- Drive day. Travel from South Dakota to Idaho via I-90. Counted bajillions of antelope and deer in SD, WY, and MT. Finally in Idaho I stop at the North Fork Cafe and get a sandwich and catch up on the latest news of incoming steelhead, hunting etc. On the river road I run into a herd of sheep. All I need now are flip flops....
Arriving at the trailhead I find snow, much more than expected. I'm the only vehicle there. Campground is empty. Kinda reminded me of a few years ago.... Hello!? Anyone out there?
Sun 10/01 After sleeping in the back of my classic '86 Ford Warren and I hit the trail early. We find snow on the shady sides of the mountains, much more than expected.
I'm tired. The RMSF after-effects are grabbing me. I listened to the body and rested when needed. Even Warren, a pasty overweight guy was outdoing me.
At mile 8 there is a "Y" in the trail. Left goes to X mountain (where Big O lives) and right goes to Oscar ram was killed. We think and talk. There's more snow than expected, Warren has to leave by Wed morning. If we go chase Big O, then its another full 24 hours before we arrive there. If we go right we're hunting tonight. We go right, with the thought that if we don't connect by day 4, I'll jump over to X mountain.
At mile 11, Warren's sharp eyes spot sheep. We're not in my unit yet, so we pay them no mind. We arrive at our destination at 14 miles, pooped out.
Monday 10/02
We spot sheep near (3/4 mile) and far (1 1/2 miles.)
In the near group there are 20 sheep, 5 rams no big ones, but one legal 3/4 curl. Of the far group, one ram. No big rams spotted.
After a day of spotting and hoping, I call the wife and get a weather report. Tuesday mostly clear. Wednesday big storm coming in. Heavy snow expected Wed, Thur, Frid. Just what I wanted not to hear. Warren and I talk. I think all night long. 1- I'm very concerned about getting snowed in. To get back to the trucks, I have to go back up and over a series of high passes and ridges. Some already have 18 inches of snow. 2- I'm concerned about my physical ability. I wasn't feeling my normal stallion-like self. 3- Making a long distance stalk would be much easier with Warren's help.
Tuesday 10/03
Overnight I've concluded that we'll glass until mid-morning. If no bigger rams are spotted and if the 3/4 curl ram, is still there, I'll make a try for him. I share the plan with Warren and we roll out of bed and glass.
No mature rams show themselves. The herd of 20 is still there.
Arriving at the trailhead I find snow, much more than expected. I'm the only vehicle there. Campground is empty. Kinda reminded me of a few years ago.... Hello!? Anyone out there?
Sun 10/01 After sleeping in the back of my classic '86 Ford Warren and I hit the trail early. We find snow on the shady sides of the mountains, much more than expected.
I'm tired. The RMSF after-effects are grabbing me. I listened to the body and rested when needed. Even Warren, a pasty overweight guy was outdoing me.
At mile 8 there is a "Y" in the trail. Left goes to X mountain (where Big O lives) and right goes to Oscar ram was killed. We think and talk. There's more snow than expected, Warren has to leave by Wed morning. If we go chase Big O, then its another full 24 hours before we arrive there. If we go right we're hunting tonight. We go right, with the thought that if we don't connect by day 4, I'll jump over to X mountain.
At mile 11, Warren's sharp eyes spot sheep. We're not in my unit yet, so we pay them no mind. We arrive at our destination at 14 miles, pooped out.
Monday 10/02
We spot sheep near (3/4 mile) and far (1 1/2 miles.)
In the near group there are 20 sheep, 5 rams no big ones, but one legal 3/4 curl. Of the far group, one ram. No big rams spotted.
After a day of spotting and hoping, I call the wife and get a weather report. Tuesday mostly clear. Wednesday big storm coming in. Heavy snow expected Wed, Thur, Frid. Just what I wanted not to hear. Warren and I talk. I think all night long. 1- I'm very concerned about getting snowed in. To get back to the trucks, I have to go back up and over a series of high passes and ridges. Some already have 18 inches of snow. 2- I'm concerned about my physical ability. I wasn't feeling my normal stallion-like self. 3- Making a long distance stalk would be much easier with Warren's help.
Tuesday 10/03
Overnight I've concluded that we'll glass until mid-morning. If no bigger rams are spotted and if the 3/4 curl ram, is still there, I'll make a try for him. I share the plan with Warren and we roll out of bed and glass.
No mature rams show themselves. The herd of 20 is still there.
hump
