Well I was successful on Sunday for my Chelan Butte Bighorn Sheep tag. I can honestly say it was everything I wanted it to be. All I herd all summer was "if I had the tag, I'd want this" Noone ever asks what I wanted out of my tag. What was important to me.
1. Share the hunt with my friends and family. Had my 2 best friends,dad,brother and my uncle and cousin drove out from North Dakota
2. Find my own sheep. I had a dozen guys offer to take me out show me where the rams were or send me pictures of all the rams. Turned them all down. I wanted the best sheep I could find. I wanted to be able to sit in my chair and know that's my accomplishment up there. I knew that ment I would end up with a smaller Sheep. But horn size doesn't have alot of meaning to me. I was flagged down by a guy and he showed me where one of the best if not the best ram in the unit was. They happened to be on the exact ledge I had hiked into scouting, so next morning I hiked into them. Got to within a 100 yards of them bedded. I walked away. For one it was hot that day. I didn't think I would be able to get them out fast enough without risking the meat and cape. And two I wasn't even excited about the ram, I didn't find him
3. Don't do anything stupid. Don't wound one or shoot into a group of rams or anything like that. Don't shoot a young ram. I shot my gun every 2 weeks all summer long. Shot from my pack,shooting sticks,prone, standing. Any position I thought I might need.
4. This one's kinda dumb but I wanted my picture in a red bandana with my ra looking just like Jim Shockey. I know but that's what I wanted.
5. This wasn't on the list but it should have been. Watch a ram roll down a hill.
Sunday we went up to where I saw rams the day before season and passed on opening morning. My friend of 35 years spotted this lone ram working down the hill in the rocks. We lost him in the bottom of the draw in some thick stuff. I moved into position to where I saw rams come up the other side previously. Nothing. This ram had been in a group of 8. So after a while we went to look off the front side to see if we could locate rest of the group. My brother, cousin, and I walked down the trail glassing. We hadn't seen anything and I had turned around when I saw them ram in the bottom of the draw. Range him at 426. Grab some grass and dropped it, no wind. I can make that shot. Dialed and took off my bino harness for a rear support. Drilled him right in the shoulder. He was wobbling,fell on his face, but got back up. So I hit him again. That one sent him rolling. Watching him roll was one of the most exciting things I have ever seen hunting in my life
1. Share the hunt with my friends and family. Had my 2 best friends,dad,brother and my uncle and cousin drove out from North Dakota
2. Find my own sheep. I had a dozen guys offer to take me out show me where the rams were or send me pictures of all the rams. Turned them all down. I wanted the best sheep I could find. I wanted to be able to sit in my chair and know that's my accomplishment up there. I knew that ment I would end up with a smaller Sheep. But horn size doesn't have alot of meaning to me. I was flagged down by a guy and he showed me where one of the best if not the best ram in the unit was. They happened to be on the exact ledge I had hiked into scouting, so next morning I hiked into them. Got to within a 100 yards of them bedded. I walked away. For one it was hot that day. I didn't think I would be able to get them out fast enough without risking the meat and cape. And two I wasn't even excited about the ram, I didn't find him
3. Don't do anything stupid. Don't wound one or shoot into a group of rams or anything like that. Don't shoot a young ram. I shot my gun every 2 weeks all summer long. Shot from my pack,shooting sticks,prone, standing. Any position I thought I might need.
4. This one's kinda dumb but I wanted my picture in a red bandana with my ra looking just like Jim Shockey. I know but that's what I wanted.
5. This wasn't on the list but it should have been. Watch a ram roll down a hill.
Sunday we went up to where I saw rams the day before season and passed on opening morning. My friend of 35 years spotted this lone ram working down the hill in the rocks. We lost him in the bottom of the draw in some thick stuff. I moved into position to where I saw rams come up the other side previously. Nothing. This ram had been in a group of 8. So after a while we went to look off the front side to see if we could locate rest of the group. My brother, cousin, and I walked down the trail glassing. We hadn't seen anything and I had turned around when I saw them ram in the bottom of the draw. Range him at 426. Grab some grass and dropped it, no wind. I can make that shot. Dialed and took off my bino harness for a rear support. Drilled him right in the shoulder. He was wobbling,fell on his face, but got back up. So I hit him again. That one sent him rolling. Watching him roll was one of the most exciting things I have ever seen hunting in my life
