BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[jraper]

Any good tips out there for Judging (at long distances) Bighorns? Hunt is in 10 days.!!!!!

Joel Raper

[Serious Hunter]

Mature Rocky Mountain Bighorns are BIG animals (300 lb, significantly larger than mule deer). Mature rams will be in bands of up to 5 rams. Marginal and immature rams will be with `mommy and sisters'.

Check out this pic I found out on the web:

http://www.photo.net/photodb/p.....id=2196647

First ram - clearly immature
Second ram - not legal in Idaho
Third ram - yum ... 6 or so years old.

Note how much BIGGER the far ram is.

The rams I've seen in Idaho seem to be more gray colored.

So, this gets you into `legal' ... but don't know what to say as far as number or record book scoring.

Have fun - and let us know how you do. Where is your hunt?

[jraper]

The hunt is in oregon. SE part of state. Steen Mountains.
We don't have a requirment for size to shoot but I am looking for a good ram. I have been scoutting a few times, found a fair amount of rams total. I believe I have found some good ones, but never closer than 800-1k yards. Hunt starts Aug 20th. I will share the videos once I get my ram, I have scouting videos now, but don't want to give up my locations until after the hunt.
The hunt is for Cal. BigHorns so something is the 160 and above range is what I am after. I know they are there, just wanted some tips on best way to judge.

[Serious Hunter]

Do the rams you're seeing have horns broomed? The rocky I got last year had un-broomed ends and scores probably just a tiny bit under 160. Three-quarter curl. Here's a pic:

http://www.woodengineering.com....._small.jpg

I don't know much about the Calif - my hunch is that they are smaller in body and horn ... 160 might indeed be a nice ram for a Calif Bighorn.

Broomed horns will be shorter but more massive.

Anyone?

[jraper]

Looks to be a few of them with broomed tips. From what I understand the Calf Hybrid is a bit smaller and has less mass, but more width (curls out further).

So far that is the advise I have. Pick the biggest bodied ram with broomed tips. I am truely looking forward to it.

Here is a link to one of the video I got. (I am still learning the video camera thing and they are a long long ways out so not a great video.)

www.theraperfamily.com/video/

[Serious Hunter]

Bighorn Sheep are fabulous creatures. That looks like intriguing country down there.

[147 Grain]

Never hunted sheep; I'm a little envious here, but I do know that they require a tougher designed bullet that's heavier than what it takes to anchor smaller deer.

[Provider]

Joel,
Judging sheep at long distance is difficult, as there is many factors to consider regarding what a ram will score(B&C). You're looking for mass and length. Emphasis on mass because length can be deceiving with lamb tips still present. Heavy mass is usually a sign of an older age class mature ram, which will probably have broomed off. So, ideally look for heavy mass all the way out, broomed, but age and continued growth has given length back to him. That is a beautiful ram Serious Hunter killed, but the difference in score compared to a ram with the same length but broomed off, would be substantial. Try not to be fooled by how wide a ram might be, you do not get credit for width, but they look very impressive. How deep of a curl is more important, as this translates into more length, which you do get credit for. One other thing I will mention is bighorn sheep are all magnificent animals. That you are happy with whatever size ram it is, is most important. Regardless of what it scores B&C. If you decide a ram is the one you want and are able to kill him, great. You'll have no regrets and appreciate having just had the opportunity to hunt them. I hope you have a great experience. Good luck.

[Serious Hunter]

Agreed with Provider. This may seem odd, but I actually wanted a ram without broomed tips. A ram with equal length broomed would indeed be a brute. Take the ram you want hanging on your wall.

[jraper]

Well said. I am looking for a sheep that looks great on the wall. I imagine the sheep I harvest will be a true treasure to me no matter the B&C score. I will update you all with my pictures.

BTW, That IS a very nice RAM you bagged!! Thanks for sharing.

What where the habits you picked up on for the sheep. I have found that they tend to bed 8ish in the morning then get up and bed back down in the shade a little later. Not so sure about what they do during the evening. I mostly have seen them early in the morning.

[Hambone]

I got the video tape done by Duncan Gilchrist "Field Judging Bighorn Rams". The quality of the video is like a home movie but the information is very good. Jack Atcheson Jr. covers basic judging and then they have 24 scenarios where you view a ram in the wild and estimate it and then they re-show it and an expert panel estimates the same ram. Lots of good info and practice. The web site is http://www.wildramhunters.net/

What I got from it, look for horns that carry their mass all the way out, bottom of the curl below the jaw line. Horn tips above the bridge of the nose. Atcheson said if you have to spend a lot of time judging the score it probably is not a B&C ram. When you see a 180 plus ram it will stand out so much that you will know it's a big one.

[jraper]

I am off to hunt sheep in the morning. I can hardly sleep, filled with anticipation. I went to the range today one last time to get comfortable with my 200/300 yard shots. Shot well, which is good, because I have a lot of shooting confidence now. I will post video/pictures when I return.

10 years applying for Sheep tag = 40$
3 months of purchase after Oregon Tag results were listed.= $2800
Family and friends coming sheep hunting with you on your once and a lifetime hunt = Priceless.

:D

[cowgal]

Good Luck!!! Hope you do well. :D

[Hambone]

Good luck, I envy you having your family along. Can't wait to see results.

[jraper]

First the preface:

Steen Mountains
=====================
The Steen Mountains are home to an estimated 135 California Big horn sheep. 61 of which are rams. The Steens rise above the Alvord desert to a peak of 9700 feet.
Oregon allows 2 first season California Big Horn hunters during the first season, 3 during the second. 844 people applied for the first season hunt. I drew one of the tags.
You can see photos of the terrain by clicking the Steens folder from my site.

The Hunt:
====================
I packed up the motor home and drove my family to the Steens. We camped on a popular lake called fish lake. The kids (Grace 4, Ava 2, Griffin 6months) fished, hiked and enjoyed the scenery. My hunting partner brought his family along too. I also recruited my brother-in-law and another hunting buddy. We brought a long a family friend, Barry H to be camp cook and take care of the families while we hunted. We started each morning with an alarm buzzing at 4:00am. We would make the 6 mile drive to the top of the Steens and begin our moon light walk to glassing areas. We walked long and hard opening day, and found a few rams and ewes but no shooters. We arrived back at camp at dark physically and mentally drained. We decided to take a 2-3 mile walk for the second day of the hunt. This was a lot shorter of a walk, but still did its toll on our feet and bodies. At dusk on Sunday night, my hunting buddy, Sean spotted a couple of rams on some insanely steep rock cliffs. It was getting dark fast and no chance to get a good look or put on a stalk. We decided to head there in the morning. My brother in law spotted the Ram around 8 the next morning. There were 6, one heavy horned and heavy broomed ram. I decided to go after him. The stock would take place on a location I thought might not be possible for me to get to them. We planed out the stock to come in about 30 yards above them on a sheer cliff. This was our only chance, they would see me any other way. I started the 2 ½ hour stock, which included pulling off my boots and walking in my socks to help avoid rocks falling down and spooking them off. At last I was there, but I could only see the young rams from the top of the cliff. I was about 20-30 yards straight above them. I could not see the one I wanted though, and when I leaned over I was casting a shadow that they could see. I decided to belly crawl out to the edge and try to attempt a crazy shot. I could not put the gun in a good shooting position so I had to risk it and lean a little further out. I had him now, in my scope. Just then I noticed the other rams saw me. It was now our never. I remember my bow hunting rules and aimed low on the bedded down ram because of the extreme angle. I was lucky there, but I hit him high but perfect. He never even got up from bed. My buddies were screaming “nice shot”. From 500 yards on the other side of the canyon. It was over, wow what an experience. We packed the thing out up the extremely steep terrain and enjoyed the families meeting us with food and praises when we showed up at camp. We snapped a few photos, and my girls gave the ram a few kisses.

We checked him in at ODFW and he scored almost 156. Good enough for Oregon Big Game Record Books for the California rams. He was 5 ½ years old and measured 15 ¼ at the base with only a ½ inch of deductions.

His full measurements were:

Base 15 ¼ and 15 1/8
First quarter 14 and 14 1/8
Second quarter 12 and 12 ¼
Third quarter 8 3/8 and 8 3/8

Length of horns were 29” and 26”

You can find pictures out on www.theraperfamily.com

I have video of the stock and the passing of the sheep if anyone would like, just let me know and give me a few days to scale it down to a manageable size.