2023 Montana Bighorn Sheep Tag/Hunt...

[DFS]

Pathetic! I wish there was some sort of pre-screening before handing out OIL tags to people.

I think that would be upfront the tag cost. But let’s not derail, I’m enjoying this one.

 

[INMT]

I think that would be upfront the tag cost. But let’s not derail, I’m enjoying this one.

I agree with both. Sorry new here, not trying to derail. Enjoying the story!

 

[BrowningCitori]

Pathetic! I wish there was some sort of pre-screening before handing out OIL tags to people.

I probably should have left this part of the story out. Back to the hunt.

 

[BrowningCitori]

Sept 17. Back to the Bob’s glassing knob, same 5 ewes, it is already hot. We put the boat in the water and looked for sheep and even fished a little. I spot a sheep while flying down river. Dean turns the boat around and it is a ram, he jumps a barbed wire fence and drinks from the river within 150 yards of the anchored boat. Then beds down just off the river bank. We set up the Swaro scope and he looks like 6.5 years old and 170ish. Nice ram but not "the one" in this part of the world. Still exciting, this is SHEEP HUNTING. I know we took photos of this ram, but I can't find them

Sept. 18. Glass and glass and glass, no sheep spotted.

Sept 19. We gain access to some private land. We find 2 rams pretty quickly in the morning. They disappear in a coulee, neither look big but could there be more? I learn an important lesson while getting closer. I assume they are on the far side of coulee, when I walk up to peek over, I am eye to eye with a ram at 125 yards. Good thing he isn’t big, I am in no way shape or form ready (rifle in my pack). He takes off when I take my pack off my back. No other rams with these two. We find one other young ram and then see 12 ewes and lambs in some “difficult” topography. Not a bad day, we have the area to ourselves and we are seeing sheep.

Sept 20. Back to Bob's knob at first light. We chat with a new friend (he is helping another tag holder). At this point I am sure we have glassed everything and there aren’t any sheep to be seen. Just then two decent rams walk across the road not 200 yards away and disappear into the coulee in front of us. Another lesson learned, just because you don’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there!

We put the boat in the river and run upriver. On these hot days, running the river in a jet boat is so much better than driving or hiking. Have I mentioned the grit? The dust/grit is everywhere in the truck, clothes, optics. We spot 3 rams upriver, one in the 170 class. We head downriver and saw a good ram. However, he is a long ways off. I decided to leave him and see if when we come back he is closer to the river. He is no where to be found upon our return. I realize later, I probably should have grabbed the spotting scope and gotten closer. I also realize, it would be nice to have the rifle dialed to 400-500 yards in this big open country. Dean and I have a discussion about setting up my rifle for longer range and I agree to a plan to work on that while home over the next two weeks.

 

[bigsky2]

Let the hunt begin...

Sept 15, Opening morning, lots of hunters on the roads. We stop and chat with most of them. All are nice. One is headed home by noon and says this isn’t what I thought it would be. After 5 hours? I find out later he went home and hired an outfitter. We saw 2 ewes and a lamb. Long day of mostly driving, glassing and hiking and glassing. We see our camp neighbor’s truck parked at a good glassing spot earlier in the day. Our camp neighbor, Bob, killed a 175ish ram. He saw this group of rams while archery hunting and got it done with his rifle. My first thought is ”lucky bastard” then I realize his hunt is over, mine is just beginning, I am the lucky bastard!

It is now a bit of a head game. Seeing lots of hunters, not many sheep and the weather is hot. Dean reminds me it is a LOOONNG season, enjoy! No truer words were ever spoken.

Sept 16, Hot. Looked for sheep from the Bob’s knob (5 ewes, 1 collar) and road. We chat with a warden (as seen on TV) and meet a father and his two sons, one of which has a ram tag. Super nice guys, we exchange phone numbers. We keep in touch and even share gear. We meet another tag holder and his friend as they pack up camp. I will just refer to the tag holder as first name Debbie, last name Downer. He can’t believe how hard this is and “all I want to do is shot a ram and get this over with” Sad. His friend appears to be breaking camp as fast as he can (like get me home). We don’t exchange numbers, no idea how his hunt turned out. I didn’t inspect their tent but in hindsight it may have been slashed!

UPDATE

As I edit my notes (March 2024), FWP sheep data is out. This may be the guy that shoot the 2.5 year old ram. Seriously, he just wanted to shoot one.


View attachment 319768


View attachment 319769

I was driving down the county road and could see a vehicle parked on the road up ahead of me. Out in the stubble field I saw what looked like two older guys and a dog walking back towards their vehicle, with the guys trailing the dog by about 50 yards. When I got closer I realized what I thought was a dog was actually a young ram. I slowed down because it was about to cross the road in front of me. It ended up getting to the shoulder of the road and laying down and dying. In my shock and awe I had almost come to a complete stop on the road. I realized the ram was now directly between me and the hunters so I thought I better keep moving before I got shot. It was one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever witnessed and I wonder if that was the 2.5 year old ram that was harvested.

 

[BrowningCitori]

I was driving down the county road and could see a vehicle parked on the road up ahead of me. Out in the stubble field I saw what looked like two older guys and a dog walking back towards their vehicle, with the guys trailing the dog by about 50 yards. When I got closer I realized what I thought was a dog was actually a young ram. I slowed down because it was about to cross the road in front of me. It ended up getting to the shoulder of the road and laying down and dying. In my shock and awe I had almost came to a complete stop on the road. I realized the ram was now directly between me and the hunters so I thought I better keep moving before I got shot. It was one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever witnessed and I wonder if that was the 2.5 year old ram that was harvested.

How bizarre!

 

[rmyoung1]

Pathetic! I wish there was some sort of pre-screening before handing out OIL tags to people.

Same

 

[cgasner1]

Same

I wish we had oil tags

 

[kansasdad]

I probably should have left this part of the story out. Back to the hunt.

Warts and all, just as it happens (happened) please.

 

[mtmuley]

Warts and all, just as it happens (happened) please.

Yep. mtmuley

 

[BrowningCitori]

mtmuley and kansasdad, appreciate the comments. Not gonna lie when tag holders leave to find an outfitter or tell you how hard it is, it can get in your head...however, just spending time hunting in this landscape is amazing!

 

[WIbiggame]

I have no desire to ever hunt sheep or goats but so far this is one of the best stories in along time on here. Thanks for taking us along on the ride. Patiently waiting "The rest of the story"

 

[TheTone]

Welcome and this is exactly what we have needed here lately. It’s been a long off season. Can’t wait for more

 

[Hem]

Hunttalk members are " generally " middle to upper tier hunters.
Then there is the lower tier.
Hunttalk approves this thread.
How could you not get excited to bust your nuts to kill a ram in that country?
Super cool thread so far.
No rush @BrowningCitori .

 

[The Hedgehog]

I’m liking this one. Unlikely to earn a new nickname though I’d have had a good one if you’d have shanked your tent and quit.

 

[rmyoung1]

I have no desire to ever hunt sheep or goats

Can you please pass this sentiment along to the masses?

Cool thread, @BrowningCitori . Looking forward to it.

 

[WIbiggame]

Can you please pass this sentiment along to the masses?

Don't want to derail this amazing thread. But have to say I respect all of you that desire to chase those critters. I enjoy reading all of the stories shared and the places they call home look amazing.

@BrowningCitori back to regular scheduled programming now

 

[BrowningCitori]

The forecast is for rain overnight and the next several days. I am ready to go home and regroup and there is no reason to drive or hunt this country during/after rain. If you don’t know gumbo, not sure I can explain it… In fact it should be on everyone's bucket list to do some driving and hiking in eastern Montana gumbo (or where ever else gumbo exists)!

INTERMISSION AFTER HUNT 1 - If you have read this far, first thank you! Second feel free to get up and get some popcorn and another beer(s)! The season doesn't end until late November...

On the way home, I stop at Scheels buy reloading dies and 130 grain Hornady Interlocks. I have been reloading for my 270 ever since I had a Remington Core Lock come apart on an elk shoulder (second shot was in the lungs or she would have gotten away). My preference is Barnes but they didn’t have any. My plan is to go home and try to work up a load and get this rifled doped for long range, just in case. I have a couple obligations and so does Dean. Our plan is to come back and hunt early October.

I set up the reloader and am at the rifle range almost everyday. My wife starts to wonder if I am cheating on her with some girl named Mesa! Lets see, I am spending a lot of money on her, a lot of time looking into her optics and my finger on her trigger, WAIT! WHAT! Oops wrong story, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

I discover a few things, I have been doing wrong, between that and my reloads, this rifle is shooting lights out. I get it dialed for 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500. There is a 10” x 10” metal target at 400, no problem hitting that and hitting the target at 500 is no problem. Now how do I take the bench rest a field… Once again not planning to shoot that far but know I need a solid rest and time if it comes to that.

Now it is time to load the camper and make sure I have everything I forget on the first trip. I am going sheep hunting!

 

[shrapnel]

For those, patiently waiting for a picture of a sheep, this will help until the real one shows up...

 

[Bowmannate2000]

For those, patiently waiting for a picture of a sheep, this will help until the real one shows up...




View attachment 319826

Cool photo! Powerful animals.