16 days and counting...........

[Deerslayer]

.....til I go after my dall. I've been looking at a lot of photos of sheep...and many show me what not to shoot! ........my biggest concern is that I will see a "bordeline" full curl.....I hear those guys are real anal about there dalls up there, so it will probably have to be a full +1/4 seeing as how I am unguided and just haven't viewed that many sheep in the wild.

16 days!!!!!!!!

DS

 

[The Hedgehog]

Have a good time and be safe... and for Christ's sake don't pull a pug.

And remember.. too much thumpin it in the tent makes hiking in the hills hard the next day.

 

[Kraven]

Good luck on the hunt DS and make sure it is a full curl before you squeeze the trigger.Its really hard to put the bullet back afterwards

 

[Moosie]

Don't worry Kraven.. It's not the 1st Shot of DS thats the trouble, Cuz we've aLL SEEN THE VIDEO (eXEPT FOR A FEW UNLUCKY ONES )... HAHA !!

GOOD LUCK BRO !!!! I wish I was there with ya !!! Take lots of pictures, And smile for a change .. would ya

 

[Deerslayer]

Thanks Kraven.....and I'm only taking one bullet..one shot...one kill

Greeny, I can't pull a Pug....I didn't see his, but I heard it was a 1/4 curl...and that would land my ass in jail up there.
Besides, he had loftier goals than me after he waited 30 years for a tag

This is my 3rd trip up there, and my first for Dall, so I probably don't have a snowball's chance in hell being unguided and going into an area heavily pressured as I understand it. No scouting has been done this year, so I'm bummed about that, but Sheep are supposed to be there, and a handful of good ones every year come out of there,..but realistically I would say my odds are 10% or less of getting a full curl the situation being what it is. But I will see a ton of sheep and I'm not paying the big ass price tag.....so what is the saying.."you get what you pay for."

There is no distance I won't cover or no extreme I won't go to for a chance at a legal ram...but the fact is, I need a boat load of luck on this one and I know it......I don't have an outfitter who has located my sheep for me as it is when you pay the big bucks.

...and Moosie, if you want me to put one of those goofy ass hunt talk hats in the pic on my beautiful full curl sheep, it will cost you $50!

DS

 

[Moosie]

$50 ?!?!?! hole-chit !!! I just wrote you a $300 check for a $50 boat

I'm guessing I won't have to bribe you.... You will be proud to show DADDY the place that tought you all about "SHEEP"

HUNTTALK.com !!!! WAHHHHhooooooo !!!

 

[Kraven]

LMAO this is good stuff.
Boy hes awful confident with the 1 bullet thing.Boy that tape sure tells alot

 

[lilbiggun]

DS,
you'll do fine on judging the rams. Just take in consideration the angle when your studying them.
Good luck

 

[Deerslayer]

Lilbiggun.....is it still legal to take any ram that is broomed off?....I know it used to be either a full curl or one with broomed horns.....I won't have the regs until I get there.

Kraven......yes there was a smokin' gun...yes there was a dead RECORD BOOK ram....what else did the tape not tell you

Hell, you boys was trying to walk right up to 'em, so I don't wanna hear squat from you, I saw your footage

Yes Moosie, your right........that big ass ol' ram will be sporting a Hunttalk.com camo hat..hell, it's the least I can do after you put up with my shit
DS

 

[Moosie]

HUMMmmmm..... How mad would you be if I took up bets that you didn't score.... You're pretty dam Confident. Just becasue Your bro lives there don't meen you're going to score... Not trying to get you down, but thats like saying just because I'm hunting with Greeny I'm going to score.... It's still hunting. And it's still hard.

Just trying to save you the PRE-BACKPATTING... then the Back-stroking when you get back

 

[BuzzH]

DS, good luck and I agree with Greenhorn, dont pull a Pug.

I'm not sure, but I also think there is a full curl or an age requirement. I never could see how in the heck a person could count growth rings on a ram, but I guess if you were close enough and had good glass...

For reference heres a couple photos of my ram I took up there. This is a Chugach ram and its hard to tell from the picture but my ram is barely, and I mean barely full curl. However, he sports a long horn of nearly 41 inches and scores in the mid 160's. It drops down to the jawline and is really heavy. I'll scan a few more pics of my buddies ram later for reference. Anyway, good luck up there.

 

[lilbiggun]

DS,
if the ram has a full curl, Both tips broomed or atleast 8 years old then he is legal. Gotta be careful counting rings since some rings are darker than natural and alot of folks think they are growth rings. I suck at counting rings.

Buzz,
41" and barely a full curl? that must have a hell of a curl to it. The pics dont prove justice. Sounds like a sheep that was transplanted out of the wrangells. Nice ram, congrats.

 

[BuzzH]

LBG, actually, that really isnt that uncommon for Chugach rams, they tend to drop really deep and have nice heavy bases. The long side I believe was 40 5/8, just shy of 41 and the short side was 38 7/8. I have some better photos somewhere around here taken from a perfect side view. You can see that the tip on the long horn, just breaks the bridge of the nose. Hard to believe that a 40 inch ram is barely full curl.

We watched this ram along with 2 others for 2 days straight. They are a bastard to judge sometimes. I honestly felt this ram would only go about 38 and score in the upper 150's. But, I was pleasantly suprised when he went over 40 and officially scored 164 5/8. The next biggest ram of the three was very close to this one, and it was a tough decision on which to take. Looking back, I'm sure the other ram was at least a 160 ram, very heavy maybe a pinch shorter, but not much. Also, the ram I took was either 12 or 13 years old, one ring wasnt real clear. I thought it was a growth ring, the biologist called it a false ring, I guess I believe him.

 

[Deerslayer]

Moose...I know you can't spell....but you can't read either?????? What you mean I am over confident??????

Re-read my second post on this thread where I say I figure my odds are probably at around 10%.........I don't know about you, but where I come from, 10% means it'll take me 10 times on average to get 1 legal ram.......now those ain't state odds, it's my odds. doesn't sound over confident to me. I just think it will be a really tough hunt and the lack of a guide who knows right where legal rams will be will surely kill some days. The season in that unit has also been going for 3 weeks, so a bunch of legal rams have been eliminated.
It will take an all out effort and a lot of luck for any chance to harvest........just my take on it.

Nice Ram Buzz.......I would take one like it given the shot opportunity no doubt......and I see you had to kick it's ass a little

We'll know soon enough.....and Moosie, if your taking bets against, I may want some of that action .......I figure there is a much better chance I won't kill schit than me coming home with my ram.......'cause I ain't Puggin' it, no way no how!
DS

 

[Elkhunter]

Good luck DS and hope you score on that big one you want.

Nice ram Buzz.

 

[Moosie]

WOW... Defending his SIZE.. Defnding his POST..... Looks LIke Me and Greeny still have it

HEY, In ALL seriusness (For a change) GOOD luck to yah !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[danr55]

So I guess in order to be legal, a ram has to be full curl, broomed on the ends, or you have to check his ID to make sure he's old enough to play. How do you verify the age on a live ram?

 

[Deerslayer]

Dan......every few inches a Ram will have a heavy dark ring on his horns........one for each year he has walked the earth. Up close, they are easy to see. From a distance.....well, lets just say it's probably a much better idea to judge his curl
DS

 

[danr55]

Thanks DS. Now I know....