Arizona desert sheep tag!!!

[Devil Diver Down]

I was touring some SRP water management areas on Thursday and I think I choppered by the spot in your last pic, Tom. It was my best day of work in a long while.

You're gonna kill a good one in your unit. You've put in a lot of hard work and it will all probably go too quickly. Glad you've taken the time to document the extensive prep - proves to me I don't have near the time to do anything but accrue points at this stage.

 

[worm]

Congrats. I hope you tag a toad of a ram!

 

[gritz]

I really like how you are documenting your trips. Wish I was young enough to start sheep hunting. Good Luck

 

[Lv2hnt]

A little background info about myself: I was born here in Arizona and inherited my love of the outdoors from my late granddad (a Missouri farmer who moved to Arizona back in 1928). He first started hunting the North Kaibab way before I was even born. He wouldn't have been able to contain himself with me drawing this sheep tag --- I'm dedicating this hunt to him!

I got my first taste of big game hunting while in my teens. Almost all my hunting has been undertaken here in Arizona (lottery draw since 1971), all unguided. I've got my share of gray hair (earned every bit of it!), and probably am as old as a lot of your parents.

I've been applying for a desert bighorn sheep tag for over 30 years (it's a crap-shoot for us residents, too!). Sat there in my chair for several minutes in disbelief after reading "Successful" when checking Az.G&F draw results this past summer. I initially posted about my good fortune here on Hunt Talk out of basic elation. I hadn't planned an ongoing thread, but several of you have encouraged me to continue. I'm just an average Joe like all of you (this likely will be my only sheep hunt).

Reviewing one of my earlier posts, I need to correct something: the mountains I'm hunting are approx. 26 miles long. The total estimated sheep population is only about 120 animals (both sexes, all ages). According to G&F, of those there may be a couple Class IV rams (9 years-old +), and 3-4 older Class III rams (7-8 years-old). Not a lot of mature rams to look over, much less find! Like "sbhooper" posted before, it's going to be a challenging hunt.

Spent a couple days last week on a glassing trip with a long-time sheep guy. We spent 2 days glassing, moving, glassing, moving, etc. (15x and 22x binos, and higher power spotting scopes) without spotting a sheep! The rams have yet to settle into the "ram pastures" they'll be in come late November. FYI, glassing in this unit is done from 1-2 miles away on the desert floor --- access here is VERY limited! On the other hand, a friend I've made the past few months has a tag for another unit a couple hundred miles away --- 3x the number of sheep with much better access. I'm pulling for him; he's encouraging me.

I did spot one solo ram sunning himself on a small ridge the third morning (mature and broomed off). By the time we had moved to get a better angle on him, he'd boogied. Good to know he's around --- just wish I could have ID'd him from prior trail cam pics.

I have 2 friends who I hope are at my elbow when I pull the trigger come December, and one other to help me glass. Realistically, that won't cut it if I want to find the ram I've got my sights on (so say experienced desert sheep hunters/guides who continue to encourage me). This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime hunt --- look for me to get some extra eyes in the weeks to come.

NOTE: I could use some help; haven't figured out how to post pics in a way so I can add comments between each one. PM me with your know-how!

Pic 1: ewe skull from previous scouting trip
Pic 2: dawn from sheep camp spot
Pic 3: Red-tailed Hawk nest atop "chandelier" saguaro
Pic 4: "magic" water jug > partner-in-crime didn't get truck tailgate securely latched; we backtracked to find it upside down still holding water (crazy!)

 

[Lv2hnt]

A few more pics ...

Pics 1 & 2: Border Patrol warning signs (at 6 locations surrounding my hunt unit)
Pics 3 & 4: VERY remote location right before sunset
Pic 5: cool pic a friend took while scouting his unit

 

[Oak]

Thanks for taking us along. I look forward to your posts.

 

[T Bone]

Enjoying the pictures. That's very courteous of the Border Patrol to have an "easy button" to summon help. Wonder if they'd pack the ram out?

 

[oldman357]

I enjoy this post so much, thanks for updating it as regularly as you do.

 

[Lv2hnt]

Getting closer now --- 3 weeks from now I'll actually be in my hunt unit setting up camp pre-hunt. Going down again this weekend with a buddy for a glassing session. I'm hoping things are beginning to shift towards December "normalcy" on the mountain.

I know On Your Own promotes the DIY experience (which I've lived my entire hunting life), but I thought I'd include a video a guide service I know posted up today (cool to see some Arizona sheep country on video):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZbBsXa7L_Q

They just guided this year's Raffle Tag desert bighorn sheep hunter to a h-u-g-e Nelsoni ram, green scored by Az G&F at 183 1/8 in (bases right at 16 in, right horn 39 5/8, left horn 38 1/8)!!!

Please don't let this FYI steer this thread off-topic --- thanks!

Enjoy ...

 

[stanleyaz]

Nice Tom!!!! Good luck!

S.

PS: Hope your shoulder holds-out! All good here!

 

[Lv2hnt]

Sitting here typing after the most rain in Phoenix in a single day over the past 7 years (started last night, all day long, and it's still raining after midnight!) --- glad it didn't come during my actual hunt!!! At this point, I have no idea what this will do in the overall scheme of things, but know things will be affected with forage greening up and tinajas (water potholes) refilled throughout the mountains. The sheep will be moving, that's a given. Hey, it's called "hunting," right?

Took my last pre-hunt scouting trip a couple weekends ago. Looked at SD cards on my remaining 2 trail cameras located at water catchments deeper in the mountains --- as expected, sheep activity, though not dead, was much reduced! Pulled those cameras (they've served their purpose).

As Si Robertson would say, "It's on like Donkey Kong!" Glass, glass, glass! The Arizona desert forces you to adapt to it --- sheep hunting in my unit undoubtedly is unlike anything you have participated in before. L-O-N-G distance (1-2 miles away) spotting --- you don't climb the mountain until you're ready to put on a stalk. Now with all this rain we'll also need to scour the desert floor looking for rams eating/lounging in the arroyos (ravines). I going into this like I'm going to put a siege on a castle, not like a one-day skirmish.

View from desert floor ...


New buddy I bumped into ...


Ram-butted saguaro (still surviving --- crazy!) ...


Sheep bed in rock cave high up in mountain draw ...


Lonely saguaro high up on rocky ridge (one tough sucker!) ...


And, at last, a few pics of rams on my short list:

First ram to catch my eye ...


Probably #2 on my list ...


Ram #1 ...


A quiet late afternoon view ...


I had hoped to pack the truck this Sunday afternoon and head down Monday to set up camp, but the expanded weather for this weekend shows MORE rain here in the Valley through Sunday! Just have to see how all that plays out. Anyway, I'll have most of a week to glass for sheep before the season starts (first time spending Thanksgiving on the desert). Rifle is dialed in --- Dec. 1 can't get here soon enough!

Phone coverage is real spotty down there with the military monitoring air space --- will keep you all posted as best I can.

Any and all best wishes accepted!

 

[havgunwilltravel]

Thanks for the update!

You deserve a great hunt and no matter the outcome it will be the hunt of a lifetime for you.

 

[justdada]

good luck, and be safe. I look forward to hearing how it goes

 

[Big Fin]

Best wishes, for sure. I hope you find ram #1 and tag him. Both those rams look great, but #1 just has that look and character that would make him any hunters primary quarry. Good luck.

 

[Festus]

Best of luck!
Keep us posted...

 

[fishing4sanity]

I've really been enjoying this thread and your photos. I'm looking forward to the story and photos from the final leg of the hunt. Good luck!!!

 

[Oak]

Wow, a couple of great rams. Hope you can locate one of them. I'm very jealous, so thanks for taking us along!

 

[bigeasygator]

This thread is fantastic! Almost game time...can't wait to see how it plays out!

 

[junior88]

the anticipation is killing me, I can only imagine how you feel

 

[kenwparker]

Good luck, I look forward to the rest of the story.