Dall ram......first day

Fourtyonesix

Beginner
Feb 19, 2016
51
0
Well I usually only do two sheep hunts a year, this years first was a father and son. The weather was horrible, rain and then some extra rain to make sure the first rain stuck and some good dense fog to make sure the second rain worked. We had a few openings in the weather that we saw several smaller immature Rams but nothing legal. We worked our way up and over a mountain pass of loose rocks, rock slides, swearing clients, exhaustion, just normal sheep hunting stuff I suppose. At the apex of the pass I spotted a ram that appeared to be double broomed, a legal ram. As we worked our way down the pass I hear a shrill scream, much like a woman giving birth. Turned out to be the dad, as his tendons separated from his knee cap, pulling his quad muscle up into his hip.

We had several hundred feet to go to the valley floor, so I put his pack on top of my pack and he stiff legged it down to a spot to set up camp. Got him in the tent and sleeping bag, some food and pain pills to come up with a plan. Meantime, the ram now a half mile out drops down to lower grass. I prompt the son to get dressed, grab a gun and a rangefinder. We head out and in ten minutes are punching the tag on a nearly full curl, double broomed 9 yr old Dall ram as his dad tries to watch leaning out the tent door!!

Next morning we load up the ram, dad can walk now that he is stoned on pain meds, and has sleeping bags in his pack. We head five miles out the valley to a small dirt strip I know we can get a plane into. Doing all we can to avoid getting a chopper in as they are illegal and we wanted to be sure they got
To keep their sheep!
Dad is currently recovering from surgery and is outa work for 12 weeks due to his injury. But to quote him, "jake, I wouldn't change a thing!"
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    170.3 KB · Views: 586
What a terrible thing to happen to the Dad.................... Makes me think of what could happen to all of us "middle-aged" guys................... :shock:

And like a great guide, you keep them in the hunt! (y)
 
Beautiful ram, great story, glad everyone made it out okay. Thanks for sharing.
 
Jake that is one heck of a story (y). I am glad that you & your clients were successful.
It sounds like you did exactly what needed to be done and kept your clients safe & happy:) Good Job!! Thanks for the post and photos.
PS. Also made me think of us Old Timers still trying this hunting game :wink:.

Blessings,
Dan
 
Well done, good call on roughing out the hike. Yes folks, in particular the Feds can be very narrow minded up here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Congratulations on a nice ram. Glad the dad is on the mend.

JD338
 
Kudos to you and congrats to the successful hunter. I want to hunt sheep in the worst way but I don't think my knees share my enthusiasm.
 
Great story, glad the dad made it out ok. Those Dall Rams are one of the most majestic animals on earth.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top