A few months back my buddy invited me to lunch; nothing unusual, it happens every so often. While eating he handed me a few folded papers as if he wanted me to hold them while he was looking for something else. "Well, look at them." He said. The top paper said something like "Congratulations------California------Desert Big horn sheep----" That's all I could read before he yelled out, "SAY IT TO MY FACE!!!!" In a crowded restaurant. Classic!!!
Now, several months later...and season being open, it was time to go get a sheep. My buddy had previously attended the orientation and scouted the unit. He also spoke to two of the outfitters in the area. He chose San Gorgonio Outfitters in San Bernardino County. Headed up by Terry Anderson, Cactus Jack as the cook, Andrew and Jake as guides. First Class in every way...not only comfortable, but just good solid people that love sheep and sheep hunting.
The first morning found us in the flat of the desert, about a mile from the Marble Mountains. I was a little unsure why we had stopped and why they were pulling out lawn chairs. When they removed their seemingly 3 foot long spotting scopes I figured out what the morning had in store for us. We joked, asked questions and generally, just had a good time for the first 10 minutes. "Sheep", Andrew said calmly. I instantly threw up my 8x42, $300.00 binoculars and realized I was way under gunned for this type spotting. He pointed to a peak about 3 miles away and said "Follow the white stripe of limestone down. He's just below the point of it. He's a good ram." So not only did Andrew spot a sheep at least 3 miles away, he could tell it was a good ram. We had been told to "Look for the white butt." I looked and looked. Then the sun caught it just right and I caught a glint of white though my glass. Terry and Andrew stepped away from their spotting scopes to give us a look. I was 100% surprised at how well I could see the sheep though Terrys' scope. Clear as day.
Another hour or so we spent in the flats glassing. Andrew spotted several more sheep...two of which looked to be good rams. As Terry said, "Andrew won the nickle today." For spotting the sheep. Terry decided that the 2 good rams were heading in the same direction and we'd be better off approaching from the back side of the mountain range. We packed up, stopped by camp, to load up on food and water and drove 5-7 miles around the mountain range and parked on what they called the "Pipeline Road". The idea was to walk a wash up to the peak and look over into a large bowl where Terry thought the rams would be.
The 2-3 mile walk/climb was actually pretty easy and comfortable. When we reached the peak, we belly crawled to the edge. A big canyon/wash emptied out the other side. Terry pointed out where we'd glassed from and pointed out camp that was 8 miles away. Andrew again spotted a ram, probably 800-900 yards down the canyon. He got the scope on him and my buddy was undecided. Terry wanted lunch so he stood up and quickly hit the deck..."Right below us, big ram." The broke out the scope again and at about 500 yards we got a really good look at a good ram. Terry planned a stock that was a little treacherous, but we made it. To all of our surprise we ended up 160 yards above a small group of sheep feeding. Only one young ram had spotted us, but was not spooked. My buddy got a good look at the big ram and decided to pass. After all, he was there to hunt and that was only one stalk.
We got back to camp well after dark to a fantastic 7 bone roast dinner prepared by Cactus Jack. It was about 6:45 when my head hit the pillow. The second morning we again ended up in the flats glassing, just a little closer to where we'd seen the sheep. Again, Andrew said, "I've got sheep." We put a stalk together and about 200 yards before we topped the small rise the sheep were below the wind changed. One young ram with 4 or 5 ewes broke out of the bottom and climbed the ridge to our left. I got good video of this group, but the others were nowhere to be found. We'd spotted several other sheep and stalked a few groups and my buddy decided that first ram was going to be the one for him. We spotted him again, bedded about 800-900 yards up the wash. He and his group winded us and slowly walked out of site. Again we were back to camp well after dark. Dinner of New York steaks and home made biscuits.
The 3rd morning found us on the back side of the range again. Clouds were looming and we prepared for the hike up the canyon. Jake spotted sheep in a bowl. Terry quickly put his glass up and confirmed it was our ram. He was high on the ridge and dropped into a large bowl that would make it very difficult to get in the right position. Terry and Andrew planned the stalk and if not for Jake paying attention we would have climbed into the wrong part of the canyon. This hike was a little tougher than the others. Long and steep. Andrew chose a spot to come over and was dead right. At 30 yards a young ram jumped up from its bed. The bigger ram and a 5 year old stayed bedded. Then they all broke to our right around a knob...Everybody was running as fast as we could on lava rock, then Dave slid his rifle on a large flat rock...from my point I could only see the two younger rams and not the big boy. My buddies .270 Winchester with handloaded 130gr Ballistic Tips barked and I heard the bullet hit home. The hunt was over. At 75 yards the bullet struck the shoulder, pulverized the motor and a small exit out the offside shoulder. PERFECT!!! He dropped in his tracks.
It was a hunt of a lifetime and the guys from San Gorgonio Outfitters are top notch. It was estimated that the ram was 10-11 years old. He is a beautiful old, beat up ram. That night Cactus Jack cooked up the backstrap and it was perfect. Actually very mild meat. Lucky for us, the taxidermist my buddy chose is in Las Vegas, so a sheep hunt and Vegas trip all in one?!?!? Can't complain about that!!!!
Now, several months later...and season being open, it was time to go get a sheep. My buddy had previously attended the orientation and scouted the unit. He also spoke to two of the outfitters in the area. He chose San Gorgonio Outfitters in San Bernardino County. Headed up by Terry Anderson, Cactus Jack as the cook, Andrew and Jake as guides. First Class in every way...not only comfortable, but just good solid people that love sheep and sheep hunting.
The first morning found us in the flat of the desert, about a mile from the Marble Mountains. I was a little unsure why we had stopped and why they were pulling out lawn chairs. When they removed their seemingly 3 foot long spotting scopes I figured out what the morning had in store for us. We joked, asked questions and generally, just had a good time for the first 10 minutes. "Sheep", Andrew said calmly. I instantly threw up my 8x42, $300.00 binoculars and realized I was way under gunned for this type spotting. He pointed to a peak about 3 miles away and said "Follow the white stripe of limestone down. He's just below the point of it. He's a good ram." So not only did Andrew spot a sheep at least 3 miles away, he could tell it was a good ram. We had been told to "Look for the white butt." I looked and looked. Then the sun caught it just right and I caught a glint of white though my glass. Terry and Andrew stepped away from their spotting scopes to give us a look. I was 100% surprised at how well I could see the sheep though Terrys' scope. Clear as day.
Another hour or so we spent in the flats glassing. Andrew spotted several more sheep...two of which looked to be good rams. As Terry said, "Andrew won the nickle today." For spotting the sheep. Terry decided that the 2 good rams were heading in the same direction and we'd be better off approaching from the back side of the mountain range. We packed up, stopped by camp, to load up on food and water and drove 5-7 miles around the mountain range and parked on what they called the "Pipeline Road". The idea was to walk a wash up to the peak and look over into a large bowl where Terry thought the rams would be.
The 2-3 mile walk/climb was actually pretty easy and comfortable. When we reached the peak, we belly crawled to the edge. A big canyon/wash emptied out the other side. Terry pointed out where we'd glassed from and pointed out camp that was 8 miles away. Andrew again spotted a ram, probably 800-900 yards down the canyon. He got the scope on him and my buddy was undecided. Terry wanted lunch so he stood up and quickly hit the deck..."Right below us, big ram." The broke out the scope again and at about 500 yards we got a really good look at a good ram. Terry planned a stock that was a little treacherous, but we made it. To all of our surprise we ended up 160 yards above a small group of sheep feeding. Only one young ram had spotted us, but was not spooked. My buddy got a good look at the big ram and decided to pass. After all, he was there to hunt and that was only one stalk.
We got back to camp well after dark to a fantastic 7 bone roast dinner prepared by Cactus Jack. It was about 6:45 when my head hit the pillow. The second morning we again ended up in the flats glassing, just a little closer to where we'd seen the sheep. Again, Andrew said, "I've got sheep." We put a stalk together and about 200 yards before we topped the small rise the sheep were below the wind changed. One young ram with 4 or 5 ewes broke out of the bottom and climbed the ridge to our left. I got good video of this group, but the others were nowhere to be found. We'd spotted several other sheep and stalked a few groups and my buddy decided that first ram was going to be the one for him. We spotted him again, bedded about 800-900 yards up the wash. He and his group winded us and slowly walked out of site. Again we were back to camp well after dark. Dinner of New York steaks and home made biscuits.
The 3rd morning found us on the back side of the range again. Clouds were looming and we prepared for the hike up the canyon. Jake spotted sheep in a bowl. Terry quickly put his glass up and confirmed it was our ram. He was high on the ridge and dropped into a large bowl that would make it very difficult to get in the right position. Terry and Andrew planned the stalk and if not for Jake paying attention we would have climbed into the wrong part of the canyon. This hike was a little tougher than the others. Long and steep. Andrew chose a spot to come over and was dead right. At 30 yards a young ram jumped up from its bed. The bigger ram and a 5 year old stayed bedded. Then they all broke to our right around a knob...Everybody was running as fast as we could on lava rock, then Dave slid his rifle on a large flat rock...from my point I could only see the two younger rams and not the big boy. My buddies .270 Winchester with handloaded 130gr Ballistic Tips barked and I heard the bullet hit home. The hunt was over. At 75 yards the bullet struck the shoulder, pulverized the motor and a small exit out the offside shoulder. PERFECT!!! He dropped in his tracks.
It was a hunt of a lifetime and the guys from San Gorgonio Outfitters are top notch. It was estimated that the ram was 10-11 years old. He is a beautiful old, beat up ram. That night Cactus Jack cooked up the backstrap and it was perfect. Actually very mild meat. Lucky for us, the taxidermist my buddy chose is in Las Vegas, so a sheep hunt and Vegas trip all in one?!?!? Can't complain about that!!!!
