DIY Rocky Success

Joined
Aug 23, 2012
Messages
28
The lucky few who've stuck gold in draws across the west I thought I'd get the addiction stirred a bit. It's been the pinnacle of my hunting career and it's almost transformational in the sheer involvement of the experience. Few pictures to enjoy.
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Kimbersig

WKR
Joined
Oct 11, 2016
Messages
305
nice. lets hear some details and stories. I drew my first rocky tag this year in idaho! I've done a guided dall hunt before but am still beyond excited for my DIY hunt!
 

Bambistew

WKR
Joined
Jan 5, 2013
Messages
391
Location
Alaska
Nice ram and great pics!

Curious, how much he shrunk from time of kill? Mine (dall sheep) have all shrunk 1/2-3/4" in length after a couple years. I was pretty surprised they shrunk that much.
 
OP
R
Joined
Aug 23, 2012
Messages
28
Three months of wall to wall preparation from draw date to hunt date. I seriously considered an outfitter just due to the once in lifetime opportunity, but ultimately settled on three friends, my brother, and my diehard hunting wife. Hunt took place in the Latir Peak Wilderness. My brother, wife, and I made a 3-day bomber run to test gear and see how we'd handle the elevation difference (live at 4000 feet camped and hunted at 12000). We backpacked into the area 3 days before the season opened with enough food and gear to stay the duration of the 10-day hunt. We spent the 3 days prior to the opener looking over as many rams as possible. In total we looked over 25 or 26 different rams of all age classes and located the sheep I ended up taking plus 2 rams that were mid 170s solid sheep. The ram I harvested is the first ram we located and sat on him until the evening before when he moved totally across the range. We had to stay mobile to have the chance at harvesting that particular ram. The first 2 full days of the season we were socked in with fog, rain, and lighting. We futilely searched daylight til dark but those sheep were timbered up. Morning of the third day we relocated that ram with 4 other younger rams. By early afternoon we were laid out in the scree when the opportunity presented itself at 450 yards. I'd shot my 30-378 all summer and was comfortable at distance. Took a split second to realize that the only other hunter has harvested a beautiful ram opening morning so we just took it in until the sheep fed into 300 yards. We wrapped up field photos and reflection and were greeted by a downpour for caping and quartering. We bivy right on the spot over night and made the 10 hour packout the next day. Truely unbelieveable to do it with friends and family out of a backpack. You Kimbersig are in for one hell of an adventure!
 
OP
R
Joined
Aug 23, 2012
Messages
28
Nice ram and great pics!

Curious, how much he shrunk from time of kill? Mine (dall sheep) have all shrunk 1/2-3/4" in length after a couple years. I was pretty surprised they shrunk that much.

Total inches he has shrunk a little over an inch.
 

mtnhntr

WKR
Joined
May 10, 2017
Messages
428
Location
Michigan
Congrats! I drew a CO archery bighorn this year, so I'm in prep mode too. Have been on quite a few sheep hunts, but never with a bow....so much to do, so little time. I've booked an outfitter though - the DIY aspect is still a little Greek to me. I was actually planning on doing a DIY elk hunt in CO this year, but then this came up!
 
Joined
Nov 27, 2013
Messages
1,774
I've arrowed 2 Bighorns in CO. 168 and a 182. Not a lot of shrinkage but they say the bigger the ram the more it shrinks. Not an issue, inches are nothing in big picture of finding, and then stalking in and arrowing a brute.

Good luck to all.
 
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hunter4life

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 21, 2013
Messages
129
Location
New Mexico
Congratulations. Looking at your pictures I thought that area looked familiar. I have been up there a number of times.
 
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