Yukon Rams by 325 wsm

325 wsm

FNG
Joined
Jan 5, 2015
Messages
90
Location
Yukon
Here are some pictures, and maybe a bit of a story with some of them, of rams I have guided or accompanied friends on. Most of them are from the Yukon but a few are from NWT or BC.

The first successful sheep hunt I was ever on was somewhere around 1983. My friend Mark and my brother Marc and I took a boat down a river and set up camp one day. The next morning we went up the mountain. Finally late in the afternoon we found sheep. As we crept over a little knoll we had over 50 sheep bedded down on a large flat below us. Probably 15 rams and a whole bunch of ewes and lambs all within about a hundred yard circle of each other. We all choose our rams and got set up on rests, we were still yet undetected and had lots of time. At the count of 3 we all shot. Immediately they sheep were off and running away in 1 large group presenting no other shot opportunity. Needless to say our friend Mark was the only one who connected and had his first ram. By the time darkness set in we were only a little more than half way off the mountain. We spent the night in the willows keeping a tiny fire going to keep warm as it rained on us. Being young and inexperienced we didnt even have rain gear and it made for a long night.




The first ram I ever guided was back in 1994. It took us a couple days to even find rams as the area was sparsely populated. 2 nights in a row the winds were so strong our tent was continually getting flattened out on us. On the 5th day we finally found a small group of rams with 2 good ones. The other good one definitely came up over the bridge of the nose more than the one my hunter selected but didnt have the weight or depth of curl this one had. A great start to guiding with a 39 inch 168 ram. The next day we almost made it to the lake to fly out on when we came across a big 8.5 ft grizz my hunter was also able to tag. Skull went almost 24 inches





Over the next 10 years or so I guided mostly in the northern Yukon and NWT. I dont think there is a place any more beautiful than the Bonnet Plume or Arctic Red River areas. Here are some rams from those areas.










This ram was taken on the 9th day of a 10 day hunt 15 air miles from the lake we had to fly out on, its a light colored 38 inch fannin


to be continued…..
 
OP
325 wsm

325 wsm

FNG
Joined
Jan 5, 2015
Messages
90
Location
Yukon
The only female hunter I ever guided for sheep came on a hunt with with her husband. There was the 2 of them, another guide and a packer along for this trip.
The first night we camped on a high ridge at about 6000 ft. When we woke up in the morning there was 6 inches of snow on the ground, we were socked in and it was still coming down. The next morning was the same but the snow was deeper, almost 2 feet of the white stuff. Finally the next morning we had a bit of a break in the weather so we packed up, climbed another 500 feet over the peak and dropped down into the next valley. By the next morning most of the snow was melted so back up the mountain we went. late in the afternoon we got into some rams but it required climbing up some nasty scree gullies that wasnt much appreciated by our hunters. Well they toughed it out and we eventually got set up for a shot 350 yds from the rams. 3 shots later and the rams were gone and only a few rocks were worse for wear. Well a gruelling and disappointing hike back to camp began. We got about 300 yds from the tents when this ram popped up from a gully and she made a great shot dropping it where it stood. A heavily broomed 12 year old ram.


Early the next morning we spotted a couple more rams within a mile from the tent. As 3 of us sat at the tents we were able to watch her husband and the other guide harvest this great 39 inch ram.



more rams





Well I thought we had a 40 incher when we shot this ram based on what I could see. When we got up to it we realized it was a dwarf sheep, probably only weighed 175 pounds. Beauty ram as far as looks but could only get 37 inches on the horn.


A very unique ram.



After we shot this ram out of a group of 3 a really big ram appeared out of the mist 500 yds above us.


The top of the world.




to be continued….
 
OP
325 wsm

325 wsm

FNG
Joined
Jan 5, 2015
Messages
90
Location
Yukon
A beautiful 38 inch ram.


Another picture of me and Benny with the dwarf ram.


My nephew Anthony with another nice 38 inch ram we guided a hunter to.




And the snow starts to fly.



A few from the Bonnett Plume from 2011





The other horn on this 12 year old ram is broomed back to just 16 inches. The hunter choose this ram (because it was a fannin) over another in the group that was at least a 39 inch dall.
 
Last edited:
OP
325 wsm

325 wsm

FNG
Joined
Jan 5, 2015
Messages
90
Location
Yukon
Well I saved the best of the northern rams for last. This one is already on another of my posts. A 17 year old ram.



Here is a 40 incher from Arctic Red River. We finally got him a 9 o clock at night after putting the first stalk on him at lunch time. It was early September and it went well below freezing that night. The hunter and I spent the night under the full cape of the sheep trying to keep warm. It was a 12 hour pack back to the tent the next day. A real marathon of a sheep hunt.




OK heres a real cranker. I will send out a video to the two people who can guess the length of horn, diameter of base and B & C score.




to be continued with southern Yukon rams…….
 

R Miller

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 18, 2012
Messages
103
Thanks for sharing, some great sheep in here! I'll guess. 42", 13.75 and 172
 

Bighorse

WKR
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Messages
541
Location
SE Alaska
Wow! Thats an amazing collection. The amount of time, money, blood, and tears that produced it must have been huge. Goes to show, how humble most hunters really should be. I KNOW other sheep hunters, two come to mind that never see an internet bulletin board. Both have killed many 40"+ rams ect...I've handled their horn and seen the pictures only in person.

Thanks for taking the time to share those amazing animals with us over the internet.
 
OP
325 wsm

325 wsm

FNG
Joined
Jan 5, 2015
Messages
90
Location
Yukon
Rams from the southern Yukon tend to be a little heavier horned and deeper in the curl than the ones from the north.
Its not uncommon to get a 38 inch lamb tipped ram like this one that will score 165.



Heres a 9 year old 36 inch ram with 15 inch bases.


Not as heavy but a nice 37 inch ram.


A 36 inch ram with 14 inch bases. We were trying for a larger ram but my hunters knees were giving him some serious problems (old football injuries) after a few days.


A great feeling to guide a son and then be with his 70 year old father for their rams.
sons ram

fathers ram.



to be continued….
 
OP
325 wsm

325 wsm

FNG
Joined
Jan 5, 2015
Messages
90
Location
Yukon
Heres a big 170 class 40 inch ram. We spent 5 days chasing him, blew 2 opportunities and finally got him after spending a cold night on top of the mountain with just the clothes on our backs.



Heres the last ram for this thread. My nephew Anthony finally got a chance to get out and get his own ram. A beautiful 38 inch light coloured stone from northern BC. My older brother Jon (Anthonys father) was also along so it was extra special for the 3 of us.



Pictures of 2014 rams and my own personal rams are in different threads already.
 

Stid2677

WKR
Joined
Sep 13, 2012
Messages
2,349
Impressive rams and country, you are blessed indeed. Thanks for sharing, love the Fannins.
 

Ray

WKR
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
1,097
Location
Alaska
The black tail tip on that one sheep in post #8 (southern Yukon), does that indicate its a Fannin?
 
OP
325 wsm

325 wsm

FNG
Joined
Jan 5, 2015
Messages
90
Location
Yukon
The black tail tip on that one sheep in post #8 (southern Yukon), does that indicate its a Fannin?

There is quite a wide spread of stone sheep genetics in the Yukon. Black tails (or many hairs in ) is the norm even within the core dall areas. Have probably only ever skinned a few rams that were completly white haired. I would not consider it a fannin as there are no black body hairs.
 
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