Desert Bighorn

[Rebel Darling]

The wife and I were in Utah last week, and came upon this fella and a number of others while in Zion National Park.  I'm betting someone on this site hunted bighorn sheep at some point, so I thought I'd share a photo of the "desert" variety...

[airedale]

At least for me probably the ultimate big game trophy in North America, just a dream at this stage of the game. Nice photo.

 

Al

[phade]

A big ram is probably #1 on my list. Not sure why but it is.


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[Rebel Darling]

While reading across a few books, it seems that the Bighorn is at the top of many hunters' lists.  The challenge of reaching the animal (the mountain variety) is often mentioned as one of the reasons for the ranking.  Might have something to do with that strong head and horns, too...

 

[BKhunter]

Hopefully one day I will get to hunt them. That's a dream for me currently.

[airedale]

The Desert Bighorn is especially tough because their relatively small numbers make it is so hard to even draw a permit to get a crack at one. It is almost like winning the lottery to the big game hunting world.

 

Al

Edited September 12, 2016 by airedale

[dbHunterNY]

I forget but one of the sheep or goat species is quite a bit easier to draw and cheaper.  guy around here has done the sheep slam multiple times but he also has money.... and gets more every time I change my oil or wash my car.

[Lawdwaz]

3 hours ago, Rebel Darling said:

I'm betting someone on this site hunted bighorn sheep at some point, so I thought I'd share a photo of the "desert" variety...

I'd take that bet for 500 large.............

[turkeyfeathers]

4 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

I'd take that bet for 500 large.............

Slickrockpack ? Can I get in on the action?

[BizCT]

A big ram is probably #1 on my list. Not sure why but it is.


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Same. Just can't justify the big price tag.


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[Dinsdale]

41 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

I'd take that bet for 500 large.............

Hmmmm....tall order for sure.

Although you get surprised sometimes.

Sat on a bus at random at SCI show in Reno some years ago....maybe 2007?

Guy next to me happened to be from southern part of Dutchess county where I hail from. 

Turns out he ran a set of delivery trucks I see around and had completed his Capra slam (thats goats...including a Markhor from Pakistan.<Google that) And was only a Okhotsk Snow sheep away from his Ovis (sheep) world slam.

Thats like 24 animal species and a huge chuck of change.

Trucking business was good to him.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Dinsdale

[BizCT]

I met a young girl who drew a ram tag in AZ, she killed a 170"+ when she was like 13 if I remember correctly. She drew her first year. You just never know!


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[ny hunter]

I have 1 more to put through college before I can even think about a hunt like that.....But I can always dream...

[Pygmy]

Bighorn hunts have been high $$ for many years,  desert bighorns especially...

A few years back, dalls and stone sheep could be hunted fairly reasonably...A buddy of mine did a combo stone sheep/ goat hunt ( horseback)in BC  in 1989 for 6K... That hunt today would probably cost 25-30K....

I always liked the IDEA of a sheep hunt, but I never could come CLOSE to being able to afford one.

[Rebel Darling]

Here's the rest from the bighorn series.  We were pretty lucky to have seen them.  I thought the two fellas might lock horns, but they just sniffed each other, and the one on the right walked away.

I'm still trying to connect with my first whitetail buck, so I'm a LONG ways away from even dreaming of ram hunts.  Although, I've already got the itch for elk...

 

EDIT:  Unsure of why that fourth photo is blurry here, and cropped the wrong way.

Edited September 13, 2016 by Rebel Darling
Blurry photo...

[Lawdwaz]

23 hours ago, Dinsdale said:

Hmmmm....tall order for sure.

Although you get surprised sometimes.

Sat on a bus at random at SCI show in Reno some years ago....maybe 2007?

Guy next to me happened to be from southern part of Dutchess county where I hail from. 

Turns out he ran a set of delivery trucks I see around and had completed his Capra slam (thats goats...including a Markhor from Pakistan.<Google that) And was only a Okhotsk Snow sheep away from his Ovis (sheep) world slam.

Thats like 24 animal species and a huge chuck of change.

Trucking business was good to him.

I just figured if somebody here had done it, we'd have known by now!

The bet still stands...............

[phade]

Awesome pics thanks for sharing. Great color and realism.


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[Rebel Darling]

12 hours ago, Lawdwaz said:

I just figured if somebody here had done it, we'd have known by now!

The bet still stands...............

I thought I read a while back on one of the political threads that Papist had been all over the world to hunt.  Places like Iran and such...  Can't be sure.  Not saying I'm laying down $500 on it, thought...  Ha.

[brandon_h]

i currently have ten preference point for wyoming bighorn as well as shiras moose.. going to wait another five or so years to put in for a tag.. definitely a bucket list thing, as I have seen some beautiful rams while out west in the past

[Nomad]

This is my friend in Washington state with the one he shot a couple weeks ago.

The state issues 5 tags a year , aster 25 years of building points he got the tag, and promptly shot the sheep.

$330 for the tag  a tank of gas and a week end of camping .

Edited October 16, 2016 by Larry302