Trad Gang

My dream is to harvest any North american Wildsheep with a bow, but is it possible?

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=88;t=000001

Paul Schafer

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 (http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j456/jalariso/schaf4.jpg) (http://s1086.photobucket.com/user/jalariso/media/schaf4.jpg.html)
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These photos were all downloaded from the clickable thread in my previous post.

Dream hunt! I hope you find your way to the mountains. Man I would loved to have hunted with Paul.

Some guy with big ears took a Stone of some size, as I recall:   Lob Shot (http://sportingclassicsdaily.com/my-greatest-shot-lob-shot/)

I saw a thread on another forum where some guys were hunting ibex in New Mexico. Looked pretty cool. Tag was either over the counter or an easy draw, can't remember exactly. Looking at the pictures they would be quite a challenge to bow hunt. I also think there is some free range mouflon sheep in Texas as well. Poor mans sheep hunting

For those who want the experience of hunting sheep in the high country but can't afford the $$ required if you go through an outfitter, consider putting in for a ewe tag.  They are not very hard to draw in many areas (reportedly).

Have shot a couple of sheep...bighorn & Dall...with traditional equipment.Took a lot of time on the bighorn because of terrain (years.) The Dall was in rough country and could stalk closer, easier. I think that's key on sheep with traditional equip.  GFA

My best freind and trad gang member has taken one (stone Sheep), believe it was his first animal.

I believe Fred Asbell talks about it in his guide to stalking and still hunting(an excellent read btw).I believe he described it as one of the most grueling experiences of his life.

Ha! I'll be darned I should have checked he chimed in and I didn't even see it!

I took a Colorado ram back in 95,  tags were pretty easy to come by back in the late 70,s early 80,s only the very serious applied and hunted them.

They are a challenge.. but as a well known Colorado bowhunter once said ( If sheep were as smart as old mulie bucks, no one would ever kill one)

Marv Clyncke
Jack Shanks
Wayne Depperschmidt
Gary Renfo
Connie Renfro
Tavis Rogers
Barry Smith
Rick Duggan
Nathan Anderson
Neil Jacobson
Dave Windauer
Doug Campbell
Marv Cochran
Fred Eichler
Dick Robertson
Doug Borland
Fred Eichler
Denny Sturgis

Off the top of my head...with G Fred and Scott already raising their hands.

I tried for a month in Colorado. Couldn't get it done.

some from the 70's and 80's  trad
Ray Alt
Tony Seahorn
Reggie Spiegelberg
Lyle Willmarth
Dale Struble
Steve Gorr
Barry Smith
Jake Powell
Roy Caylor
Ron Breitsprecher
Gary Ginther
Tom States
Bob Sanford
Tom Sieverding
Lee Kline

At last count, a few years back, Yote Robertson has taken three Dall sheep.

My hunting partner Lenny Brown took a Big Horn a few years back.

About 25 sheep per year in Colorado.

Have shot 2 bighorns with longbow in Colorado. A ewe in early 90's and drew the tag on second choice. And 2012 shot a old ram after putting in for 25 plus years.  Hunting sheep is a dream come true.

Hello folks, yep.... if it weren't for so many people putting in these days to be a sheep hunter and so rare and hard of a hunt. I believe there would be several more rams taken or at least pursued with stickbows. I know, in 2011 I drew my once in a lifetime California sheep tag for Oregon. Only 12 days to get it done for an animal I've never hunted, on a mountain I've never hunted, with my first homemade longbow I've never hunted with, for the first hunt of the year. The hunt was in late August, I had 7 weeks to train, scout and prepare for the adventure of hunting for a ram. A person could hunt with any weapon but I chose my ugly home made, 54#, 62" longbow. Wish I got a dollar from everyone who told me I was crazy, nuts, stupid, or an idiot for going with my longbow.... I'd be rich.

I won't call you any of the above. Good for you Chris!
A man after my own heart.

The only thing I use a rifle for is Coyotes.

Have taken 4 Bighorn Ewes with a Recurve. Missed two Rams.

I may be wrong, but didn't Janet George, the Colorado biologist, kill a sheep with classic gear?  I seem to recall an article that mentioned her and Connie Renfro.

I'm going to try to post some pics of my sheep adventure. My ram was 7.5 years old, scored 160".

    (http://s271.photobucket.com/user/sightsee1/media/1sheep/P1040507_zps4ee0be91.jpg.html?sort=3&o=29)

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Ok, I'm getting the hang of this now. Here's a photo essay highlighting parts of the hunt.I'll do it over the next couple days.    (http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/P1040527_zps32cbb9d7.jpg)  Enjoy.



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Janet George took her Bighorn in 1989
Connie Renfro took her Bighorn in 2002

Both with traditional gear

Wow! This is a great thread. Love the pictures.

My buddy Tor helping me pack water and food into the back country and scout for rams.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/P1040611_zpsed4524af.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/P1040560_zps2d10f2a0.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/P1040539_zps8e97ba7d.jpg

There are 5 rams in the rim rocks.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/P1040695_zpse81d0f7e.jpg

WOW, Great stories!!!     :campfire:

I guess i should mention that Schafe had enough trophy size sheep for 3 more Grandslams if he could have afforded 3 more Desert Bighorn hunts.

I was answering the question incorrectly when I said about 25 per year in CO.  That includes wheel bows too.  But, I know for a fact that there are some taken every year with sticks.

Thank you, HornHunter. I keep encouraging my wife with information like this.  She does love whitetail and javelina hunting, although we can't make it to Texas very often.

Murray

Back in camp doing some practice.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/Goat%20Pictures%20024_zpsp4jrcdub.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/Goat%20Pictures%20023_zps0eddcx5n.jpg

Lots and lots and lots of glassing.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/Goat%20Pictures%20017_zpsufhlcihi.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/P1040629_zps43aa84eb.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/P1040642_zps7993a379.jpg

It was very warm as it usually is in August and as you can see in the picture all the heat waves distorting the pic.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/P1040665_zps2b8a73b1.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/P1040539_zps8e97ba7d.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/P1040519_zps6e377b0d.jpg

As I was walking back to camp on a narrow, faint hiking trail. I couldn't believe my eyes, laying in the gravel, between my feet was a Swarovski bino adapter! Another sheep hunter years ago, before me had walked this same trail and dropped his $90 Swar. adapter. I'll bet he was bummed out. Plus me and my partner Scott found some mule deer sheds too.

 http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/Goat%20Pictures%20068_zpscha3ujmg.jpg

:campfire:

Thanks for sharing sightsee... I haven't seen some of these pics...   :notworthy:

sightsee: while in photobucket with the pic displayed, look at the boxes displayed under the "share this photo" column and click in the IMG box and it will say "copied".  Then in this Trad Gang posting box, right click to load the photobucket picture.

 (http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/Goat%20Pictures%20068_zpscha3ujmg.jpg) (http://s271.photobucket.com/user/sightsee1/media/1sheep/Goat%20Pictures%20068_zpscha3ujmg.jpg.html)

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Thanks Creekside.

This is a mandatory setup for glassing sheep, goats, or big mule deer. The other tip is locate as many glassing points to setup on and have your buddies at each glassing point for you with this setup. I could glass 5-7 hours a day which is the name of the game when it comes to rams, they move at anytime of the day.

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 (http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/Goat%20Pictures%20052_zpsgjikeoel.jpg) (http://s271.photobucket.com/user/sightsee1/media/1sheep/Goat%20Pictures%20052_zpsgjikeoel.jpg.html)

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After 6 long hard days of pounding that mountain I finally got with in 60 yards of my first ram. What a feeling it was to watch this ram unaware of my presence. I was able to slip in and around and lower myself over a cliff to within 50 yards of him and his two buddies bedded on the low side of the juniper. It was several minutes before the other two rams which were both shooters to expose themselves but it was 50 yards out and I couldn't justify the shot even though I was shooting great at practice that far.   :archer2:  

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:campfire:

Shot a dall in the N.W.T. back in 1989 when it was still kinda affordable for a average guy to go on a sheep hunt. Way above my income bracket to go any more. Drew a bighorn tag for Colorado in the mid 90's but no luck on that hunt. But still dream of spending time in sheep country. Just wish I was still as skinny as I was back then.
(http://i.imgur.com/Lntru5r.jpg?1)

Outstanding!

Allen.

Congratulations on a nice Dall.

I think there are a lot of us here that wish we were as thin as we were back then.

Awesome guys! Keep going Chris!   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Shortly after my temptation with a 150" class ram at 50 yards; I heard a small rock clattering down a cliff to my right. I wasn't sure what to think or look for cause it was a shear cliff for a short distance that gave me little view of anything. But I focused on 5" of horn sticking out around the other side of the cliff at 20 yards. It was the giant ram I had watched earlier that morning and he had been laying there all afternoon. After sometime he finally bailed off and came down the ram trail underneath me to join his buddies for an early evening browse. I'll never forget the sight, the emotions and nervousness as he came under me at 30 yards. Just as he got under me the ram turned to nibble on some bitter brush giving me a quartering away shot, with my toes hanging over the ledge I put the bottom limb of my longbow between my legs drew back. In moments like this it all boils down to the nano second of releasing the arrow that makes of breaks your hunt, tagged out or tag soup. I told myself "just let the bow do the work". I made a perfect shot. The rams spooked and gathered up around the old ram. After a short bit the ram wandered off from the others and laid down to expire. I couldn't hardly believe it, the first California Bighorn ram with trad gear in Oregon with my first homemade longbow. It would take a book to include all the wonderful things that happened on this adventure of a lifetime. Truly a perfect hunt for the books. I've been blessed with several other great animals but this one takes the cake. We had to spend the night on the cliff with loaded packs before we got back to camp to put the meat on ice and run the horns into ODFW for mandatory check in. I wish more of you could go it's a real test of ones outdoor savyness and mental toughness for sure.

 (http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/1sheep/P1040871_zpsjrldljph.jpg) (http://s271.photobucket.com/user/sightsee1/media/1sheep/P1040871_zpsjrldljph.jpg.html)

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What a fantastic hunt Sightsee, thanks for taking us along.

Posting this for "DGW" also known as Dan Willems. This is the one he shot in 2012 in Colorado.

(http://i.imgur.com/26LYmCR.jpg)

Incredible and the effort it takes to get it done.   :notworthy:

WOW, great stories along with some amaizing trophies. Congrats to all

Just curious but what does a hunt like this ..cost??

Love this thread. I have a few weighted points for Colorado sheep now and it's a dream hunt for sure.

2012 Colorado non res. Tag little over over 2,000 .

http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww255/randyhermann/Sept08077.jpg

I've taken a couple of ewes and hope to have a tag this year again. The rams have eluded me so far.

QuoteOriginally posted by Sheepshooter:
 http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww255/randyhermann/Sept08077.jpg  

I've taken a couple of ewes and hope to have a tag this year again. The rams have eluded me so far.

Very nice!   :clapper:

Thanks for all the sharing here.  Congrats on all the successes and attempts.  Quite a commitment.

Dan in KS

Never gave sheep hunting a thought until seeing these photo's. Must be an incredible thrill.

Thanks for sharing guys!

QuoteOriginally posted by KSCATTRAPR:
Posting this for "DGW" also known as Dan Willems. This is the one he shot in 2012 in Colorado.

 (http://i.imgur.com/26LYmCR.jpg)

I just sent a picture of that ram directly to David the original poster...brother Dan would have been very proud of that ram since it was actually shot by his brother Jim...Jim and Dan were hunting moose with us not long before that in 2012...DDave

Okay Caley...did not notice it was you posting...always did have trouble remembering which brother is which...we are fortunate to know those fine gentlemen...great role models for any ethical bowhunter

DDave

DDAVE,
I know you had trouble with who was who .But,  I Dan shot the ram.
Jim has shot a ewe back in early 90's but has not shot a Ram yet.
 You are not alone Nathan A. usually  calls me Jim half the time.

QuoteOriginally posted by damascusdave:
 

QuoteOriginally posted by KSCATTRAPR:
Posting this for "DGW" also known as Dan Willems. This is the one he shot in 2012 in Colorado.

  (http://i.imgur.com/26LYmCR.jpg)

I just sent a picture of that ram directly to David the original poster...brother Dan would have been very proud of that ram since it was actually shot by his brother Jim...Jim and Dan were hunting moose with us not long before that in 2012...DDave [/b]

I Got your email and picture, What a Magestic throphy That Ram is, and what great story.