Bowsite.com

As many of you know, Kyle drew a primo Nevada tag and there are some toads running around there. He probably has the largest dall of any Bowsiter so he could easily top that with this desert. So here are the facts:

1. Kyle is the resident expert on getting in Sheep Shape. He wrote the book on it. He is coming off two tough, albeit rifle hunts. Those were two of the hardest hunts he has done, and both time he has ground his guide into the dirt.

2. He has killed three huge animals, a monster dall, mulie and elk. So we know he can get it done with his bow.

3. He was shooting the other day and was dialed in.

4. His unit is the best unit in Nevada, so with lots of big sheep will come lots of opportunities for a stalk.

As Kyle has done so much for sheep (as a director of WSF) and so much for getting hunters in shape (he has caused more total weight loss than Jenny Craig) lets show our support. He has a month before the hunt. Gun or bow, he will get it done.

Good luck Kyle, work hard getting ready, your fitness and mental toughness isn't an issue. So just get as much shooting in with the bow as you can. (you are already dialed out to 560 yards with the gun). I for one think you can get it done with the bow. Probably every bowhunter on the site would like to see you get your biggest ram with your bow. So for all you have done for so many, I think lots of guys will rejoice in the opportunity to give back to you and encourage you on.

If you need some inspiration, check out this short video clip.

This could be your chance.

Whatever Kyle decides, he WILL be ready and make the most of his opportunity.

I only wish this was MY decision and not his. :)

Good Luck Kyle...What an incredible opportunity. Can't wait to hear how this plays out.

Great video btw, really enjoyed watching it.

Best regards, Scott Alberda

Nothing like a little pressure, huh?

Motivation, inspiration, and a few words of encouragement go a long ways. Thank you, my friend.

Tilzbow will be along on the hunt for a while and Idylwildarcher and Beendare have also offered to join the chase. That can only be a good thing!

You realize, of course, that if I let the air out of a ram, I'll have to send drinks to your table at The Sheep Show for the rest of my life.

I'll get you for this! lol

I'm looking forward to following this hunt too. I wish you nothing but the best, brother. Hunt hard, have fun. Kill a big one. We'll all be pulling for you.

But, as that little let down subsided, there is still a certain level of excitement remaining to see how this hunt comes together for NvaGvUp. Always so cool to hear of bowhunters getting such a great tag/chance to harvest a ram. Opportunity of a lifetime with the bow!

NvaGvUp, hoping you'll share how you're preparing for the hunt on this thread. Can never get enough info on prepping for sheep hunts from guys with your sheep experience!

This is what is so cool about bowsite - lots of high end bowhunters on here supporting each other. Support and input from other archers has always been important in my success - NvaGvUp seems very fortunate to have the support of TThomas and others on here, that's a solid backing.

Good luck on the hunt and looking forward to hearing of arrows in the air!

See the Sheep Shape Seminar on the Bowsite @ the link. Other than that, practice my shooting.

Guys,

I could likely do a Live Hunt. The unit is very close to a small town and we'll probably be staying in a motel instead of on the mountain. Given the time of year, it gets dark early, so that should leave time to post daily updates.

So what is this? Sounds like another ARIZONA POSSE HUNT? What happened to the "lone wolf" scouring the mountains for his prey? Goodluck anyway, Mike

I doubt if more than one would be there at the same time.

I'm with you re. the trophy photos with 6-10 people in them. Not the way I want to hunt.

Go enjoy this Nevada tag!

The live hunt would be awesome:)!

Mark

Best of Luck, Jeff

How far are you shooting now?

How many days do you have to hunt?

Any reports from previous hunters from that unit?

Still lots of time to make some equipment changes. I put the finishing touches on a new sight, just the night before I left on a sheep hunt.

There are lots of tech savy guys that can help you dial in your shooting. Looks like everyone is pulling for you to do a Live Hunt Report.

Here is what you are looking for.

Those mounts aren't going to do well outside in the Alberta winter! lol

I can shoot to 40yds in my back yard. Season runs from Nov. 20 - Dec. 20, so there's plenty of time.

I'm hoping to run out there once or twice before season and my plan is still to get there a couple days before opener and sit on top of a mountain wherever you and the crew are not at, hopefully cover a tad more ground. Let's AZ9 the place.

I think I'm going to hit the unit on my way out to NE in 2 weeks.

Enjoy the butterflies.

HA HA HA HA HA!

Its warm here right not but they were a bit chilly for sure. Those deserts need to grow a bit more hair. Just trying to give Kyle some motivation.

Kyle, those sheep should be rutting? That should give you an even larger advantage. Lots of guys who have some experience down there should be able to provide some amplification.

Perhaps in his world, that comment passes for encouraging or even clever. Sad thing is he doesn't realize that to everyone else he comes across as petty and small.

Some free advice Archery95, you'll never build yourself up by trying to tear anyone else down, quite the opposite in fact.

Kyle, I hope you have one hell of an adventure! Do it your way, and if you'd be so kind as to take us along, in whatever way you think appropriate, many of us would sure like to read about it.

Good luck.

They will be well past the rut. But they'll still be there!

I just ordered a dozen more arrows from the local Scheels and will pick them up tomorrow.

There's a neat symmetry to all this.

The bow I'll use is a PSE Surge, which I'm shooting as well as, if not better, than my other bows.

I won the bow in a raffle in May at the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn's banquet in Las Vegas.

James Bradshaw was the banquet chair and he will be my guide on this hunt. I'd met James three years ago when he was guiding Tilzbow on his hunt south of Las Vegas.

James was also the person I talked with who recommended I apply for the Bares as my first choice, so that's cool as well.

When a Fraternity Director made the appeal for emergency water haul funding at the annual WSF Chapters and Affiliates meeting in late June, I donated personal funds, in part because the Bares was one of the areas that needed the water.

Now all I need to do is complete the circle.

Mounted or not, they still have feelings. Woosies!

Best wishes on a fun and successful hunt.

Have a great bow hunt. BB

Come to my place and practice anytime you want. You can shoot up to 120 yards if you want and we can set up my 3D sheep target and you can practice uphill, downhill and side hill using that. When you're done you can run up and down the hill :-)

No excuses not to get this done with the bow!

Coach did a 10 day float trip down the Grand Canyon last year, celebrating lots of stuff, had a blast and she deserved it. They came around one corner (in NV I believe) and this ol bag of bones was right there and she got a pic.

I'm not a sheep guy.... but he looks old to me, looks to be 8 or 9 rings?....this a shooter desert BH?

Good luck, we'll be following for sure! From the looks of em... you don't have to let all that much air outta one to put him down..... heheheh....

Tom, Thanks for the heads-up. What sheep? All I can see is some awesome grouse cover.

If u guys buy me a tag i will do a live hunt bow hunt for u all !!

Hey! Don't start covering me with dirt just yet. ;^)

You never know when something might jump and bite you, esp. at my age. But at this point in my life, I don't plan on giving up the ship until after a torpedo hits broadside!

Kyle,

Best of luck on your hunt, I am looking forward to it!

Actually Arch95 is a bit off his math. If Kyle practiced to 200 yards with his gun and shot his goat at 560 then theoretically if he is practing at 40 then he should be good to 40 x 560/200 or 112 yards. :)

Then if he gets with Tilzbow and shoots out to 120 yards.........WOW......you do the math.

Anyway, good to see Kyle commiting to the bow and getting new arrows. It looks like everyone who has called, wrote and sent PM's to him is pumped, thankful and supportive to see a LIVE HUNT or at the very least a SEMI LIVE HUNT REPORT.

I am sure Pat will be happy not to put his hunt under the rifle icon. It looks like most Bowsiters are happy to see the odd gun hunt from children, women.......not sure if those in the "twilight of a phenomenal hunting career" can qualify :)

I can hear it now........."Hello Bowsiters......"

Kyle, obviously you have the fitness side but maybe share with us or update how the shooting is going. I think most guys on here are intimidated by your fitness level but you shared that you just and average bowhunter. Clearly you are being modest. Sharing how your shooting is coming along, might be motivating to lots of guys.

No dirt being thrown on you but that ram might be in trouble. I will be the first to shake your hand at the WSF archery ram awards.

Best of Luck!!! A Live Hunt would be amazing.

" I think most guys on here are intimidated by your fitness level....."

I'm 5'11," weigh 156 lbs, have no upper body to speak of, have the forearms of a 14 year old girl and am 66 years old. How intimidating can I be? LOL

Keep us posted on your preparations.

I hope you're taking a good camera along?

Per your request that I post my shooting progress.

I shot late this afternoon. Dead calm.

For reasons I do not understand, my first group was 8" high at 40 yds.

I adjusted the sights and got dialed in. With my last group of six, three were well inside a 2 3/4" bull at 40 yds, two were right off the edge and one was four inches left, which is what happens when I 'look off,' meaning I start looking for the hit rather than looking down the sight until impact. Five of six well inside the kill zone @ 40 yds is OK. One outside the kill zone is not OK. Got to fix that!

This hunt will surely be the least physical hunt of the year for me.

I'll keep doing my daily early morning 4-7 mile trail hikes with our Golden Retriever as I always do. But the only special prep for this hunt, as you and Tom suggest, is shooting practice.

Post a photo of your bow set up. You have coached many on workouts, let some of these guys help you. here are a few of my thoughts, others will add:

1. Look at Cityhunters set up. Get a B2 Stinger stablizer, takes that left to right wobble out.

2. Shoot with a Sitka merino wool glove. Takes much of the torgue out.

3. Go on the Spott Hogg website and read their tips.

4. TBM has a great tip. Shoot up close and with your eyes closed. Just relax and get in the zone. After you run for 15 - 20 km you get in a zone and it becomes automatic and easy. After you shoot a bunch, it becomes easy and automatic. I just shot out to 130 yards. Went back to "bowhunting" distances and it seemed like a jokingly short shot.

5. Go see Tilzbow.

6. Shoot more, shoot some arrows, then do your hike. Then shoot only one arrow at the longest distance. No warmup. Then go inside and work, eat, or make some phone calls. Then an hour later, go out and take ONE shot again. In a week your first shot will quickly become your best.

I bought a B Stinger Sport Extreme today. The rubber dampeners on the Mathews stabilizer I was using started popping out!

Tilzbow invited me over to shoot after he gets back from his NV ewe hunt on Sunday.

I shoot a Spott Hogg on all my bows but haven't been to their website. Will do that.

When I step out in the backyard to shoot, if my first arrow smokes the bull, which happens more often than with other shots, I put the bow down, go pull out the arrow, then go back into the office to work.

I was mainly just curious what was considered an archery "shooter" for these things. I know they aren't quite the size of the bighorns in body or headgear. And I really don't know the trophy quality of the NV sheep.

Kyle, not sure what kind of stings those bows come with but if it's any kind of decent string that won't creep I'd go with another peep and ditch the tubing. It steals speed, in the way all time and will break on you when you need them most. But you need quality strings that won't creep.

Tilz will check it out. I think he knows bow mechanics pretty well. And REAL stabilizers like the b-stinger are far better for shooting than the rubber baby buggy bumpers.... as far as equipment they are one of the few things you can just screw on the bow and instantly shrink groups.

This is too cool.....

My thoughts exactly.

1. Loose the rubber tube. As TD says, speed but they can break.

2. Put on a D loop

3. Put mole skin on you quiver. Also through that quiver away or give it to someone you don't like. If the wind comes up, you need a quick detach quiver. Buy a Tight Spot. Then practice with and without the quiver. You will probably find you get the same groups.

4. Good post Archery95. Great advice and supported by one of the best.

You've waited a long time for this hunt, Kyle --- soak it ALL in each and every day! Sending you my best wishes ...

tthomas I just thought those sheep above were what you used as backyard 3D targets.... =D

Note: I like Carter hooks, hard to beat the "Like Mike" and I hear great things about the tightspot quiver.

Great excuse to go shopping Kyle.... I always tell Coach "think of this stuff as shoes...."

When I won the bow, it came with a string loop, a crappy sight and a 'no-tubing' peep.

I replaced the sight with a Spot Hogg from another bow but kept the string loop and the peep.

I then soon dumped the string loop and the peep for essentially the same reason: The string loop would frequently be at a 90 degree angle or worse from the string and the peep would almost always be at a bad angle, sometimes to the point I couldn't even see through it without twisting the string. Even worse, one time it popped off the string completely when I shot. So I went back to a tubing peep and the nocks.

Why did all that happen and how do I keep those things from happening again?

Good luck on your hunt and take us along on a live hunt if possible.

I have to hand it to you Kyle, you are rising to the challenge. :)

How could I not, what with all your encouragement and support, along with the amazing and humbling out-pouring of support from so many other people here, none of whom I've ever even met except for you.

The season opens November 20.

I promise you this,

If we stay in town as planned, there WILL be a Live or Semi-live hunt.

If we stay in town, I will post the day's action every evening. If we don't stay in town, no promises.

If I can get internet access on the mountain, I will post LIVE updates as the sheep and hunt will allow.

I'm late to the party here but am glad to see you have committed to the bow. You have an ideal situation and you CAN do it.

Looking forward to the hunt itself.

Your dry spell is about to come to a screeching halt.

Positive vibes coming your way!!!!

MOJO to ya Kyle!

Good luck, Robb

Thursday I dug out my old 3D deer target and set it up. I haven't used it in at least seven years. But it's making a difference.

For whatever reason, simply aiming a bit low and just behind the leg is a lot more relaxing than trying to aim at the center of a 3" orange dot.

I'm now shooting quite well, for me at least, and my confidence has increased dramatically, which is critical.

I love sheep hunting!!

The Bares. 253.

Cazador,

Utah elk, last month.

12:05 PM today

40 yards, calm wind, shooting into a bright sun, target in the shade, making it difficult to 'pick a spot.'

40 yards, calm wind.

This is as good as I can shoot.

What I like to do when I'm really trying to get dialed in, is create a mental checklist of my entire shot sequence. I go through each portion of it systematically, starting with grip position, draw while looking at target, find anchors, center sight ring in peep, deep breath, etc.

It's just like shooting a free throw, if everything is routine then you don't even think about it in the heat of the moment.

Surely your heart won't be pumping, though, right? :-)

That's a very old decoy which I hadn't used since 2007. Note the midsection shows no broadhead marks, whereas the other two sections do. I used to face it the other way.

some pics from my pard's last weekend scouting trip. I know you'll like seeing them..

How far are you from those rams?

Is it possible to stalk these sheep?

How spooky are they?

Would it be possible to get to with 40, 60 or 100 yards of these sheep?

Why are the rams all in one group. When is the rut?

That one small ram looks to be standing on a road? What is the deal there? It looks like Kyle could drive right up to it, although with his conditioning, he could run most of these rams down if need be.

Looking forward to your thoughts. Might be useful for Kyle when he tries to close the distance to seal the deal.

As you can see from all his work, shooting and preparation he is committing to getting this done with his bow.

Thanks for posting these photos, they will only strengthen his already steeled resolve.

(check your PM)

I've tried a few stalks on sheep when deer hunting.. could be done.

Quite a few roads on open range ... I think he was on a game trail that crossed one.

Good luck Kyle. Good shooting. You are ready to get it on. Be safe.

It appears as though Dave has the rock impersonation down. If your entire hunt was two hours, you must do a wicked sage brush!

Congratulations! I really like those dark antlers.

Great photos Dan! Thanks for posting!

Good looking deer....

Naturally no attempt to stalk or bother them was made. Btw again ..wish I was down there but I'm in the north land instead.

Thanks!

Every couple of years some young lovesick bull wanders into Nevada from Idaho. Finding no ladies, they ultimately turn around and head back north.

What is happening with the shooting, the preparation?

When do you leave?

Who are you meeting?

What are the logistics?

I think you should start a new thread and get everyone updated.

Bluedog, great photos, looks like several worthy archery rams.

Once again, good luck.

For a month after I got back from my goat hunt I was shooting very, very well and I was very calm and relaxed while shooting. But since I returned from the deer hunt last Tuesday, I'm shooting horribly! I'm not calm and relaxed and that causes me to make some very bad shots.

Why the change, I have no idea but it needs to turn around very soon or I won't feel comfortable about shooting at a ram with my bow. Wild animals deserve better than that!

When your shooting gets worse its usually a form thing, too much on your mind.

Relax, it will come back. I know because I've been there. Worst thing you can do is try to force it, and shoot a lot.

Thanks. It's mental for sure. Only I have no idea why. Almost overnight, I did a 180 on accuracy as a result of not being calm and relaxed. I've started flinching and it's horrible.

So much of this game is mental and confidence (or lack thereof) so big, that I view this as a good step in the right direction.

I went to the rifle range around noon today and despite a significant side wind, shot four really tight groups.

Could that have helped me with my bow? I have no idea. It surely didn't hurt, however.

"When do you leave?:

Next Wednesday. I'd like to go earlier but we have our CA WSF semi-annual 'Sheep Summit,' which I founded in 2006, on Monday in So Cal.

"Who are you meeting?"

At this point, no one. Idlywildarcher has expressed interest, but we've not made any plans.

"What are the logistics?"

I'll drive to Beatty, NV, to arrive early in the afternoon on Wednesday. Hunt until Tuesday the 25th as needed, then come home for Thanksgiving. If I've not tagged out by then, after Thanksgiving I'll go back.

Little late in the game for this.

Now all I have to do is reverse that muscle memory and replace it with a memory that allows the only the trigger finger to move.

Don't let these guys pressure you into something you don't want to do. Any sheep is a trophy, rifle, bow, xbow, whatever method of take they are always a true trophy. We are all just jealous that we don't have a sheep tag!

Good luck!

michael

The Nevada Department of Wildlife, together with the incredible support of Nevada Bighorns Unlimited and the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn, are the reason I even have this tag.

In the early '70's there were ~ 2,000 bighorn sheep in Nevada, There are now over 11,000 and the number is growing thanks to the work of NDOW and the financial and political support of NBU and the Fraternity. This year Nevada residents drew an amazing 316 Ram tags, while non-residents drew 34 more.

Without the work of building drinkers and re-establishing sheep herds in historical areas which hadn't had sheep in decades, none of this would have occurred.

My thanks and gratitude to all three of these organizations!

When you've got the 'yips,' all you think about at full draw is that you've got the yips.

When you're shooting well, expecting to shoot well is a given.

This is a HUGE improvement, as you can see from this group, which I just shot a few minutes ago.

Thank heavens!

Thank you for the kind words. I really appreciate it.

I love doing the conservation work. Absolutely love it!

My only regret is that I'll be 'termed out' as a WSF director in another 18 months. But even when that happens, I hope to remain deeply involved for as long as they want me to be.

It was way worse than that.

After weeks of sticking 95% of my shots well into the kill zone, all of a sudden I was missing the entire 3D target and/or sticking an arrow into the butt on a regular basis.

you need to turn your hat crooked. It worked for Costners character...

michael

Seven days to go, 'though I can't shoot Monday as I'll be in SoCal all day for the semi-annual CA WSF 'Sheep Summit' with DFW, SCBS and a couple of other agencies.

When the time comes you will do what is natural to you and make the shot. No doubt in my mind. There should be no doubt in yours!

This may help you??? If my groups start opening up I will sit down and rest for a few minutes. When I am ready (15 minutes or so) I will take a proper stance and close my eyes before drawing back my bow...I will then draw my bow back and keep my eyes closed for a few seconds longer before opening them and taking the shot. Seems to make me relax and my form comes back.

Up in Ontario, Canada and it has just started to snow...thinking of your "MOST EXCELLENT ADVENTURE" only a few days away is keeping us warm up here.

I wish you only the best of Luck.

Sounds like a great idea. I'll give it a try!