Golden Horseshoe at it again
Contributors to this thread:Wild Sheep
From: KTH
10-Apr-16
Here she is boys. Laying on the beach. All golden brown and smooth.
From: Medicinemann
10-Apr-16
The last time I saw a photo of that horseshoe, it had sheep's blood on it.....
From: 'Ike' (Phone)
10-Apr-16
Uh oh!
From: KTH
10-Apr-16
Kinda like this??????
From: TTodd72
10-Apr-16
Well I never post on here. Just lurked for years. Since Kyle let the cat out of the bag I'll start posting about hunt tomorrow if we ever get home from LAX.
From: TTodd72
10-Apr-16
And that ain't my girly drink on the beach!!
From: Bigpizzaman
11-Apr-16
Can't wait to hear the story!
From: njbuck
11-Apr-16
Cant wait to hear more!
From: Mark Watkins
11-Apr-16
Bring it on Guys!
Mark
From: OFFHNTN
11-Apr-16
"Golden brown"? Sounds painful.
From: kota-man
11-Apr-16
C'mon...Enough with the suspense....
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
Delayed flights didn't get home until 4am. Trying to put out fires from being gone. Will get it started this afternoon.
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
Delayed flights didn't get home until 4am. Trying to put out fires from being gone. Will get it started this afternoon.
From: kota-man
11-Apr-16
This qualifies as a fire that needs to be put out...:)
From: GotBowAz
11-Apr-16
This should be good, cant wait to read it. Already lovin the scenery! blood on gold, what a sight! LOL
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
So back in 2012 when Tom Foss put together the Tom Hoffman Water conservation project on Carmem Island. I bought one ticket my buddy Kyle Hudgins bought one. Right at the end Tom said he had a few more tickets left. Kyle talked me into buying another that we would split. So if any of our tickets were drawn we would book another hunt. And each pay half so we would both get to desert sheep hunt at half price. He was certain we would win. so with a little arm twisting I agreed. Sure enough those of you that know him know how lucky he is. They drew his name. So we booked my hunt for April 2016. I went with Kyle in 2013 and watched him arrow his ram. So I knew what to expect on the hunt. Which made the anticipation even more intense.
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
We arrive in Loreto get thru immigration without much hassle. Gaspar the guide is there to meet us and off we go to the island
From: Mad Trapper
11-Apr-16
There is no doubt that Kyle does not need the infamous golden horseshoe that was extracted from Jake. No I firmly believe that Kyle has at least one and probably more than one golden shoe of his own, firmly ensconced. I had forgotten that he "won" the Hoffman raffle tag.
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
Not much had changed in the 3 yrs since we had been there. Same great view
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
First morning out we hike up mountain for an hour or so sit down to glass and we are immediately looking at sheep. The out of the draw below us 250 yds away walks 4 rams. 2 being mature rams. We watch for a few minutes then they decide to bed. At 700am the stalk is on.
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
Gaspar and I circle to get wind right and move in. The rams are in a decent spot should be under 30 yd shot. Im thinking this is gonna actually work. We are within 70 yds when the wind shifts. Next thing you know they rams are a mile away still running. We hike up higher and watch a big basin. Nothing really shows so Gaspar decides we should hike back down and go glass the northern most part of the island. We get to where he wants to glass from about 430 pm. I wasn't too sure about this decision but was I wrong. The ridge is covered in rams. I think we saw close to 20 rams maybe 8 mature rams. We head back to the lodge anticipating the next morning. At dinner Gaspar decides for next morning he wants to go up near where Kyle had killed his ram. He wants the winds to die down before we head up after those rams.
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
Day 2 heading up in the morning
From: KTH
11-Apr-16
It does take a touch of skill to be this lucky. Just a touch.
From: kota-man
11-Apr-16
Kyle...You meant TON, not "touch" right? :)
From: Mark Watkins
11-Apr-16
This is going to be good!!!
I hope you got new boots Kyle!
Mark
From: LWood
11-Apr-16
Following Travis..... Glad you boys had a blast. Lenny
From: Ace
11-Apr-16
So THAT is the famed Golden Horseshoe? That's not even a real horseshoe, it's from a lawn game for goodness sake! A lucky horseshoe is supposed to be the kind that comes from a damn horse!
OK, sorry to interrupt the story ... ...
From: KTH
11-Apr-16
Yeah. Let's make a good luck charm to carry across the most rugged mountains in the world. Oh yeah and let's make it 2.5 pounds. I'm cutting my toothbrush in 1/2 to save weight and that thing weighs more than my sleeping bag. But hey......it works.
From: loesshillsarcher
11-Apr-16
The shoe was given and possessed in friendship. It was passed on to its current owner with friendship in mind. It has been passed on or loaned out with friendship in mind. Although it is lucky, the true charm of the object is devout friendship. If it is not appreciated it can be returned to the current owner. Here it will be coveted for its true symbolism and meaning. Yard ornament or not. Glad it worked for ya Travis. lol. Congrats!!
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
Day 3-5 is where the friendship Ned speaks of comes in. These days were filled with numerous blown stalks. Mostly due to wind shifting. Some blown cause we just screwed up. Every night there were messages of encouragement from guys like Ned, Tim, and may other friends. I was getting frustrated. So many blown stalk were getting to me.
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
We tried hard. Some more than others. Lol
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
Woke up early on day 6 to a strange sound. It was raining. Desert sheep hunting in the rain. We headed to north part of island again and were on rams immediately. Of course another blown stalk
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
After blowing that group out we spotted 2 rams below us. Peaking over the ridge they were still 90 yds away but had been joined by 2 more. All shooters. They started heading around the bench and we backed out and hurried to cut them off. Here they come down the trail. This is finally gonna happen.
From: KTH
11-Apr-16
I was resting up for that long pack out with your sheep. I needed all my energy.
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
The first and smallest ram stopped behind a bush where I couldn't shoot. The biggest ram was lagging behind but the second biggest stopped at 55 yds. I was remarkably calm as the shot was on its way.
From: KTH
11-Apr-16
From: KTH
11-Apr-16
There's another
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
The rams took off down the mountain and dropped into a canyon. Only 3 came out the other side. We gained some elevation to look down into canyon and spotted him going over a small knob. Thru binos we could see blood on the ground. We sent Abundis around other side to see if he could see him. He spotted him bedded but the ram either saw or smelled him and took off down the mountain into the flats. We watched him bed again and Abundis and I headed after him. Gaspar and Kyle kept tabs on the ram who had dissapeared behind a bush. As we reached the spot where he dissapeared. There he was laying there dead.
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
From: IdyllwildArcher
11-Apr-16
Nice. Grats. Love the character.
From: KTH
11-Apr-16
Travis failed to mention that ram fell 50 yards from the only road on the freaking island. Shortest packing job ever.
From: TTodd72
11-Apr-16
Toughest packing job ever
From: bhunter
11-Apr-16
Congratulation! A great ram.
From: orionsbrother
11-Apr-16
Cool looking ram! Congratulations.
50yds? It's a good thing Kyle rested up.
What were the temps during your hunt?
From: Kurt
11-Apr-16
Great ram! Congratulations! Quite a feeling to have a desert sheep on the ground.
From: kota-man
11-Apr-16
Fantastic...Congrats. I LOVE these Carmen hunts...
From: Bowboy
11-Apr-16
Congrats and beautiful ram!
From: t-roy
11-Apr-16
Congrats on a beautiful trophy!
One thing seems to be missing though!
From: LWood
11-Apr-16
Great job, Travis! Glad you got it done. Beautiful ram.
Lenny
From: Beav
11-Apr-16
What an awesome ram! Congrats on a great adventure and thanks for sharing.
From: Zackman
11-Apr-16
Awesome ram! Congrats
From: Heat
12-Apr-16
Wow man that ram is a tank! Great job!
From: JLS
12-Apr-16
What an outstanding ram. Congratulations to you, and kudos to those behind the Golden Horseshoe.
From: 'Ike' (Phone)
12-Apr-16
Excellent, congrats...
From: BULELK1
12-Apr-16
WOW !!
What a dandy Ram
Congrats
Good luck, Robb
From: JW
12-Apr-16
Congrats! Beauty of a ram! Those Mexican desert sheep hunts are awesome.
From: TTodd72
12-Apr-16
Thanks guys. To be able to take an 11 yr old desert bighorn was beyond my wildest dreams a few yrs ago.
Orionsbrother the temps were in 80s mostly. The day I shot started out rainy and actually was a little chilly
Btw the Golden Horseshoe was left on the island and is waiting for another hunter next week.
From: Mad Trapper
12-Apr-16
Congrats Guys! What a ram! Kyle - when Ned "invented" the shoe, I often wondered why he didn't get an actual horse shoe - which would weigh a fraction of the one that he used. Jake and I were on a goat hunt in Alaska. We had just made it to the alpine and had set up our tents. I was just about dead from the pack through the rain forest. We were all unpacking our packs. I will never forget the look on the guide's face when Jake reached into his pack and pulled out the shoe - priceless. As I recall, Jake had the original shoe confiscated from his carry-on bag by TSA. Anyway, it works and you can't argue with success!
From: sticksender
12-Apr-16
Wow...studly ram, congrats!!!
From: bliz6
12-Apr-16
Congrats!! Awesome ram!
From: loesshillsarcher
12-Apr-16
I saw the shoe fall out of Jake's butt when he stood up from the table one evening while eating dinner in Colorado. He continued to possess it until he completed his archery superslam(most of the time in his pack this time). Jake generously bequeathed it to Madtrapper Tom who unbelievably passed it and its powers on to me. I snatched it up readily but since my hunts are put on hold for awhile I felt as though some other deserving archers could benefit from its powers. So the precious has been able to help Kyle and Travis up to this point. My good friend Stacee will benefit from its good luck soon. Perhaps Mark Watkins and Madtrapper will co-possess it in the Canmore this fall. I ultimately cannot wait for its return for a January 2017 coues hunt. Congrats again Todd!!
From: iceman
12-Apr-16
I'm still laughing at this: "Yeah. Let's make a good luck charm to carry across the most rugged mountains in the world. Oh yeah and let's make it 2.5 pounds. I'm cutting my toothbrush in 1/2 to save weight and that thing weighs more than my sleeping bag"
Congratulations on a trophy of a lifetime. What an accomplishment. Love the character on him too!
From: njbuck
12-Apr-16
Congrats on an amazing Ram!!! what Character. This is a hunt that most of us can only dream about taking. Congrats on an amazing accomplishment.
Speaking of the horse shoe, there is no denying its powers! The miles it has traveled and the animals it has been involved with are certainly starting to add up. Could those in the know give us a list of the actual animals and the places the golden horseshoe has been?
From: loesshillsarcher
12-Apr-16
Carmen Island in Mexico for Desert Bighorn with Travis. Canmore in Alberta and in possession for Brown bear in Alaska with Kyle. Nunavet for CB bou and Alaska for Griz with me. Canmore with me for sheep, Oregon for Roosy elk with me. Madtrapper and Jake would have to recap from there. lol
From: OFFHNTN
12-Apr-16
WOW! What a beautiful ram.........love those caramel horns and character! CONGRATS!
From: KTH
12-Apr-16
The Golden Horseshoe will get the Super Slam before Ned and I do :-)
From: Chad429
12-Apr-16
Congrats! Awesome ram!!
From: Blake Patton
12-Apr-16
Great job Travis! Congrats!
From: DWarcher
12-Apr-16
Stud ram, big time congrats!
From: Bigpizzaman
12-Apr-16
Awesome my Friend! Congrats!!!
From: Rock
12-Apr-16
On the subject of Blown stalks and/or shots my thinking is that every blown opportunity just brings you one step closer to closing the deal on the critter you are after.
From: loesshillsarcher
12-Apr-16
Rock was there for the birth of the shoe. Carmen looks so inviting. What an experience that must be.
From: Mark Watkins
12-Apr-16
Congrats Travis! That is an old monarch of a ram!!!
What a great story line of two buddies putting in on the raffle tickets and coming up roses....to the harvest of a bruiser ram!!!
Did you guys do any fishing?
Mark
From: KTH
12-Apr-16
Travis kept landing these monsters
From: KTH
12-Apr-16
I usually try for bigger fish
From: TTodd72
12-Apr-16
Better than catching all those stupid trigger fish
From: KTH
12-Apr-16
Travis will be changing his BS handle to TriggerFishMaster
From: Shiras
12-Apr-16
I'm thinking that the horseshoe should be replaced by the "Golden Anvil" that must be carried with you at all times on the hunt.
From: TD
13-Apr-16
That was awesome on a stick... an old war horse for sure!
thanks much for takin' us along.... you guys deserve every girly drink you get.... especially after the brutal death defying pack job.... heheheheh...
From: Ace
13-Apr-16
" I was just about dead from the pack through the rain forest. We were all unpacking our packs. I will never forget the look on the guide's face when Jake reached into his pack and pulled out the shoe - priceless. "
The way I heard it was that Jake slipped in into your pack just before the start of that hike. Later, he pointed to a distant ridge, said "is that a Ram?" took it back, put it in his pack, and then made a big show about pulling it out in front of the guide. You have to be careful around Jake, he's clever! (You're probably lucky that there wasn't room to fit a 6 pack of beer in your pack.)
From: primitve
14-Apr-16
Awesome story and gorgeous ram! Congrats!!
From: Bou'bound
14-Apr-16
Congrats! Awesome ram and excellent story and photos
From: Cajunarcher
14-Apr-16
Awesome hunt, story , pics , everything!! Congrats to y'all!
From: huntmaster
14-Apr-16
From splitting tickets, winning the raffle, joining in on the hunt and then both coming up Aces! What a great story all the way around!
Congrats!
From: Mr.C
15-Apr-16
good stuff!
From: Adventurewriter
15-Apr-16
Smokin great ram character! character! ...love the look of him
From: Adventurewriter
15-Apr-16
Smokin great ram character! character! ...love the look of him
From: Paul@thefort
26-Apr-16
What a great way to start the big game season. Hell of a ram indeed. Very nice.
my best, Paul
From: Nick Muche
26-Apr-16
What dreams are made of. Good hunts and most importantly great friends! Congrats!
