Contributors to this thread:
After having a less than stellar 2016 season I was very optimistic for 2017. I probably began my training too early as I found one excuse after another to miss workouts and Cheat on my diet. But I got my finances in order, my mind right and shooting was spot-on, so I left home on the 26th of July, headed North!
I arrived at Tuchodi Outfitters on the afternoon of the 28th, greeted by the entire crew as I was the first hunter into camp.
Setteling into my cabin there were some names on the wall I recognized! I'd heard their tales and knew I was in the right place.
We rode out for spike camp on the 29th ( 3-days to find a Ram before season opener on the 1st!
That afternoon, after setting up camp we climb up and glass, late we find 2 Rams one a shooter. We put them to bed. Next morning we're back up and can't find out guys so we hike the South end of the mountains, finding many ewes and lambs but no Rams. That evening we're back wee we spotted the Rams the previous day and we find them, another Ram has joined them, he's a border-line legal.
Day 3, one day before opener, we decide to climb to North side of the range and look for a) the best way to access our targets and b) find other Rams perhaps in a better spot. We hiked up to the peak but a storm rolled in and pushed us down before we could hike it all. To make matters worse our Rams had pulled out. Plan was to move camp to the opposite side of the range in the morning. Even the "pack-dogs" were beat after today.
Opening Day! Very little sleep last night! Both excitement and the noise of horses kept me up! Seems our wrangler (rookie) slept thru his alarm and the horses ran back to the camp, 4 hour ride. No moving today. While the wrangler was learning a valuable lesson we hiked up behind camp hoping to find our arms again. Was a horrible first day, zero Rams spotted and a lot of finger pointing! I was remaining optimistic but damn!
Outstanding... congrats. Ed F
The wrangler chased horses all day/night but we had them in camp, we were to get up early and move camp so we could hunt half day. We talked about the importance of this, I even used one of my back-up batteries to charge the wranglers phone so he could hear his alarm! I stressed to the guide he was in charge and needed to make sure the wrangler was up. Didn't work! All but 2 horses escaped during the night! My "dream-hunt" was starting out as a "nightmare"!! I was pissed and let both guide and wrangler know it, they were good kids but falling short, unacceptable! I went to fill my water and cool down, a quiet peace came over me and said "just hunt'" you got this!
Good stuff...keep it coming. Congrats again.
With two horses in camp we decide to ride out on the far side of the drainages we were unable to glass due to weather coming in during scouting. We spot 2 Rams in one drainage but neither are legal, onward. We are now in a high meadow, zero trees or cover but it's not a spot you'd expect to find sheep. Bam Rams, lots of them 20 no 25! 600 yards above us looking down right at us! We jump off the horses and attempt to us them as cover for us. 2-3-4-5 maybe 6 legal Rams in the band!! Great but??
We lead the horses back down, trying to get ahead of the Rams. We tie them up and begin to climb. The valley fell and peak rose so what we thought was an hour climb, became 2! My lack of training wsnt an issue as I was running on adrenaline! At the peak we find no sheep! We either blew them out or they bet us and crossed above s we were climbing.
We begin walking/crawling out to edges, looking around. We crawl out on a ledge overlooking a nasty shale basin, not where you'd think arms would be and Bam there they are!!
We get into position, as close as we can without being seen, comfortable enough for a shot! Carefully we glass, finding the largest Ram far right (better line of sight for us) at 84.5 yards (angle compensated). My effective range (in my mind)was 90 yards, so as soon as our target gets off his bed and clears the lesser Rams around him I'll take the shot!
"I'll take the shot"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND
Sun is out and we're out of the wind, its hot! One hour turns to two and nothing! Then our target Ram rises off his bed s does a lesser Ram, giving me no shot. My Ram steps away from the smaller one, getting further but another small Ram comes up behind him, still no shot. I'm hoping they don't move out on us. Finally my Ram is clear, I'm guessing 87 yards as I draw and settle my 90 pin low he turns to the left, quartering away. I pick a spot further back in front of his right hip and release! Time is standing still and as I watch the fight of the arrow, which seems to be taking forever, I loose it at the last moment. Rob, my guide, says you missed "over his back"! I'm heartbroken, but knock up and draw asking Rob to range, Rob isn't responding and my Ram is moving out of range, slowly. I look down fir the second best one when Robs says " He's bleeding"!
By the time I look up my Ram has his legs going out from under him! He's down and rolling and rolling and rolling! He falls into a chute out of sight! I dive on Rob and take his back, sink my forearm under his chin! He taps!! I feel like Conor McGregor!
We gather our gear and senses, the adrenaline rush hits me and I almost puke! I don't hike down to him, I seem to be floating!
It sinks in! I'm a 3/4 slammer! This of all my hunts I had left would be my make or break if I was to finish my Slam! It's not over but light at the end of the tunnel is in view!
Bigpizzaman is one lucky SoB!!
BAD ASS !!!!!! CONGRATS !!!
He's 10 1/2 years old, rough tapped 158" gross and all mine! Jokingly I told Rod on day one I wanted a "light-colored Stone", as I was thinking he would be easier to spot! He's very light colored! Also took damage on the fall, knocked out a couple front teeth and tore his lip!
The climb down was brutal, out water, sweating profusely! I had the full cape, head/horn, straps/tenders and one front quarter. Rob had the other three! Not too much weight but my lack of training showed! We make the horses and load our packs on them, walk 4 miles back to camp! Sleep was sound that night!
Down the mountain the next day, horses stirred up 2 hornets nests! I got 2 thrill rides and 6 stings to show for it! No worries though!
Back at base there's a new name on the wall!!!
Congrats BPM !!! Hell of an accomplishment! What specie is left for the slam?
Next morning there is a glorious sunrise! I feel pretty good, content for a day, because Mountain Caribou is on the horizon!
This is great man! Congrats again!!
Great job Tim!! Congrats on a beautiful animal Can you give us a little in sight on the gear you were using?
Congrats again, BPM....thanks for sharing the story and pics!
Might want to have them correct that date on the wall....lol.
Way to go Tim. Hope you get that last 1/4 soon! Big congrats!!!
Great job and great story! No doubt you'll get #4!
Great trip thanks for sharing.
Awesome! Way to go BPM! Congrats on a great ram!
Congrats Tim! Outstanding!
excellent tim you earned him and the other two and you'll earn the fourth!
Congratulations to you,sir.
Congratulations... very nice.
Awesome Tim! Confgratulations.
What a shot! Big congrats on the nice Stone. Desert must be the 4th.
Congrats Tim!!! One heck of an accomplishment!!!!
Congrats again, my brotha.
Congratulations! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Shouldn't the date on the wall be 8-2-17?
Thanks everyone!!!!! I'm still on cloud nine!!
Congrats BPM !!! What started out bad, ended up good, can't beat a hunt like that !
BPM- I'm proud of you and for you. What a story. Congrats on a great trophy ram!!
Get you finances back in order and complete the challenge.
Congrats Tim! Did you get a Mountain Caribou?
Nice work Tim! Congrats on a fine ram!
Good for you! Storytelling, The best part of Bowsite. C
Wow, what a great hunt and story, Big congrats! That's one hell of a shot.
Nothing like a good successful sheep hunt. Congrats.
Congratulations! Well done!!
Like I already said...hell yeah!!! Way to go Tim!!
Congratulations on a great ram!
Free pizza all around?!
Congrats Tim....real happy for you man. Stone with a bow is no easy task!
Awesome job! Way to stick with it, nice shot! Kevin
t-Roy beat me to it...free pizza on the house!
Congratulations on you ram. Thanks for sharing.
Congrats on the amazing accomplishment!
Good on ya BPM! Outstanding story and great shooting!
Congratulations Tim! That's a beautiful ram. Glad it came together for you.
Congrats Tim! I know 2016 was frustrating but....... it only takes a second to turn it all around. Gotta be in the game though to turn it..... ya pulled it off .
Thanks much for taking us along, great story.
Congrats! Very very cool!
Congratulations, Tim. Good looking ram.
Lenny
"I'd like to order a slice of pizza please....for toppings, just throw on some STONES SHEEP!" No topping will be better than that!! As Midwest and Schism mentioned, your calendar is a month ahead of schedule. Well done....but I'd have choked the guide out for telling you that you missed, when in fact you'd made a good shot!! Tell me that you cooked some tenderloins on a flat piece of rock that evening......better yet, tell me that you snuck a small bottle of Crown Royal into your backpack, so you could celebrate your success in style!! Too bad I wasn't there to calm down the horses for you....LMAO!!
Grats Tim! Great ram! Sounds like a great hunt too, despite the horses.
Tim, please share your gear choice (specifically bow & equipment & arrows) that you used on your hunt. A fantastic result and epic hunt!!!!
JCHB
Congrats on a great hunt!
Thanks for sharing your adventure.
Ram!tastic
Very nice
Congrats
Good luck, Robb
Congrats, great ram. Good luck on #4.
Congrats, thank you for sharing.
Congrats again buddy. The end is in sight
nice congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awesome, thanks for taking us along. Forrest
Congrats BPM!! Thanks for sharing the adventure!
Tim. You know, killing that Stone is ok, but getting your name on the cabin wall, now that is the true trophy. :)
"I see blood, he is bleeding" says the guide!" Good going Tim and good luck on your next adventure.
My best, Paul
Great job on a great ram! Congrats!
Ya think you were a little excited?!?! You wrote the wrong date on the wall. lol
Beautiful Ram, that's a long poke...nicely done, Sir!
Best of Luck, Jeff
Tim, a HUGE congrats on an amazing stone sheep, a hunt that few can even dream about let alone experience. Best of luck with the rest of the super slam now that the light is at the end of the tunnel and thanks for taking us along on your adventures.
Congrats Tim! Great ram!!
Way to go Tim!!!!! Your hunt brings back a lot of memories. Now for the time when you can hold up all four fingers! I hope to be able to do the same some day.
Congrats Tim! Amazing ram
Congrats! You definitely were absorbing hunt. I know I have lost track of the day of the week. Never lost track of which month it was! LOL!
Congrats again Tim!!
Is September free pizza month? Lol!
Awesome Hunt Tim! Thanks for sharing man, great stuff!
Congrats and well deserved Tim!
Congrats on your kill and having one to go on the Slam! As a side note-must be nice to be privileged.
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS BPM!!! So freaking cool.......and I'm so freaking jealous........but in a good way!!! When is the the last sheep hunt happening?! Desert?
Tim already has a Desert...Gotta be dall or bighorn. I think Bighorn has been his nemesis. :)
Congratulations Tim!! Happy for you sir, and glad you shared it with us! I'm not sure how I would have reacted to the way it started though. What a mess, but glad it worked out. I'm more anxious to hear how the outfitter reacted to this behavior?
Congrats Tim! The wrangler might be in for a rough season if he has to rely on his phone alarm to wake up! Needs an old school wind up one and strap it to his head before bed!!
he has a dall already. Just bighorn left.
Congrats! Awesome ram and HUGE accomplishment! (to put it lightly)
Kota - Didn't he get his Bighorn in Canmore about 5 years ago?
OFFHTN, Read my post above. No BH yet, but he'll get it. :)
Well done! The good guys get one every now and then. One more to go!
Dang Tim, you did it! Beautiful ram. Loved the part where you said... I went to fill my water and cool down, a quiet peace came over me and said "just hunt'" you got this! That's what I call getting your mind right and closing the deal. Well done.
iceman/kota, you guys are correct. I think it was Busta'Ribs I was thinking of! Congrats again Tim!
Congratulations. Awesome accomplishment! Good luck finishing the slam. I'm sure you'll get it done. Thanks for letting us follow along.
Bustas hunt was the first one I thought of when you mentioned that John. Tim has hunted Bighorns, but they have truly been his nemesis. Hopefully, that will end soon!
Congratulations!!! I'm sure glad he spotted the blood!!!
Congratulations Tim!!! Great shot! Stone sheep are my favorite animal, hope to get to hunt them again some day. John
Big Pizza is killin it!
Literally.
Great job Tim
Congratulations and great story-telling!
Great job Tim, and awesome shot!!! Way to go!
Tim.. great story great ram ... congratulations
Congrats Tim thanks for sharing.
And to think I shared a beer with you at the meet and greet, congrats and thanks for sharing this story!
Well done Tim!! You always get it done. Congrats buddy:)
Just got an Inreach msg at 0100 hrs this AM that another Bowsiter JUST killed a Stone's ram......I'll wait for him to share the news....
Like I just said on another thread, it's been a helluva year for archery sheep hunters!! Hope that the good fortune carries over into goat season for some of us!!
Excited to see that one Jake, he earned it!
Yes more great news!! He did earn it! Thanks everyone again. I need a Bighorn to finish my slam and although I killed one he ultimately ended up in the Fraser River not to be seen again. So this December I'm hoping to finish my Sheep Slam in Colorado, instead of the"Lucky Horseshoe" I'm bringing a lucky "Cajun Archer"! Hope to share some good news with you guys in the near future! My set-up (some asked here) is 2-Elite Impulse 34" Bows, both pulling 72#'s, Easton "Da'Torche" 400 arrows, Grimm Reaper 4-blade Pro-series broadheads, Spott-Hogg 7-pin sites (first pin at 20 and I gap 70-90 on last pin, also have a small mark on wire for 100-110-120) and TightSpot 5 arrow quiver.
Bigpizzaman does get lucky, but he works hard "to get lucky" Congrats and well done Tim. Dozier
Even when so many things seem to be going against you, it can turn just like that!!
Congratulations on a great, great trophy.
New Pizza coming to the menu? Tuchodi Deluxe with extra aged ram topping.
I wish I had my meat to make a pizza with, logistics now make it almost impossible to bring it home!!!
Congrats Tim!!! Fantastic!!!
Just heard of another archery stone down. Jeepers what a year.
And the golden shoe helped with this one!!!!!
BPM, huge congrats on a beautiful Stone! Always love your stories!
Congratulations! Great Stone!
VERY NICE! Congrats are in order. All the best through fall and into December!
Here's the one that the Golden Horseshoe helped me out with.
Beautiful ram TTodd72. Great horns and terrific coloration.
Man, what a year for archery sheep!! Congrats Travis!!
If I recall, seems like the Golden Horseshoe has been on a pretty solid run too! Curious to find out where it heads next!!
Great Stone! Beautiful coloration and a dandy ram! +38"?
The Golden Horseshoe is headed grizzly hunting with another bowsiter. I think they are headed out today
Wow, beautiful ram, congrats Travis!
Congrats Travis! Great stone
Congrats. Beautiful color!
Congrats Tim and Travis......great Stone Rams for sure!!!
Beauties!!!
Mark
Great story, and thanks for sharing. A friend arrowed a nice ram in Colorado recently. He's a BSiter, but it's his sheep, his story.