Will be lots of smoked goose breasts, BBQ snack stix and shredded BBQ goose sandwiches this year at our house. The smoked goose breast is like cold prime rib when sliced really thin. My Dad is a big fan.
As already mentioned, this hunt was highly recommended by a couple of awesome bowhunters! Good population of desert bighorn sheep and a higher bowhunter success rate than any other ram hunt on my radar. The outfitter also recommended not to book a flight home in advance...in order to ensure plenty of time to fill a tag...an offer I've never heard of before. As for the hunt...
Day one produced several mule deer and a few javelina sightings, but no rams.
Saw my first two rams on the morning of day two. One was obviously young, but I got excited thinking the other ram definitely had potential. The guide took one look through the binoculars and said that ram was also too young based on mass. Wouldn't have mattered anyway, as high swirling winds gave us away. Saw several more mule deer that day and one more ram on the distant skyline just before dark...not a bad day in the desert.
Day three dawned cold (for Mexico) and with even higher winds. We went back to the same area as the day before. The morning was pretty much a bust. Saw very few mule deer and no rams. We were considering heading back to the ranch house for lunch, when I spotted a lone young ram on the skyline. The guide said it was unlikely the ram was alone. The guide was right. Eventually, one ram turned into five...and they were headed our direction.
An hour later, all five of the rams were closing within bow range. Three of the rams were young and hung out together. The other two rams were bigger, but based on what happened the day before, I wasn't sure if there was a shooter in the group at all. The two older rams began butting heads...not overly aggressive, but very cool to watch. The guide studied them and told me one of the rams was a borderline shooter...and that it was my choice...as we had several days remaining in the hunt.
My first ram hunt was back in 2018 in Colorado. I spent three weeks in the high country and never even saw a legal ram...so this "borderline" ram really wasn't a tough decision for me. The two rams finally split up and the larger ram moved directly below our position...and stopped broadside less than thirty yards out.
Again, the winds were howling that day...but I blame myself for the arrow hitting the ram high. As the ram bolted off, we could see both ends of the arrow sticking out of him...but because of the downhill slope, the exit hole looked really good. Still, my anxiety level was through the roof...and I prayed the shot was lethal.
Told the guide I would like to wait at least hour, maybe two hours before we started tracking...but apparently that's not how things work in the desert. The guide radioed the ranch house and asked the trackers to meet us ASAP. While waiting for the trackers, four rams appeared on the skyline above. We both felt that was a good sign.
The trackers showed up within an hour...along with a dog. I was told the dog was just along for the hike, not a tracking dog. Initially, there wasn't much blood visible in the sand...I guess maybe that's why they don't like to wait? Once the ram was on rocks, however, the blood trail looked great.
The ram skirted a rock bluff and dropped into a dry creek drainage. I had a gut feeling the ram was laying in that drainage...hopefully already dead. For whatever reason, the dog ran into the creek bed and out pops the ram on the other side. The ram crests a rise and goes out of sight...with the dog right behind. My heart sank!
Shortly, the dog returns and they put it on a leash. We crest the rise and there is no sight of the ram. As we work our way up the ridge trail, there is no blood to be found. One of the trackers drops down below the rise and finds tracks and a few drops of blood headed into the desert. Definitely a good sign...as the ram would likely have climbed the ridge if possible.
We didn't go far into the desert when the lead tracker spotted the ram bedded under a large cactus. The ram hadn't gone much more than a hundred yards...and was down again...but his head was still up. I made a short stalk and put another arrow through him...and my desert bighorn ram hunt was over within seconds. Lots of shouting, hugs and high fives entailed...a moment I'll never forget!
Spent the remainder of the hunt looking for Coues deer and javelina. Saw one decent Coues buck trailing a doe across the desert, but just couldn't get in front of him. Wound up making two stalks on javelina...and got within bow range of both. One caught me drawing my bow and took off like a rocket. The second javelina wasn't so lucky!
So, a bowhunt in Mexico that had no scheduled end date... wound up being a six day trip. No regrets at all taking that "borderline" ram. They did not put a tape on him, but the outfitter says he should score mid-160s...which makes him "borderline" Boone & Crockett. Much better result than my Colorado ram hunt!
Zero travel problems. I was surprised getting through customs was so easy...entering and leaving Mexico. The hide and horns had to be dropped off in Hermosillo for check-in and plugging. I'm told they will be shipped to my house in the next 4-8 weeks. The agent in Hermosillo has actually already reached out to provide the necessary forms. I should have those later today via email.
So well done and thanks for sharing. Gorgeous animal and photos. Amazing. Simply amazing
I also failed to draw NM elk, but did draw a Unit 8 elk tag in AZ. This will be my first and likely last elk hunt in AZ. Last trip to AZ was in 2020 for mule deer on the Kaibab.
