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Sorry but I haven't figured out how to post photos. But if anyone wants to see a photo send me a PM with your address and I can send one direct from my developer.
My ram was aged at 11 years, with the largest horn 34" with 15"base (the other horn was measured just a bit smaller). He is broomed back to 7/8 curl and carries the mass from the bases quite a ways out. He was the largest in a group of 13 rams. He was missing several front teeth and I don't expect he would have been around much longer-he was an old ram. I was actually looking for a smaller band of 5 rams that I had seen several times and found this bunch by accident. Midway into the stalk for the larger group I did see the smaller bunch but opted to continue after the larger band of rams. They were feeding when I first saw them but bedded down shortly after. I belly crawled into some scattered boulders on the ridge and caught them unaware. But it was 300 yards and no getting any closer. I watched them for a good 15 minutes before deciding which ram to take. Then I had the safety off 4 different times before I was absolutely certain. I wasn't particularly comfortable with a 300 yard shot but I had shot my rifle at that distance and was able to get a solid prone rest over a rock with my daypack under the butt. When I shot it was like a sheep explosion except for my ram which had rolled and was kicking. I had to give him 2 more shots to put him down, and they were all good shots. This ram was tougher than I was lead to believe sheep are supposed to be. I was using my M70 .280 shooting 140 gr. Sierra boattails, with which I have now taken 6 species of big game.
Sheep hunting was a rush like no other and I don't ever expect to duplicate the excitement again.
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