It's funny to me now with the events so clear in my mind what happened next. I was too surreal to register as true in my mind maybe, but I saw exactly what you guys are thinking in the viewfinder ............ sheep!
3 rams all just standing there watching us. I was quite a ways back from the fellas as I said so I just shouted out " HEY MIKE, THERE'S THREE SHEEP UP THERE." I wasn't really excited just couldn't believe my eyes.
Mike's reaction reminded me of a scene from that movie the matrix ..............." he moves like they do" ............ Carl Zeiss has never in history been summoned to action faster than that.
With that special tone in his voice that we all get at times Mike shout/whispers THEY'RE ALL SHOOTERS, THEY'RE ALL FULL CURL!!!"
I shout back at them in that same loud non comprehending voice "WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?"
Shout/whisper "WOULD YOU BE QUIET!!"
So I nonchalantly strolled down to where they were and repeated the question.
A couple of plans were put forward but as the realization began to hit me that this was really happening and there was no fat lady singing anywhere near us and the hunt was still on. It dawned on me.
We were busted for the last 15 minutes already, and the wind was exactly wrong for any kind of a sneak.
"How far are they?"
"I can't get a reading."
"OK, let's just keep our packs on keep trudging down the valley and make our way to that knoll right below them and see what happens."
My logic was this: unlike the other rams these had big altitude on us up a wicked rock slope. They had already seen us and hadn't spooked. they really had no reason to vacate the area, as they had probably never seen a hunter before.
So we started trudging, hardly daring to glance up the hill for fear of losing them.
Every step of the way that music from Rocky got louder in my ears, you know the one ............it means he's gonna win.
Almost to the knoll, we started breaking out our guns, I look up and the one has gone back to feeding! SWEET MOTHER OF PEARL!
Every one of us was wound up like a two dollar watch. Derek's scope was already on the sheep and wasn't even prone yet.
"How far are they?"
"380"
"Shoot if you have to" I said, "but try and wait for me."
I settled in got my cross hairs on the right sheep as I was on the right side and spouted "ready!"
I take up the slack on the trigger and the sheep in my scope folds like Origami ............but I didn't shoot!
"You just shot my sheep!"
"Well shoot another one then!"
I swing over and the next nearest ram stops. I put the cross hairs right in the middle of him and take up the slack. BOOM! Clean miss!
He runs 15 more yds stops broadside once again I hold in the middle of him. BOOM! CLEAN MISS!
Two shots left, "You're hitting just above him" THANK YOU LORD FOR GIVING US CARL ZEISS!!
My crosshairs drop to his belly line ........everything is in slow motion now just like those action films .............. my trusty old Ruger 7mm mag whispers in my ear "take him Robbie"
I says "OK" and then hold on for the ride.
"YOU GOT HIM BUT A LITTLE FAR BACK, AND HIGH!"
I slide my final hand load into the chamber and the ram stops - drops - and rolls, but he ain't on fire.
We hugged and knuckled and ruined our voices in our primal celebration of the hunt.And then we started to climb.They had both hung up in the rocks so we had a mighty precarious climb to get them. Needless to say we were more than happy to do it.
Derek's sheep went 14 1/4" around the base and 37 1/2" on the curl.
Mine was 12 3/4" and 35 1/2 around the curl.
In my eyes the one is no nicer than the other, it's just a measurement.
Knowing what I know ANY SHEEP is a trophy in my books, some guys are just lucky enough to get a big one.
Thanks for playing along lads this has been fun ...........cheers
PS: In case you didn't like the story here's a little roughly edited video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_vK1oyxtV0&feature=plcp