Desert Sheep = Grand Slam
03-21-2008, 07:30 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,206
Desert Sheep = Grand Slam
I wish it were mine. My dad, Scott Vee, just recently finished up his Grand Slam of N.A. sheep while hunting in Baja, Mexico. I was along for the adventure.
After much preparation we flew out of Minneapolis, Mn. onSunday, March 9th, with our final destination Loreto, Mexico. We arrived in Loreto, Mexico without a weapon. Thank you NorthWest Airlines. It was decided that because we didn't have a weapon that we would overnight in Loreto and wait for the gun which was expected to show the following afternoon.
I went fishing the next day, while my dad waited in the airport for his luggage!
When the gun finally showed up we drove 3.5 hours North through Santa Rosalia to the town of Bonfil. This is where our base camp was situated. We didn't arrive at base camp until about 11:00pm. After introductions and a quick meal we were fast to sleep. Accomodations at base camp were quite nice, but it was short lived.
The next morning we loaded up all of our gear and headed into the desert for the volcanic mountain of La Reforma. On the way into camp we saw two desert rams. Both of which would push the 160" mark. It was more than six hours before we arrived at spike camp. Our spike camp would be at the base of the 3500' La Reforma.
The next morning is when we came to the realization that we had not anticipated the hunting to be as difficult as it was. After coffee in the morning we would do our first climb. It was about 1500' of hard climbing on loose volcanic rock before the incline leveled off. After a few more hundred feet we found our first glassing area. It took some time to glass our first sheep but we managed to find one. He was about a mile away, across a 2000' foot canyon. We estimated him to be just above the 160" mark. It was decided that we would move to another area and look for a better ram.
Scott Vee (hunter)
After a few more miles of rough hiking we arrived at our second lookout. The views from these mountain tops over looking huge canyons with the Sea of Cortez on the horizon are just spectacular. We spent the remainder of the day here at this lookout. We glassed one young ram, and a half dozen or so ewes andlambs. Once back at camp we ate dinner and were all fast to sleep.
On the third day of the hunt, Thursday, I began to feel the burn. I started to get sick on our morning hike up the hill. I think it was from the extremely strong coffee that I tried to finish before my morning incline, but I won't rule out exhaustion.
It wasn't too long before we arrived at our mountain top glassing point. It was discussed that if we saw a respectable sheep that we would pursue it. Upon glassing, two rams were spotted.One of which was expected to gross 164" or better. This was the ram Scott would try to take.
This is the part of the story where things get interesting. You see, I opted to stay behind on top of the canyon to continue glassing and let my dad finish the stalk with his four guides. By sitting atop the canyon, I was sure that I would get an eagles eye view of the entire hunt taking place. I was wrong. Two and a half hours later I heard what sounded like a sonic boom. I couldn't imagine the rumble that bellowed in the canyon just below me. It was loud enough that it was somewhat unnerving. It was a shot frommy dad'sBrowning Mountain Ti, in .300WSM. I quickly got behind the lens of his Carl Zeiss spotting scope and noticed that it wasn't the sheep that we had initially intended to hunt. I glassed in confusion for a short time before we heard the static from the walkie-talkies.
As it turns out, while moving along the bottom of the canyon Scott and his guides came upona small flock of rams that were bedded for the day. One of which was a gorgeous old ram, pushing the 170" mark. They stalked to withing 150 yards before taking aim. The shot was very steep but true, and the old ram died there in his sleep.
It was a long 5 hours before Scott and his guides met me back at spike camp. He was thrilled to be back, and I couldn't be happier to be there to congratulatemy dadon his first Grand Slam.
In conclusion I would like to thank and recommend Uma Bonfil Outfitters. I would also like to congratulate my old man if he happens to stumble upon this review. And to anyone who wishes to hunt fair chase desert sheep in the future I would tell you to not believe all of what you see in the magazines. You see, I went into this hunt expecting it to be the easiest of the four sheep hunts. I am consistently reminded of the older and out of shape hunters that shoot desert sheep annually in high fence ranches. These high fence ranches do not offer a true sheep hunting experience. In my opinion these "hunts" do nothing but take away from the quality oftrophy the Desert Bighorn sheep truly is.
James Vee
After much preparation we flew out of Minneapolis, Mn. onSunday, March 9th, with our final destination Loreto, Mexico. We arrived in Loreto, Mexico without a weapon. Thank you NorthWest Airlines. It was decided that because we didn't have a weapon that we would overnight in Loreto and wait for the gun which was expected to show the following afternoon.
I went fishing the next day, while my dad waited in the airport for his luggage!
When the gun finally showed up we drove 3.5 hours North through Santa Rosalia to the town of Bonfil. This is where our base camp was situated. We didn't arrive at base camp until about 11:00pm. After introductions and a quick meal we were fast to sleep. Accomodations at base camp were quite nice, but it was short lived.
The next morning we loaded up all of our gear and headed into the desert for the volcanic mountain of La Reforma. On the way into camp we saw two desert rams. Both of which would push the 160" mark. It was more than six hours before we arrived at spike camp. Our spike camp would be at the base of the 3500' La Reforma.
The next morning is when we came to the realization that we had not anticipated the hunting to be as difficult as it was. After coffee in the morning we would do our first climb. It was about 1500' of hard climbing on loose volcanic rock before the incline leveled off. After a few more hundred feet we found our first glassing area. It took some time to glass our first sheep but we managed to find one. He was about a mile away, across a 2000' foot canyon. We estimated him to be just above the 160" mark. It was decided that we would move to another area and look for a better ram.
Scott Vee (hunter)
After a few more miles of rough hiking we arrived at our second lookout. The views from these mountain tops over looking huge canyons with the Sea of Cortez on the horizon are just spectacular. We spent the remainder of the day here at this lookout. We glassed one young ram, and a half dozen or so ewes andlambs. Once back at camp we ate dinner and were all fast to sleep.
On the third day of the hunt, Thursday, I began to feel the burn. I started to get sick on our morning hike up the hill. I think it was from the extremely strong coffee that I tried to finish before my morning incline, but I won't rule out exhaustion.
It wasn't too long before we arrived at our mountain top glassing point. It was discussed that if we saw a respectable sheep that we would pursue it. Upon glassing, two rams were spotted.One of which was expected to gross 164" or better. This was the ram Scott would try to take.
This is the part of the story where things get interesting. You see, I opted to stay behind on top of the canyon to continue glassing and let my dad finish the stalk with his four guides. By sitting atop the canyon, I was sure that I would get an eagles eye view of the entire hunt taking place. I was wrong. Two and a half hours later I heard what sounded like a sonic boom. I couldn't imagine the rumble that bellowed in the canyon just below me. It was loud enough that it was somewhat unnerving. It was a shot frommy dad'sBrowning Mountain Ti, in .300WSM. I quickly got behind the lens of his Carl Zeiss spotting scope and noticed that it wasn't the sheep that we had initially intended to hunt. I glassed in confusion for a short time before we heard the static from the walkie-talkies.
As it turns out, while moving along the bottom of the canyon Scott and his guides came upona small flock of rams that were bedded for the day. One of which was a gorgeous old ram, pushing the 170" mark. They stalked to withing 150 yards before taking aim. The shot was very steep but true, and the old ram died there in his sleep.
It was a long 5 hours before Scott and his guides met me back at spike camp. He was thrilled to be back, and I couldn't be happier to be there to congratulatemy dadon his first Grand Slam.
In conclusion I would like to thank and recommend Uma Bonfil Outfitters. I would also like to congratulate my old man if he happens to stumble upon this review. And to anyone who wishes to hunt fair chase desert sheep in the future I would tell you to not believe all of what you see in the magazines. You see, I went into this hunt expecting it to be the easiest of the four sheep hunts. I am consistently reminded of the older and out of shape hunters that shoot desert sheep annually in high fence ranches. These high fence ranches do not offer a true sheep hunting experience. In my opinion these "hunts" do nothing but take away from the quality oftrophy the Desert Bighorn sheep truly is.
James Vee
03-21-2008, 09:48 PM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: IL
Posts: 6,575
RE: Desert Sheep = Grand Slam
that looks like it has some serious mass! A friend of my fathers took his desert with a bow, though I think he still has some species left in NA to get with a bow.....pretty awesome either way.
03-22-2008, 09:31 PM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location:
Posts: 166
RE: Desert Sheep = Grand Slam
Thanks For sharing the tale of that great adventure. I know the only way I'll hunt Desert Sheep is if I draw an Arizona Tag. I have 3 points, so some time in the next eternity it'll happen. Congrats on a heck of a Ram to your Dad.
