My California desert bighorn

Sambo

Sambo

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Here is a picture of my ram from the newberry mts. It was an awesome experience I got to share with my dad I hired Dry Creek Outfitter's awesome group of guy's that made a dream of mine come true. The ram scored 175 4/8 gross and 174/78 net

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That's a dandy old battler! Congratulations
Obviously that big chip on the left side didn't hurt his net score.
About as good as they get right there!
 
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Yes sorry I had a desert bighorn tag for southern California zone 10. Thank you for all the replies I appreciate it
 
Buckjunkie said:
Still a great Desert Ram! Congratulations
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"Still" :oops: might even be an understatement! If that ram was a Cali Bighorn it wouldn't approach landing in the record book, but as a Desert it's score blows by the minimums!
No need to be "Sorry" Sambo, and certainly none of us are feeling sorry for you either! Maybe you can give us a little more detail about your hunt and give us some vicarious adventure!
 
Having lived in Susanville Ca my whole life and then moving to Reno six years ago I thought there was no chance of drawing a sheep tag as a non resident but having max points I kept applying and then on my way to work one day with my friend he said the results were out for California when we stopped at a gas station I checked on my phone I was in disbelief when it said yes for sheep after the shock and adrenaline wore off I called my dad and some other friends to tell them my dad was pumped and said he was going with me since this was a once in a lifetime tag I knew I needed to hire an outfitter so while I was at work my dad made some calls he texted me and said to call Cliff at Dry Creek Outfitter's I did and knew immediately these were the guy's I booked with them for the middle of January after 7 months of waiting, shooting and dreaming it was time to go I left reno for the long drive to Barstow where I would meet my dad spend the night the next day we talked with Matt and Brooks from Dry Creek and made our way to camp where we were introduced to the rest of the crew Jake, Wayne, and Carlos the rest of the day was spent unpacking getting my gear ready and forming a game plan for the next morning the zone I was hunting was a brand new zone for this year it had never been hunted there were 6 permits plus the governor tag I was the last to hunt everyone else had tagged out as we talked I was told that all the 6 hunters before me had been in the Ord mountains and the Rodman mountains no one had really hunted the Newberry mountains yet so that was our game plan for the next couple of days to hit the Newberry's hard with so much excitement there was no sleep the next morning we split up and headed out I was with Brooks we hiked up a drainage for a couple of miles to the top of a ridge on the way up we saw a group of ewes my first sight of sheep once we got to a good vantage point we started glassing we saw some more ewes after a couple of hours we saw our first ram not big but what an awesome experience awhile later Brooks moved 50 yards to look in a different canyon I heard him whisper motioning me to come there was another ram 100 yards below us with a couple of ewes he looked big to me but Brooks said he was a low 160 ram we watched him as Brooks gave me a crash course in scoring rams the rest of the day was uneventful once back at camp we talked about what everyone saw Jake an Matt spoted a ram they wanted to get a better look at the next day the next morning they went to look at the ram Brooks wanted to check an area that was close to Jake and Matt incase he was a shooter we walked in a couple miles and started glassing it wasn't 2 minutes and Brooks spotted a group of 4 rams almost a mile away 2 looked big we watched them for a while and I could tell by the way Brooks was acting these were good rams Matt called they found the ram from the day before and said not that big Brooks told them to come to where we were he wanted a second opinion on our ram an hour later Matt and Jake made it to our location one look and Matt said we need to kill that ram at that point I was excited after talking and watching them bed down and deciding how to approach them Matt and Brooks would stay at the ridge we were on and Jake and I would make the mile long stalk Matt was able to contact my dad and Carlos to hurry and get to where we were so off we went I remember thinking to myself is this really happening trying to calm myself down after a long stalk Jake peered over the top over a ridge he motioned me me up and said they are across the small but steep canyon 273 yards away I crawled up there they were all 4 rams sound asleep basking in the sun the big ram was facing away I played prone on some uncomfortable rocks waiting for the ram to stand and give me a shot but I was in for the long haul after 3 hours he had stood up twice to stretch and laid right back down no shot by now the sun is getting low in the sky and I'm wondering if this is going to happen then all of a sudden the big ram and the smallest ram stood up and started walking towards us I was praying for him to stop and give me a shot he never did he dissapeared in the canyon below we could not see him at the guys back behind us Jake and I tried to get in a spot to see in the canyon but the other 2 rams saw us move and started getting nervous we got behind a big rock and waited we didn't want to blow out the other rams we were going to sit until dark and sneak out and try again tomorrow I was a little bummed out but excited still after all it's hunting after a few minutes I caught movement right below us it was a ram I whispered to Jake as the came into full view he said that's him shoot!! I threw up the rifle and shot in one motion the ram turned and ran back in the canyon I thought I had missed crap!! I looked at Jake he said you hammered him I was relieved as the ram was 18 yards away!! As we followed the blood there he was 50 yards down the canyon what an emotional experience I will never forget as the rest of the guys made there way over Jake and I were in shock of what had just happened when everyone got there we were all pumped it was bigger than they thought after pictures and quartering we loaded up the packs and started the long hike out but I enjoyed every step!! I would like to thank all my new friends at Dry Creek and my Dad for sharing this hunt with me
 
Horniac said:
Great ram congratulations Sambo! What did they age your ram at?

Horniac
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Cliff at Dry Creek aged the ram at 14 the California state biologist aged him at 12 they pulled a tooth and said they can give an exact age but haven't got the information yet
 

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