Go Back   Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum > Main Category > Hunting Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10-14-2010, 10:56 PM
Frans Frans is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,551
Default I walked away

Finally it felt like the ankle would support a day on the slopes, so I took my ewe tag out for a walk this morning. I climbed some, glassed some, still-hunted my way up the side of a little canyon, glassed some more etc. without finding a sheep. Hiked to a saddle and glassed across, hiked to the end of the drainage and peek in hole and nooks and crannies. Nothing.

I was supposed to attend a highschool awards ceremony, so come 1:30pm I started on my way down, intent on finding the jacket that I lost four weeks ago. No luck on finding the jacket, but a sheep found me. Small horns, fairly spindly, I figured a ewe had shown up. I kept my direction imitating a hiker, expecting for more of the herd to show up. Nothing came, and from some cover I glassed the "ewe". In profile, it looked like a youngster, but the horns were kinda long, 4-5" approximately.

We played cat and mouse for a bit, while I tried desperately to ascertain sex of the sheep. I never really figured it out... I wanted to say young ewe, but I wasn't certain. Then it joined up with eight more sheep, which turned out to be four ewes and four lambs. They seemed pretty well paired up, so likely no dry ewe in the group.

I had left my backpack behind when I started for the first sheep, including the scope. It was blowing so hard that even the binoculars were hard to keep steady. Time had ran out. I could have gone back, collected the scope, and tried again, but in retrospect I'm convinced the first sheep was a young ram... I think

Anyway, not wanting to shoot a ewe away from her lamb, and not sure about the sex of the one sheep, I turned around and walked away.

Ten steps later I found this one, half burried and tucked up against a rock.



Guess he's been dead for quite some time. It's quite brittle, I think I need a safe spot for it. Probably don't need F&W to gimme a permit for this one.... or do I?
__________________
Frans
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-14-2010, 10:59 PM
whitetail Junkie's Avatar
whitetail Junkie whitetail Junkie is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: AB
Posts: 6,637
Default

Neat Story!!!,Thats by Far one of the oldest skulls i've ever seen.

i would'nt bother with a Permit,although i'm sure some people might disagree?
__________________
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-14-2010, 11:10 PM
Stop Staring at my Rack's Avatar
Stop Staring at my Rack Stop Staring at my Rack is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: out in the boonies
Posts: 2,495
Default

Great story! Neat find!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-15-2010, 09:12 AM
Bigfeet Bigfeet is offline
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 430
Default

Great story and good call on not taking the chance at what may have been a young ram. Hoping to do the same thing this weekend - have a look for a non-trophy sheep (it would be my first). Did some scouting this summer in the area (406b), but didn't find any sheep. Hope to find some now. Best of luck to you Frans.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-15-2010, 09:17 AM
honda450's Avatar
honda450 honda450 is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 6,952
Default

Cool find. I would still get a permit for it though. Never know. They only cost $11.00
__________________
Smoke or Fire in the Forest Dial 310-FIRE


thegungirl.ca @gmail.com
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-15-2010, 09:38 AM
Rockymtnx's Avatar
Rockymtnx Rockymtnx is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 8,815
Default

Sounds like it was a fun day in the hills Frans. Sadly your ewe hunting this year is starting to sound like Duk Dog’s last year. I may have to do some sort of little ewe dance around a fire for you tonight. LOL
Keep at it and hopefully you connect. By the way interesting find.
__________________
Rockymtnx

www.dmoa.ca

Pro Staff member for:
Benelli, Sako, Beretta, Tikka, Franchi, Burris, & Steiner
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:42 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.