6 Creedmoor for Desert Bighorn

[DMack]

Here's a good article

Cartridges for Sheep Hunting | Sports Afield

sportsafield.com

Hey! I've got a 25-35!!

 

[JAYgs8163]

@DMack where is your tag? Did you lottery draw it or buy it?

For me I'd use something heavier for a Bighorn. Bighorn seem much heavier boned up in the shoulder area. Why take ANY chance when you can shoot something a little heavier that would blow through a shoulder or both shoulders without question.

 

[DMack]

@DMack where is your tag? Did you lottery draw it or buy it?

For me I'd use something heavier for a Bighorn. Bighorn seem much heavier boned up in the shoulder area. Why take ANY chance when you can shoot something a little heavier that would blow through a shoulder or both shoulders without question.

I drew NM. Still in shock...

 

[JAYgs8163]

I drew NM. Still in shock...

Excellent, so nothing better than Desert Bighorn Sheep that doesn't drain your bank account. Many of us (me included) could never afford a $30-40k sheep hunt that others speak of. If I drew that tag (once in lifetime if lucky) I'd be shooting my 7 Short mag or 300 Short mag with the proper projectile. Heck I'd be overjoyed if someone invited to help them on a sheep hunt, be as good as having a tag IMO. Being part of the camp and involved is 75% of it. Good luck and look forward to the pics.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Sheep are thin skinned and are fairly easy to kill when hit in the vitals

More like tough and big boned! I live here in Nevada and have been out with friends who got drawn. We just go out scouting on our own where we have seen them over the years. No guides or BS unless I'm a guide for beer and the fun of it. Sheep are a creature of habbits walking the same direction like clock work. On their way to get water every evening coming by our camp. It was just always trying to decide on which one. Big rams are tough animals solid animals. I've been watching the shots on two through spotting scopes 7mm rem mag with 175's and 300 win mag with 180's both relatively broadside one at @ 165 yards and the other at like 240 yards. Even with all that HP neither one even flinched and the 7 mag after being shot wondered away like it was a miss and the guy shot it again. I even wondered if the first shot was a miss. The 300 WM just stood there like they do motionless and finally quivered and dropped. I would never consider my 26 inch 243 as a Ram getter. I draw the line at antelope. Then I move up to more fire power.


Just a few old pictures of the herd of 20 + wondering by our camp every evening!

View attachment 592278View attachment 592279View attachment 592280

These are Nelson's. Basically desert sheep (2 bottom photos). They at 10k ft. There in Nov.. I shot mine at 2000 ft. In Feb.. Before they ever gave any tags there they would come down the mountain rolling rocks in the morning and wake me up. Go past me and drink out of the river (more like a stream). They would butt heads right there. 15 years later that's how I located mine. Heard horns smacking together from 500 yds away. Long story but there were 7 rams. He was the lead Ram. The biggest. I poked my head over ridge and came eye to eye at less than 10 yds from a Ram. They took of running the top of the ridge away from me. They stopped and buddy ranged and said 306. Boom. *** over head. Got up there and couldn't find him. Was at exact spot where they stopped. Got dark. Came back in morning. Looked all over again. Buddy said are you sure you killed him ? I said I polaxed him. I bet high shoulder. I finally saw a patch of here down below in gully under bushes. Climbed down. It was him. He endowed into gully and slid about 50 yards down and under brush. Whew ! I High shoulder. I used a 300 RUM with 168 Barnes TSX. Used 180 TSX's after that on everything.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Excellent, so nothing better than Desert Bighorn Sheep that doesn't drain your bank account. Many of us (me included) could never afford a $30-40k sheep hunt that others speak of. If I drew that tag (once in lifetime if lucky) I'd be shooting my 7 Short mag or 300 Short mag with the proper projectile. Good luck and look forward to the pics.

20 points in Az. Zip.

 

[JAYgs8163]

20 points in Az. Zip.

A client of mine drew a Az sheep tag this year over by Clifton/Morenci area with only 4 points!! Go figure. I drew my Az Unit 10 Antelope tag with only 11. It can happen, keep trying!!!

 

[Huntnful]

I hunted deer up in the Latir Range of NM. There were rams EVERYWHERE! They were awesome. But I will say, they were not small. Their bodies reminded me of a 55 gallon drum in regards to shape and size.

But I would have zero stress shooting one with a big 6mm bullet at a moderate range. And the moderate range caveat is mostly to ensure good shot placement. But your say, self imposed limit of 400 yards, can't just magically turn into 700 yards if that's where the ram is. You have to stray true to the limitations.

I would personally have a very hard time dropping 7-800 yards bombs on a once in a lifetime hunt.

4-500 yards or closer would definitely be my goal

 

[DMack]

A client of mine drew a Az sheep tag this year over by Clifton/Morenci area with only 4 points!! Go figure. I drew my Az Unit 10 Antelope tag with only 11. It can happen, keep trying!!!

My non-resident 25 points for elk and antelope in Arizona have not worked (yet).

 

[DMack]

I hunted deer up in the Latir Range of NM. There were rams EVERYWHERE! They were awesome. But I will say, they were not small. Their bodies reminded me of a 55 gallon drum in regards to shape and size.

But I would have zero stress shooting one with a big 6mm bullet at a moderate range. And the moderate range caveat is mostly to ensure good shot placement. But your say, self imposed limit of 400 yards, can't just magically turn into 700 yards if that's where the ram is. You have to stray true to the limitations.

I would personally have a very hard time dropping 7-800 yards bombs on a once in a lifetime hunt.

4-500 yards or closer would definitely be my goal

I agree. Even if I was to take my 300 Whizbang I'm not taking 7-800 yard shots. That is the distance that things get wonky for me. I like to shoot steel and rocks out past 1000, never shoot that far at a critter. Does give me confidence at 400...

 

[DMack]

These are Nelson's. Basically desert sheep (2 bottom photos). They at 10k ft. There in Nov.. I shot mine at 2000 ft. In Feb.. Before they ever gave any tags there they would come down the mountain rolling rocks in the morning and wake me up. Go past me and drink out of the river (more like a stream). They would butt heads right there. 15 years later that's how I located mine. Heard horns smacking together from 500 yds away. Long story but there were 7 rams. He was the lead Ram. The biggest. I poked my head over ridge and came eye to eye at less than 10 yds from a Ram. They took of running the top of the ridge away from me. They stopped and buddy ranged and said 306. Boom. *** over head. Got up there and couldn't find him. Was at exact spot where they stopped. Got dark. Came back in morning. Looked all over again. Buddy said are you sure you killed him ? I said I polaxed him. I bet high shoulder. I finally saw a patch of here down below in gully under bushes. Climbed down. It was him. He endowed into gully and slid about 50 yards down and under brush. Whew ! I High shoulder. I used a 300 RUM with 168 Barnes TSX. Used 180 TSX's after that on everything. View attachment 592338View attachment 592339

View attachment 592336View attachment 592337

Toad. Looks like a tank!
Nice job.

 

[Marky_mark]

I hunted deer up in the Latir Range of NM. There were rams EVERYWHERE! They were awesome. But I will say, they were not small. Their bodies reminded me of a 55 gallon drum in regards to shape and size.

But I would have zero stress shooting one with a big 6mm bullet at a moderate range. And the moderate range caveat is mostly to ensure good shot placement. But your say, self imposed limit of 400 yards, can't just magically turn into 700 yards if that's where the ram is. You have to stray true to the limitations.

I would personally have a very hard time dropping 7-800 yards bombs on a once in a lifetime hunt.

4-500 yards or closer would definitely be my goal

This is the difference between preparing for the best case scenario, or the worst case scenario
But what do I know
I've only shot 4 deserts, number 5 coming up this winter

 

[WYO300RUM]

A client of mine drew a Az sheep tag this year over by Clifton/Morenci area with only 4 points!! Go figure. I drew my Az Unit 10 Antelope tag with only 11. It can happen, keep trying!!!

I don't apply every year. Sometimes just point. I'm afraid to draw because of cost of tag and no way afford an Outfitter. I have 22 pts. For lope. Same thing. I have a lot of bighorn points in Nv. and Ut. also Nv. 3 types. Nelson, California and Rocky mtn. I think splitting them up was a $ idea. Utah 20 for Rocky and 18 desert.

 

[WYO300RUM]

My non-resident 25 points for elk and antelope in Arizona have not worked (yet).

Burned my elk points in 2022.
I have 4 already counting hunter safety and loyalty point. I'll be 80 when draw again