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New Mexico Bighorn Sheep

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    New Mexico Bighorn Sheep

    In 2016 I came Auodad (barbary sheep) hunting in NM. I thought the state was pretty cool and the sheep were even cooler. I had always wanted to move to CO but they dont hire nonresidents for my line of work. In 2017 I got hired on here in NM and moved the family out. I was lucky enough to move to the same area I had come sheep hunting in 2016. Sheep hunting basically moved me out here.

    This year I won the lottery. The email came from G&F saying I had drawn a bighorn sheep tag. I got very excited as I read through the information and imagined myself bowhunting bighorn ewes (one of my hunt choices which seemed the only real chance I had at a tag). Then I read and comprehended what the tag was actually for. My first choice, a rocky mountain ram hunt in the Wheeler Peak Wilderness....a once in a lifetime tag!

    Now the research starts. I found the list of all the rams killed for the last several years which includes score and rough location. Wheeler Peak is the highest point in NM at 13,159’ and is a part of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. I knew from experience the sangres are steep and beautiful but I had never even seen Wheeler Peak in person. I learned the 5 biggest rams in the state had been killed in this area and the population numbered around 250 sheep.

    We got more snow this year than there has been in a long time. The peaks were inaccessible through the early summer which made early scouting useless. All I could do to get ready was keep hiking and staying in shape until the snow melted. My first scouting trip blew my mind. It reminded me of the high country in CO but much more game rich. Sitting on a ridge at 12,800’ I was picking up animals from 200 yards to 2 miles away. I had seen plenty of bighorn sheep before but never the caliber of rams I was spotting. It was almost overwhelming. We have desert bighorn sheep basically in my backyard but for some reason I was almost in awe of the rams I saw while scouting. They are incredibly cool animals.

    My plan is to use the bow on this hunt. I have located rams from 11,000’ in the timber to 13,000’ on wind blown peaks. Im done scouting and saving time off for the hunt itself. A couple hunting partners will be coming from TX to help and hopefully put their hands on a big ram. The hunt starts September 1st.

    I will try to upload a few pictures below.

    #2
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      #3
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        #4
        I'll be coveting if you need me.

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          #5
          Awesome!! Good luck.

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            #6
            Awesome! Congrats on the draw and best of luck to you on the hunt! I love the Sangre de Cristos. Prettiest part of NM, by far.

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              #7
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                #8
                That is awesome! Best of luck and post lots of pictures.

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                  #9
                  CONGRATS & Good Luck!

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                    #10
                    Following. Good luck!

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                      #11
                      Man, that is a hunt of a lifetime! Will be following. Good luck!!

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                        #12
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                          #13
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                            #14
                            Good luck. Hope your able to get it done. Will be looking forward to a write up and pictures with you and bighorn.

                            Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

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                              #15
                              Dream hunt!! Excited to follow this one along, good luck!

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