Unit 22 AZ Desert Bighorn Sheep-The Dolly Ram

The Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep season in Unit 22 is over and the 3 tag quota has been filled.  In my an earlier post I showed the three rams that were harvested.  Congrats again to the hunters and their guides on the successful hunts.  I thought I would compile some photos and video of the ram that Darr Colburn and I nicknamed Dolly.  We witnessed Dolly on many occasions while scouting for the AZ Desert Sheep Auction hunter wandering in all parts of the unit.  Most of the time he was just traveling from one ewe group to another.  Sometimes he was completely alone in his wanderings and sometimes he had a companion or two.  We estimated Dolly to be 6.5 years old and thought he would score somewhere around 182.  We figured his horns to be in the 37 to 37.5 inch range and to have about 107-108 inches of mass.  We figured his bases at around 15 6/8.  Dolly was harvested and has been scored at 184 3/8 Net by AZGFD and was aged at 7 years old.  As a student of the game of field judging I ask myself where did we miss this ram on score?  The answer is simply buried inside the numbers.  We underestimated the mass.  I think the mass of the horn was hidden somewhat by the depth of the curl and the drop of the horns.  Dolly, unlike most rams, did not curl up it curled back and down creating a very large depth of curl.  Dolly had the frame to break the magical 190" mark.  Now with that being said you never know if he might broom or break one of his horns or get ate by a lion.  Another thing to note is that the more we learn about these awesome animals the more we realize that they are extremely hard to judge exactly.  Body size can often be so different between each animal making it almost impossible to be 100% accurate every time.  It is always our preference to not over score an animal because the quickest way to lose credibility in our business is to be known as someone who over scores animals.  It seems the more I dig into the numbers the more I learn and no matter how much I learn it seems I am always humbled as to how difficult complete accuracy is. 

Dolly Ram AZGFD Checkout Score
L-37 0/8, 16 3/8, 15 5/8, 13 6/8, 9 3/8=92 1/8
Please note the mass on the left side totaled a whopping 55 1/8
R-37 2/8, 16 4/8, 15 5/8, 13 6/8, 9 2/8=92 4/8
Please note the mass on the right side totaled a whopping 55 2/8
184 5/8 Gross 184 3/8 Net AZGFD Checkout Score

The Dolly Ram fooled us because he had a whopping 110 3/8 inches of mass.  There are very few rams in the history of Arizona Desert Bighorn that have more than110 inches of mass.  Ernie Meeske's 2012 Giant ram had 110 2/8 inches of mass and Carl Ludeman's Monster 24B South ram last year had 110 inches of mass.  I also believe Michael Carpenito's 24B South giant in 2011 had right at 110 inches of mass.  You have to search long and hard to many rams with more mass than those three.

As you will see in the photos and video below that Dolly hid the mass somewhat in the depth of curl and drop of the horns.  Try to find the 4 year ring that is very prominent on this ram.  Some rams it is not quite as obvious.



All of the photos below of the Dolly Ram were taken in November 2014 with my Swarovski 95mm Spotting Scope with the Swarovski TLSAPO Digiscoping Adapter from the Outdoorsmans in Phoenix.

Desert Bighorn Sheep Scoring and Field Judging-What does this Ram Score?

We have been so blessed over the years at Colburn and Scott Outfitters to have hunted with many great people and have shared some awesome experiences and adventures.  This year is going to be another one of those years.  Darr and I have the privilege of guiding the Arizona Desert Sheep Auction hunter and have a couple of Arizona general season sheep hunters in some of our favorite units.  Scouting is going very well and we are expecting good results for our hunters this year.

We are going to get back to the question from the earlier post.  Go ahead and write each of your estimates down and then when you scroll to the bottom of this post see how close you are to the actual measurements.  So what does this ram score?  How long are his horns? How about his mass?



Here is a comparison photo of this ram 27 months apart.  Darr and I nicknamed this ram "Pretty Boy".  You can see from the photos he filled in his mass.  Look around his ears,  See how it seems the horn has gotten much closer to his ears. 

This photo shows how he broomed off the tip of his left horn a bit.  See how it is a bit rounder in the 2013 photo?  Over time rams will square off or broom the tips of their horns.  Another thing to point out is when looking from the side or from straight on, having a ram with a horn that drops even with or below the jaw is a good indication of a good sized horn.  Look at this rams body as he got older.  See how blocky his shoulders got.  Look at his pot belly.  How about his the roman nose.  Paying close attention to body characteristics can give you a good indication of age as well as counting the growth rings discussed in an earlier post.



It is evident in this photo that 27 months worth of growth has really helped the size of this rams horn.  This angle really show the maturity of the roman nose.
 

Here are the actual measurements of this great ram that was harvested in 2013.  The scores listed are the actual game and fish scores from when the ram was checked out.  How close were you in you guesses? 

One thing to note here is notice that I always try to keep track of a rams mass per side.  In the photo above you can see this ram has 51 2/8 inches of mass and the photo below has 51 1/8.  That means the ram has a total of 102 3/8 inches of mass.  This goes back to a general rule of thumb that I use when field judging sheep.  A book desert sheep will generally have 100 inches of mass then all you have to do is estimate the horn lengths and you have the estimated score.  For instance, if I thought this rams horns were 36 inches long plus 100 inches of mass I would score this ram at 172.  This would be my first glance estimate.  This is where it helps to know the total mass per ram that has been harvested in the unit you are hunting.  I try to have every ram from the unit I am hunting base measurements and mass totals.  I keep them in my records for future ram evaluation.

This photo really show a good depth of curl.  I will dive further into this in a future post.  Look how the horn coming out of the head goes up and back.  It does not lay flat and immediately drop down.  Then the horn goes back a good ways then drops down making a large open curl.  Usually big open curls like this tend to score very well.  Also note how this horn tips up which gives the horn even more length.  Be very careful of tight curled rams.  They tend to be short on horn length.  This ram is nice and long.



How did you do?

Desert Bighorn Sheep Field Judging and Scoring-How Do I Score a Sheep

First and foremost, let me answer a question that has come to me by way of email after my last post, "Is there a difference between Rocky Mtn, California and Desert Bighorn Sheep scoring, aging and field judging?"  The answer to the question is scoring and aging will be pretty much the same for every bighorn and thinhorn sheep for that matter.  The complex part of the answer comes when field judging.  Each of the bighorn have different body sizes and characteristics and that is an important part of determining the size of their horns while in the field.

Now that we have briefly covered aging a ram in the last post lets go over what makes up a bighorn sheep score.  To keep it simple, there are 4 mass measurements per side or each horn.  The mass measurements are the circumference around the horn.  There are obviously two horns so there is 8 total mass measurements.  Then you measure the lengths of each horn (see Horn Length chart below).  You add the mass of each side and horn length of each side to get you one side or one horn total.  Then you add both horn totals together for your gross or total score. (see above chart, add column one and Column two). Then you need to compare each mass measurement to the other horn and deduct the difference (see chart above, Column 3) to get your net score.

In order to get each mass measurement you need to measure the length of each horn.  Take the length of the longest horn and divide it by 4.  Let's use a 36 inch horn as our longest horn so 36 divided by 4 equals 9 inches.  So there will be a measurement taken at 0 (base) or D1, 9 inches or D2, 18 inches or D3, 27 inches or D4.  The first mass measurement is always taken at the base of the horn where it meets the head, which is called the "D1" measurement on the Boone and Crockett score sheet, then you continue 9 inches down the length of the horn to the second measurement and so on.  One thing that confused me when I was first learning about how to score sheep is guys would talk about the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters.  In essence what they are talking about is D2, D3 and D4.  So the Sheep lingo goes BASE, FIRST QUARTER, SECOND QUARTER AND THIRD QUARTER.

For this example our longest horn is 36 inches, lets say or shorter horn is 34 inches.  You still start at the Base then measure 9 inches, then 9 more to the 18 inch mark, then 9 more to the 27 inch mark.  Side note and more of a field judging tip, the mass measurements (D1,2,3,4) of each horn make up about 60% of the total score of your ram so finding a ram with good mass is essential to a high scoring trophy.


Back to our ram from the first post,  when I am evaluating a ram I am trying to split the horn into each quarter measurement.  I am looking for big chips or dents in the horn that may greatly affect the score of that ram.  In this case the horn seems pretty smooth where each quarter measurement falls.
 

Here is an example of having a quarter measurement fall directly in a bad spot, crack or dent in the horn.  Claude's ram lost over 3 inches on this D2 or Second Quarter measurement.  This unreal ram gross scored 185 3/8 even with this unlucky measurement.  It would have grossed darn near 190 if it matched his opposite side.  Keep in mind though all rams have dents and cracks so in essence all rams lose a little here and there.

Desert Bighorn Sheep Scoring and Field Judging-Aging and Score

Scoring and aging bighorn sheep on the hoof can be challenging to say the least.  It is a common goal of sheep hunters to try to harvest the oldest and most mature rams that we can.  Depending on the area, an 8+ year old ram is what most desert sheep experts consider mature.  So how do you tell how old a ram is?  I was always taught to find the 4 year ring and then count from there.  The 4 year ring is usually the darkest line (ring) on a horn.  The 4 year ring mark is made on the rams horn because that is the first year the ram reaches sexual maturity and experiences his first breeding season or what hunters refer to as the rut.  They don't feed a whole lot during this period and their horn shows the signs of lack of nutrition during that period.  See the photos below of prominent 4 year rings.  Some are easier to see than others.  A good rule of thumb when trying to determine age of a ram is look for the 4 year ring to be as low as possible on the horn or closer to the ground the better.  Another way to think about it is if it is level with the ear that is good.  Keep in mind, if you got a panel of sheep experts together they would probably never always agree on the exact age of every ram.  This is meant to be an exercise not an exact science.  In the photos below look for the 4 year ring that is clarified by the red line.

This ram pictured above and below is probably 7-8 years old.

This ram appears to be 6 years old-Photo by Julie May

This ram appears to be 5 1/2 years old

Notice there is no 4 year ring.  This ram appears to be 2-3 years old.

Ernie's ram was aged by AZGFD at 9 years old

Claude's 2013 AZ Raffle ram was aged by AZGFD at 9 years old

I would guess this ram to be 7 years old

This ram was aged by AZGFD at 9 years old

 

Back to the ram from the original post.  Once you determine the 4 year ring then simply try to count each dark line on the horn as it travels towards the rams head.  Usually a sign of a 10+ year old ram is when the 4 year ring is level with the ear.  If you see that it is a good indication of a old mature ram.  In the picture below, the red line shows the 4 years ring, the green line (5 yr), the blue line (6 yr), the purple line (7 yr) and the light blue line (8 yr) ring.  I believe this ram to be 8.5 years old



This is the same ram but a much more up close look at the rings.  The colors are the same in both pics above.  Find the 4 year ring then count each dark ring on the horn towards the eye or base of horn from there. 

 

If you have any questions in regards to this post please send them to jayscottoutdoors@gmail.com and I will try to clarify or answer them as good as I can.  If you come up with a stumper I will outsource it to find the answer.

Desert Bighorn Sheep Scoring and Field Judging-What does this Ram Score?

What does this Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Score?  How old is he?  How long are his horns on each side?  What are his bases? What is his mass per side?  What is his total mass?  How does his body look compared to other sheep?  Does he have a big head?  Is he a shooter?  How do I know if he is a shooter?  Is he old enough to shoot?  Is he a mature ram?  What makes a mature ram?

These are all questions that I ask myself when I glass up a new ram.  Sheep hunting and in this case Desert Bighorn Sheep hunting is something that gets in your blood and most people that do it one time are hooked on it for life.  This happened to me in 2009 when my good friend Glenn Hall drew a coveted Unit 44B North Arizona Desert Sheep tag.  I dove in head first and have been hooked ever since.  I cannot get enough of these little buggers.  I will attempt to make this post series as educational as possible.  I am still learning lots of things about how to age, field judge, score and hunt these awesome animals.  I wouldn't feel right about it if I didn't thank a particular guy who has helped me learn along the way.  There have been many along the way but this one person gets calls at really odd hours and circumstances.  Greg Koons, of High Desert Outfitters, who is a friend but has been an incredible mentor to me in this sheep hunting quest for knowledge.  Greg has selflessly helped me at every turn.  He has always answered my dumbest questions and has welcomed me into the "sheep fraternity" with opens arms.  This fraternity is sometimes hard to crack into because of number of years on the job and experience.  This is definitely an activity that you have to earn your wings.  I have always appreciated Greg's willingness to share knowledge about an animal he so dearly loves.  Greg to you I say "Thank You". 

The next post I will dive into all of the questions from the first paragraph.  If you know the exact answer to the questions above don't spoil it for those that don't.  Special thanks to my friend Kent Inglett for sharing the above photos.

Official Score of Claude Warren's AZ Super Big Game Raffle Desert Sheep

The official score of Claude Warren's incredible AZ Super Raffle Desert Ram is in!  His official gross score is 185 3/8 and 181 1/8 Net.  I believe this makes his ram the largest Nelsoni Desert Sheep ever harvested in the State of Arizona.  Honestly, this ram never ceases to surprise me.  It was an honor to video and photograph him and then get a chance to hunt him.  He did his best to vanish and zig when we zagged but we were very fortunate.  Darr and I would like to thank Claude Warren for putting his trust in us with his coveted tag and being such a great guy.  Thanks to Fred Ashurst for his friendship and hanging with us.  We would like to thank the AZ Super Big Game Raffle, Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society and the Arizona Game and Fish Department for taking care of our precious wildlife.  I can't wait to see Claude's ram once it is mounted by Clay Goldman of Mogollon Taxidermy.

Official Measurements:
Right Horn-40 0/8, 16 0/8, 15 4/8, 10 4/8, 10 0/8=92 0/8
Left Horn-38 7/8, 16 1/8, 15 1/8, 13 6/8, 9 4/8=93 3/8
185 3/8 Gross and 181 1/8 Net
An interesting thing to note is that the 2nd quarter on the right side fell smack dab in the deepest part of the chip and he loses 3 2/8 on that measurement alone.

I would be lying if I said we knew this sheep was as big as he is.  The simple fact that sheep even close to this big aren't known to be in this unit.  It would be like a 440 bull elk coming out of Unit 4A.  When I first saw him, I was just trying to get good footage so that we could evaluate him later.  I can tell you that the last time I saw the ram right before Claude harvested him he looked like a monster.  This hunt was so much more than score but it sure was exciting to get to be a part of a once in a lifetime experience.  Lord willing we will be back on the mountain chasing sheep soon!