Ripp
.577 member
Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA
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Was fortunate enough to draw a once in a lifetime tag for Big Horn Sheep in the Missouri Breaks..
Scouted three occasions for rams--on one souting trip I spotting 56 rams in 2 1/2 days of hiking/backpacking...saw some incredible scenery..had lots of fun hiking, seeing the incredible scenery, sunsets and wildlife-- Oh, and laughing at my friend John and son Jesse jumping about 3 feet straight up and running 2 complete strides in mid-air after us coming onto a rattlesnake...  --white men can jump...
Shot this ram on the 2nd day of the season--spotted them in my spotting scope about 1 mile away--he was laying with 2 other rams---the one facing my direction as I was making my stalk--got up and fed a bit then bedded back down facing away from me...to make matters even better for me, he fell asleep so hard his head was laying sideways on the hill..which allowed me to get to 15 yards before I shot...he rolled about 250 feet down the canyon..after photos and caping..it took me about 1 hour of basically crawling on hands and knees to get out of the canyon and onto a trail for the 2 hours backpack trip out of the breaks to a trail where I had my 4 wheeler parked..
Weather went from one extreme to another while scouting and hunting--Sunday was in the low 80's-F--the day I left if was 30F and snowing...
The ram will qualify for "Boone and Crocket" which is pretty cool..but really, it is secondary to the great time and thrill of the prehunt preparation and actually hunt itself...was an incredible experience and can see why one could get easily addicted to the "sheep" hunting bug...
as you can see it was a pretty steep climb back out of the canyon ...
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ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..
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DoubleD
.400 member
Reged: 23/11/03
Posts: 2481
Loc: Retired in Oklahoma
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Very Nice Ripp, congratulations
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DD, Ret.
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FATBOY404
.400 member
Reged: 14/11/09
Posts: 1730
Loc: QLD
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Well done Ripp.
Who needs a flat shooting magnum hey ?.
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"WHATEVER BLOWS YOUR HAIR BACK"
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AspenHill
Sponsor
Reged: 08/01/03
Posts: 1528
Loc: Vermont, USA
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Cool ram! Looks like it was a great trip.
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~Ann
Everyday spent outdoors is the best day of my life.
Aspen Hill Adventures
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450_EXPRESS
.333 member
Reged: 04/01/09
Posts: 372
Loc: S.C.Montana
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Beautiful ram! Congratulations.
Your luck was really strong, first drawing the tag ('bout like winning the lottery) and then the snow waiting for you to get done before it hit, that gumbo can be nasty.
Again, congrats very nice (just shows why MT is a pretty nice place to be)
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Ripp
.577 member
Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA
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Quote:
Beautiful ram! Congratulations.
Your luck was really strong, first drawing the tag ('bout like winning the lottery) and then the snow waiting for you to get done before it hit, that gumbo can be nasty.
Again, congrats very nice (just shows why MT is a pretty nice place to be)
YOU are correct--I am incredibly lucky..more reasons than this---none of you probably know about this except a few I sent a private email to---I was involved in a really bad motorcycle accident on July 16th of this year--was cut off and had to dump the Harley on the Interstate---per the highway patrol --hit the pavement--left 7 ft of blood on the highway--flew 36 feet..hit the highway again..left another 3 1/2 feet of blood on the highway..flew another 24 feet and flew in the ditch...was air lifted by helicopter from the hospital in Columbus Montana to St Vincents in Billings..underwent 5 1/2 hours surgery --crashed 6 times during surgery..and GOD willing..recovered in time to do this hunt...kind of gives a guy an entirely new perspective on life...with not the least of which is life is short--LIVE...something you been wanting to do -do it..there may not be a tomorrow...that was lucky shot number 2 for the year..surviving the motorcycle accident and NO broken bones..number one was drawing the sheep permit 2 weeks prior..odds of drawing that tag was .40 of 1%...took my 21 years of applying to get it..some I know have been applying 35 to 40 years and have never drawn it..
Lucky shot number 3--drew a special Bull Elk permit for a very good area as well--bow or rifle..so going bow hunting this weekend and if not successful will try again with rifle when season opens in late October..
SO--YES..I am truly a very LUCKY and BLESSED man...
Ripp
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ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..
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Ben
.400 member
Reged: 22/08/08
Posts: 1917
Loc: Northern Territory, Australia
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Good on ya, Ripp, and I'm glad you survived and recovered to keep on living life to the full.
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FATBOY404
.400 member
Reged: 14/11/09
Posts: 1730
Loc: QLD
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In July Ripp !!.
We will have to call you the new " IRON MAN".
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"WHATEVER BLOWS YOUR HAIR BACK"
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Sville
.400 member
Reged: 23/03/10
Posts: 1189
Loc: Sweden
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Very good photos. Fantastic landscape and a great trophy. //Sville
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Hunter_338
.275 member
Reged: 16/09/10
Posts: 68
Loc: Mid North, South Australia
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Thats some great country there!
A great hunt.
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Hunt hard and enjoy the adventure.
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JabaliHunter
.400 member
Reged: 16/05/07
Posts: 1958
Loc: England
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Incredible! Really the hunt of a lifetime. Thanks very much for sharing and glad you recovered well enough to fulfil this dream. Take care...
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AspenHill
Sponsor
Reged: 08/01/03
Posts: 1528
Loc: Vermont, USA
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Oh my, glad you survived that accident. I have too many friends injured (and killed) on motorcycles, I won't ride them or ever own one.
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~Ann
Everyday spent outdoors is the best day of my life.
Aspen Hill Adventures
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peter
removed
Reged: 11/04/07
Posts: 1493
Loc: denmark
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congratulations ripp
well done, i love the pictures
peter
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pablo_mauser_66
.275 member
Reged: 01/03/07
Posts: 80
Loc: Australia, Sydney
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Outstanding Ripp, good to see lady lucky making a dream hunt possible.
Unfortunately Harleys statically are over represented in crashes. I know two fellas in there 50's who thought they take up cruising on hogs after early retirements. Both lasted less than 12 mths, Not sure whether its the dark colour or the lack of manouvarability of a Harley but when the shit happens you dont wont to be on a Hog !.
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Ripp
.577 member
Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA
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Quote:
Outstanding Ripp, good to see lady lucky making a dream hunt possible.
Unfortunately Harleys statically are over represented in crashes. I know two fellas in there 50's who thought they take up cruising on hogs after early retirements. Both lasted less than 12 mths, Not sure whether its the dark colour or the lack of manouvarability of a Harley but when the shit happens you dont wont to be on a Hog !.
think part of the issue is, they were designed to be driven at 70 MPH and now with the larger engines and all the add on's--they are being ridden quit a bit faster than originally designed for..HOWEVER for 2009 and forward--the frame is completely redesigned..in fact the new models had 455 changes...
I have ridden bikes my entire life---have had a Harley for 15 years..riding a motorcycle is certaily more dangerous that in a car..but man they are fun..so, already picked up a new one--sure one day I will meet my demise on one--but would much rather go out that way that sitting in some old persons home waiting for the days to pass ..
Ripp
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ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..
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SharpsNitro
.375 member
Reged: 12/08/08
Posts: 729
Loc: Arizona, USA
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Glad to see you back and sorry to hear about the accident. Nice luck on getting the tag and finding a nice ram. I have a friend who got to go on a Wyoming sheep hunt in the late '80s after his guide drew a Governors Tag, he ended up with the NA Sheep of the Year.
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SharpsNitro
.375 member
Reged: 12/08/08
Posts: 729
Loc: Arizona, USA
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Quote:
Outstanding Ripp, good to see lady lucky making a dream hunt possible.
Unfortunately Harleys statically are over represented in crashes. I know two fellas in there 50's who thought they take up cruising on hogs after early retirements. Both lasted less than 12 mths, Not sure whether its the dark colour or the lack of manouvarability of a Harley but when the shit happens you dont wont to be on a Hog !.
I seem to recall reading that Harleys are over represented due to the skewing in the riders age. Like the two you mentioned, they picked it up later as a hobby. Having been in a couple of scary situations on a bike, exerience and reaction times can mean everything in staying out of trouble. Unfortuately, as you get older the reaction times slow and not having prior riding experience can compound things. I gave it up after one close call where I was lucky to keep it on two wheels after someone cut me off.
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Ripp
.577 member
Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA
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Quote:
Quote:
Outstanding Ripp, good to see lady lucky making a dream hunt possible.
I gave it up after one close call where I was lucky to keep it on two wheels after someone cut me off.
that is exactely what happened to me--it was either hit them or take my chances dumping it --I took the second option...glad I did...
Ripp
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ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..
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Sniper
.224 member
Reged: 03/09/10
Posts: 23
Loc: India
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Lovely
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The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic & No wonder the Titanic Sank.
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Ripp
.577 member
Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA
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Quote:
Lovely
thank you--
Attached is a pic of a MTN Goat I was lucky enough to draw a permit for as well here in Montana several years ago...he curently resides in my trophy room...
Ripp
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ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..
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SharpsNitro
.375 member
Reged: 12/08/08
Posts: 729
Loc: Arizona, USA
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That's a really neat mount of the goat.
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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member
Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
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Congratulations! You are really one lucky son of a gun...in more ways than one. Well done!
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Cinghiale
.333 member
Reged: 15/04/08
Posts: 406
Loc: Northern Territory
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Just saw this one awesome Sheep, they are startin to invade my dreams...
MOG
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Ripp
.577 member
Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA
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Quote:
Just saw this one awesome Sheep, they are startin to invade my dreams...
MOG
MOG
agree--hunting them can/is addicting...putting in for a tag in other states as well..hoping one day before I take the "dirt nap" I will be lucky enough to hunt one again..
Ripp
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ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..
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AdamTayler
.375 member
Reged: 22/03/04
Posts: 688
Loc: B.C.
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Nice ram.
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It's the journey, not the destination.
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