Drew my Oregon sheep tag!!!

[blackdog]

Built a new .280AI this last winter with the hope that some day I could be carrying it's lighter load than my 15lb .338 Edge up and down the steep and rocky country that Oregon's California Bighorn Sheep call home. Deep down, never did I really think that this year I would actually be putting it to the test but lo and behold, on Thursday, June 19th at 1:17PM I looked up my drawing results and there was the SUCCESSFUL that everyone hopes to see. I've been walking on air ever since.

I had to go on a salmon fishing trip to Alaska last week (yep, just HAD to!! ) but now that I'm thankfully back, I can get full on into SHEEP mode - calling biologists, contacting prior tag holders, finding out landowners, lining up good friends to help, making damned sure that .280 shoots where I point it, etc.

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

 

[Barrelnut]

LUCKYdog is what you are. Congrats!

 

[Rogue Hunter]

Congrats on drawing your tag!
I'll just keep on applying with the hope that I'll be lucky like you some day! I bet your face is hurting from grinning so much
What unit did you draw?

Awesome!

-Mike

 

[davkrat]

Holly cow! Congrats. No idea how Oregon's sheep draw works but if it's anywhere near as convoluted as California's I'd say you did better than winning the lottery! Look forward to your results. Keep us posted on your scouting and range trips with your new sheep rifle. Us armchair sheep hunters will eat it up.

 

[Barrelnut]

Holly cow! Congrats. No idea how Oregon's sheep draw works but if it's anywhere near as convoluted as California's I'd say you did better than winning the lottery! Look forward to your results. Keep us posted on your scouting and range trips with your new sheep rifle. Us armchair sheep hunters will eat it up.

Really. Would love to hear the story. I was at the range this afternoon and spoke with a guy that drew an antelope tag for Hart Mountain. That was pure points that did that though.

Good luck on the hunt!

 

[CoasttoCoast]

If I had time, id definitely try to get myself invited Have fun and keep us posted!

 

[rugerdog5]

What unit did you draw in

 

[blackdog]

East Deschutes

 

[rugerdog5]

Nice. Do you flat the river or hike in

 

[orwapitihunter]

About 5 yrs back my oldest step daughter drew a sheep tag for the Trout Ck mtns.
She turned 14 a couple of weeks before her hunt, and used a 280 AI that I had built for her mother.

This year I get to help a friend and his new wife scout for her W. Deshutes #1 hunt.
They are a young couple and over the moon excited for her hunt.

I have about 30 unsuccessful applications for my attempts at a tag for myself. But every year I can hardly wait to see if this will be "my year".

Congrats and good luck on your hunt!!

 

[blackdog]

I'll save the text and let the pictures do the talking. Words can't really do justice to what a truly unique experience having a sheep tag is. HUGE thanks to Airohunter for all the help all summer long and during the hunt. And big thanks to Dave Smith for capturing the whole hunt on video. It's going to be a great being able to relive this for years to come. And thanks to the rest of the crew for the help and for sharing this experience with me. It means the world to me.



Lots of summer scouting:

And the hunt:

 

[blackdog]

And since this is a shooting oriented site, I shot this with a fairly newly built Rem 721 in .280AI with a Bartlein #3 barrel with a Nathan Wright muzzlebrake shooting 180 Berger Hybrids with H1000. Shot ended up only being 212 yards down a 25 degree slope. Dropped in his tracks and rolled ~400 yards straight off the side of the hill and came to rest in a jungle in the creek bottom.

 

[junkie]

Shouldn't Dave be making decoys not chasing sheep?

 

[blackdog]

Shouldn't Dave be making decoys not chasing sheep?

I was there for his sheep hunt a few years ago and he was kind enough to come along on mine this year. I think it's easy to find some time for once in a lifetime tags. Plus he made a hell of a video camera man!