It was June 15th 2013 when I went to the mailbox and discovered that I had won the proverbial hunting jackpot. I opened the mailbox as I had done a million times before, when I found a letter from the California Department of Fish and Game. I quickly opened it up to find that I had drawn the mother of all California hunting tags. I was drawn for the Kelso/Old Dads Desert Bighorn Sheep.
I quickly went online to gather as much information as I could about sheep hunting and guide information. It was then I learned about the pneumonia outbreak that had been discovered just a few weeks earlier in the Old Dads. After doing a lot of research, I spoke with Terry Anderson of San Gorgonio Wilderness Outfitters. He had first hand information about the outbreak, and told me to keep my fingers crossed. He said there was a chance that the DFG was going to close the zone and refund my money. I was in shock. Talk about the rug being pulled out from under you.
I spoke with Regina Abella at the DFG and she said that they were waiting to do an aerial survey in mid July to determine if they were going to allow the hunt. The survey showed that numbers were down, but there was still a viable population of sheep in the area. Regina said they needed to present the information to the board for further review before any decisions would be made.
It was a long summer. I continued to prepare for the hunt, even though I still wasn't sure if it was going to happen. It wasn't until mid September that the DFG finally gave the green light. Now, with only seven weeks before opening day, I could truly focus on my hunt.
December couldn't arrive fast enough. With all that had gone on during the last 5-1/2 months. I had been in touch with Terry on a weekly basis and knew that it was going to be a tough hunt.
Terry and his crew, Jake Franklin and Andrew Pontious had been scouting the area for a few weeks prior to my arrival. They had successfully guided an auction hunter a week before my hunt. They had spent countless hours hiking the desert without seeing much of anything. Terry prepared me for a long 10 day hunt to find my desert trophy, but assured me that we could get the job done.
Just three days before my hunt, I got a call from Terry letting me know that they had spotted a group of rams, and that there was a nice mature ram with them. Those were the longest three days of my life.
My brother Paul and I arrived at camp late on Friday night. My hunt was to start the next morning. We met with the Terry, Jake, and Andrew, swapped hunting stories, and had a nice dinner. Then we came up with a game plan for the next morning, and retired for the evening. I have to say, it was not my most restful night's sleep. I was way too excited. Counting sheep wasn't going to help this night.
Morning arrived and a quick breakfast, and a cup of coffee and we we off. Because our camp was in the middle of the Mojave desert we didn't have to go very far. Jake took my brother and I to the area in which the had seen the rams just three days before. They had seen the rams go in, but never saw them come out. They had been watching the area from a distance so as not to put pressure the animals. Jake said there was a valley up ahead that they could not see from below, and thought that's where they were hiding. We hiked for about 45 minutes to get to the area he thought the sheep should be.
It was a cold clear morning, around 30 degrees, and the wind was blowing around 25mph. We sat down on the top of a bowl and began to glass the valley below. Jake spotted some freshly broken barrel cactus and said he thought we were in the right spot.
It was only about ten minutes later that Jake said, "there he is, he's the one!" My heart began to race as I saw him. He looked so majestic, a true trophy. The ram came out across the valley about 450yards from where we were sitting. As we watched, a second, smaller ram appeared.
As they fed along the edge of the valley, the larger ram lifted his head and looked right up at us. We all froze in our tracks. Because we were sitting on the face of the hillside we were pinned down, and had nowhere to go. Jake said he either spotted us, or he's coming up here.
It didn't take long for us to figure out what this ram's intentions were. He put his head down, and started walking right towards us. Jake made sure I was set up with a good rest, and told me to get ready. We watched the two rams begin their trek across the valley floor. As they waked, they fed. Now they were at 350 yards and closing..300 yards. "Wait for it" Jake said. "They will pop up right below us at under 200 yard".
The rams dropped into a draw just below us and out of sight for what seemed like an eternity. Then, as I watched, out they came, and moving fast!
Jake whispered "take'm when you got a shot." The ram stopped. I lined up my 300 Win Mag, and as I slowly exhaled, I squeezed the trigger. The sound of my brother yelling "ram down!" filled the air.
We quickly made our way down to the ram. It was only then I could truly absorb what had just transpired
A 170 yard shot, at 9:00am, on opening morning, I had harvested a beautiful Nelson Desert Bighorn Sheep. He was scored by the DFG at 159-5/8"
This ram marks Terry Anderson's 150th and Jake Franklin's 50th successful sheep hunt. Thanks to all the SGWO crew.
I quickly went online to gather as much information as I could about sheep hunting and guide information. It was then I learned about the pneumonia outbreak that had been discovered just a few weeks earlier in the Old Dads. After doing a lot of research, I spoke with Terry Anderson of San Gorgonio Wilderness Outfitters. He had first hand information about the outbreak, and told me to keep my fingers crossed. He said there was a chance that the DFG was going to close the zone and refund my money. I was in shock. Talk about the rug being pulled out from under you.
I spoke with Regina Abella at the DFG and she said that they were waiting to do an aerial survey in mid July to determine if they were going to allow the hunt. The survey showed that numbers were down, but there was still a viable population of sheep in the area. Regina said they needed to present the information to the board for further review before any decisions would be made.
It was a long summer. I continued to prepare for the hunt, even though I still wasn't sure if it was going to happen. It wasn't until mid September that the DFG finally gave the green light. Now, with only seven weeks before opening day, I could truly focus on my hunt.
December couldn't arrive fast enough. With all that had gone on during the last 5-1/2 months. I had been in touch with Terry on a weekly basis and knew that it was going to be a tough hunt.
Terry and his crew, Jake Franklin and Andrew Pontious had been scouting the area for a few weeks prior to my arrival. They had successfully guided an auction hunter a week before my hunt. They had spent countless hours hiking the desert without seeing much of anything. Terry prepared me for a long 10 day hunt to find my desert trophy, but assured me that we could get the job done.
Just three days before my hunt, I got a call from Terry letting me know that they had spotted a group of rams, and that there was a nice mature ram with them. Those were the longest three days of my life.
My brother Paul and I arrived at camp late on Friday night. My hunt was to start the next morning. We met with the Terry, Jake, and Andrew, swapped hunting stories, and had a nice dinner. Then we came up with a game plan for the next morning, and retired for the evening. I have to say, it was not my most restful night's sleep. I was way too excited. Counting sheep wasn't going to help this night.
Morning arrived and a quick breakfast, and a cup of coffee and we we off. Because our camp was in the middle of the Mojave desert we didn't have to go very far. Jake took my brother and I to the area in which the had seen the rams just three days before. They had seen the rams go in, but never saw them come out. They had been watching the area from a distance so as not to put pressure the animals. Jake said there was a valley up ahead that they could not see from below, and thought that's where they were hiding. We hiked for about 45 minutes to get to the area he thought the sheep should be.
It was a cold clear morning, around 30 degrees, and the wind was blowing around 25mph. We sat down on the top of a bowl and began to glass the valley below. Jake spotted some freshly broken barrel cactus and said he thought we were in the right spot.
It was only about ten minutes later that Jake said, "there he is, he's the one!" My heart began to race as I saw him. He looked so majestic, a true trophy. The ram came out across the valley about 450yards from where we were sitting. As we watched, a second, smaller ram appeared.
As they fed along the edge of the valley, the larger ram lifted his head and looked right up at us. We all froze in our tracks. Because we were sitting on the face of the hillside we were pinned down, and had nowhere to go. Jake said he either spotted us, or he's coming up here.
It didn't take long for us to figure out what this ram's intentions were. He put his head down, and started walking right towards us. Jake made sure I was set up with a good rest, and told me to get ready. We watched the two rams begin their trek across the valley floor. As they waked, they fed. Now they were at 350 yards and closing..300 yards. "Wait for it" Jake said. "They will pop up right below us at under 200 yard".
The rams dropped into a draw just below us and out of sight for what seemed like an eternity. Then, as I watched, out they came, and moving fast!
Jake whispered "take'm when you got a shot." The ram stopped. I lined up my 300 Win Mag, and as I slowly exhaled, I squeezed the trigger. The sound of my brother yelling "ram down!" filled the air.
We quickly made our way down to the ram. It was only then I could truly absorb what had just transpired
A 170 yard shot, at 9:00am, on opening morning, I had harvested a beautiful Nelson Desert Bighorn Sheep. He was scored by the DFG at 159-5/8"
This ram marks Terry Anderson's 150th and Jake Franklin's 50th successful sheep hunt. Thanks to all the SGWO crew.
