2017 Barbary Sheep Hunt

elkfanatic · Mar 1, 2017

I drew a Barbary sheep tag for the 3rd year in a row this year so I planned out a weekend with my dad and a buddy to go out and try and make it three years in a row. Made it out friday the 10th and checked the rifle at the bottom of the mountain. That afternoon we were up on a mountain and spotted a herd about 2 and a half miles away so we went back to camp and got ready for the morning. Next morning we hiked towards where they were and found them about half a mile from where they were the day before. Had to make a mile long loop around the canyon on the ridgeline and ended up right above them. I snuck over the edge and got on them at 85 yards. Picked the biggest one I saw and pulled the trigger like a shotgun when the crosshair hit his shoulder. Knocked him straight down. He measured around 20" so bigger than my previous two. Him and then the two from the two years before.

NMBOWHUNTR · Mar 1, 2017

Finally. Thanks for posting up man and congrats. Haven't seen to many sheep this year

NMBOWHNTR27 · Mar 1, 2017

I agree. I didn't have a tag this year, but my brother did and hunted his butt off but never turned up a public land Ram to his liking and not a lot of sheep.

iccyman001 · Mar 1, 2017

Awesome job!!!!!
Thanks for sharing.

NMPaul · Mar 1, 2017

Nice work!!

efnm · Mar 2, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Mar-02-17 AT 09:59AM (MST)[p]This is the year I finally put in.

How do they taste?? I've heard everything from the "boil them with an old shoe and then eat just the shoe" to "not bad."

elkfanatic · Mar 3, 2017

I enjoy the meat a lot. It makes good summer sausage for sure.

JRABQ · Mar 3, 2017

Sounds like you worked for it, good job, nice pics.

Richard · Mar 9, 2017

great job!

mpaulson44 · May 5, 2017

with all the young rams getting wacked it wont be long before 30 sheep looks just like 32. Bands of 50+ ewes and hardly any mature rams.

RioHuntNutt · May 5, 2017

Nice job , man way to to get it done....Thanks for sharing it...

Ltsheets · May 5, 2017

No reason to be negative with the OP. Any barbary is a trophy as the are rarely easy to take. I've only killed 2 ewes in 3 hunts. This year I'm ram or bust. Well done elkfanatic!

>with all the young rams getting
>wacked it wont be long
>before 30 sheep looks just
>like 32. Bands of 50+
>ewes and hardly any mature
>rams.

BradA · May 5, 2017

Congrats, seems like nm issues a lot of tags for Barbary sheep I know if two people that drew them this year . I wish I would have applied for them but next year, anyway great job .

What is considered a respectable Barbary sheep ? And what is considered a huge one in any which of the units in New Mexico just curious to know if I ever drew a tag in the future .

Ltsheets · May 6, 2017

IMO any Barbary, as long as its mature, it's respectable. That being said, when considering Rams, I'd say a 20-23 is small, 24-26 is good, 27-29 is great, and 30+ is the the bar everyone tries to reach. Just my opinion.

>Congrats, seems like nm issues a
>lot of tags for Barbary
>sheep I know if two
>people that drew them this
>year . I wish I
>would have applied for them
>but next year, anyway great
>job .
>
>What is considered a respectable Barbary
>sheep ? And what is
>considered a huge one in
>any which of the units
>in New Mexico just curious
>to know if I ever
>drew a tag in the
>future .

BradA · May 6, 2017

Well that's really good to know for a hopeful future to drawing a tag thank you

PleaseDear · May 7, 2017

Very cool!

congrats

Robb

mpaulson44 · May 12, 2017

>No reason to be negative with
>the OP. Any barbary is
>a trophy as the are
>rarely easy to take. I've
>only killed 2 ewes in
>3 hunts. This year I'm
>ram or bust. Well done
>elkfanatic!
>

To each his own I guess. I spent 14 days in the unit guiding this last year and many more scouting so perhaps my definition of trophy is a bit different. If your willing to put the work in you will find a mature ram. I think a lot of people go in with major expectations having never hiked that country so after the first couple days they are looking to shoot the first one that gives them an opportunity. Just time and persistance. Its not easy dont get me wrong.

Ltsheets · May 12, 2017

Man it seems like we just love debating each other huh? I concur that a trophy is in the eye of the beholder and the more Barbary I'm fortunate enough to take, the higher mine goes as well. I also agree that if you spend some time scouting, you will eventually find a bigger mature ram (25+). I think you see some smaller ones taken early because there's nothing easy about where you find Barbary (usually), and not everyone is up for continuing to beat themselves up looking for that upper 20s ram over the lower 20s.

>>No reason to be negative with
>>the OP. Any barbary is
>>a trophy as the are
>>rarely easy to take. I've
>>only killed 2 ewes in
>>3 hunts. This year I'm
>>ram or bust. Well done
>>elkfanatic!
>>
>
>
>
>
>To each his own I guess.
>I spent 14 days in
>the unit guiding this last
>year and many more scouting
>so perhaps my definition of
>trophy is a bit different.
>If your willing to put
>the work in you will
>find a mature ram. I
>think a lot of people
>go in with major expectations
>having never hiked that country
>so after the first couple
>days they are looking to
>shoot the first one that
>gives them an opportunity. Just
>time and persistance. Its not
>easy dont get me wrong.
>

muleybeast · May 12, 2017

Cool story. Love the pics.

elkfanatic · May 15, 2017

I had a total of 2 days that I could hunt this year so that's just what I decided to do. Next year I have the 32 hunt and I'm either going to knock down one with a bow or kill a good ram. Either way I'm happy with how my hunt went and will continue to work hard to get a good ram.

ARHunters · May 24, 2017

Good work !
Always good to see a tag filled on the exotic hunts.
My Niece has had good luck with Ibex 2yrs in a row as she drew Nanny population reduction tags both years in a row and filled her first tag by 9am and her tag this year by 8am!
Its still a long recovery and one heck of a brutal mountain.

Looks like with your luck they will keep getting bigger the longer you go.

WaylandCanyon · Aug 9, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Aug-09-17 AT 10:42AM (MST)[p]Was just going to ask about Barbary sheep, as I will be moving to Alamo this fall and GMU 34. Hope to chase these at least once.
Looked into edibility and found this:
http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/ca...aoudad-jamaican-slow-cooked-goat-curry-recipe

Ltsheets · Aug 9, 2017

Don't let anyone tell you barbary isn't good eating...tough, maybe...but it can be damn good eating if cooked well. A bacon wrapped smoked barbary back strap is one of my favorites! My kids love the barbary breakfast sausage we have too.

RioHuntNutt · Aug 17, 2017

One of my friend made burgers and they rocked! He gets his meat processed in ABQ, (I forgot where) but has 10% beef fat added to his burger.Im doing it to my sheep if Im lucky enough to get one to stand still, but this hamburger was absolutely great!

smarba · Aug 18, 2017

Tough as a board, I grind everything into burger and have 5% beef suet added. Great table fare as long as you take care of the meat properly in the field.

Carl