blazin_saddles_lv
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What are your thoughts on this rams score? I know these photos aren't the best. I'm just wanting a ballpark guess. It's a desert ram from southern Nevada.
Best Guesses on this Sheep's Score
- Thread starter blazin_saddles_lv
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one_dryboot
Long Time Member
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Some would claim it's a state record
Muley_Slayer
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I'm guessing the mid to upper 160's. Very nice sheep!
Adventurewriter
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My first thought was 165...maybe a smidge more
J
jb3006
Guest
166... What's my prize?
blazin_saddles_lv
Member
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I didn't plan that far ahead. How about a slightly used hammer? I'd love to put this one on the ground in November and tell you what he actually scores. Hope he sticks around the same area and the other 7 hunters go somewhere else.
deerslayer88
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Isn't there bigger rams in Southern Nevada? I was under the impression that a 160s ram is small for Nevada.
?If men were angels, no government would be
necessary.? John Adams
?If men were angels, no government would be
necessary.? John Adams
J
jb3006
Guest
I'll take the slightly used hammer as long as it still swings.
deerslayer88
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Buzz,
I am aware of that a ram needs to be a 165 to make the book. I was just under the impression that a 160 is a average ram in Nevada duh, just like there is a 200 inch buck behind every bush on the Henries, and 350 bulls are average on the San Juan. I am sorry if I am being a super big smart arce right now but what else to do when looking at sheep all day. I have been looking over so many sheep photos over the past 6 months you would think I was one of those sheep herders or a tag holder lol.
?If men were angels, no government would be
necessary.? John Adams
I am aware of that a ram needs to be a 165 to make the book. I was just under the impression that a 160 is a average ram in Nevada duh, just like there is a 200 inch buck behind every bush on the Henries, and 350 bulls are average on the San Juan. I am sorry if I am being a super big smart arce right now but what else to do when looking at sheep all day. I have been looking over so many sheep photos over the past 6 months you would think I was one of those sheep herders or a tag holder lol.
?If men were angels, no government would be
necessary.? John Adams
BuzzH
Long Time Member
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Wow, the average ram taken in NV is a book ram...never knew.
Wonder why only 23 rams from NV were entered in the last B&C recording period if the average ram is "in the 160's"?
About 7-8 rams per year taken in NV from 2010-2012 scored 165 or more.
This score business is ridiculous, and a piss poor way to judge a particular ram.
The ram in the picture, depending on the unit, could be one of the top rams in the unit it lives in. Could be an average ram in another unit.
Irregardless of unit, a mid-160's desert ram is a pretty special animal.
Wonder why only 23 rams from NV were entered in the last B&C recording period if the average ram is "in the 160's"?
About 7-8 rams per year taken in NV from 2010-2012 scored 165 or more.
This score business is ridiculous, and a piss poor way to judge a particular ram.
The ram in the picture, depending on the unit, could be one of the top rams in the unit it lives in. Could be an average ram in another unit.
Irregardless of unit, a mid-160's desert ram is a pretty special animal.
Zeke
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Buzz said "a mid-160's desert ram is a pretty special animal"
That's so true and we all get caught up in the "whad he score" syndrome anyway.
What might be small for one unit is big for the other. Way too many factors at play here. I think we all agree that age is the most honest trophy factor on sheep.
I'm way more impressed with the harvest of an old 145" ram than I am with a high-dollar whack-n-stack hunt which produces a big number.
Oh, My guess is 166 2/8" gross score. Now go get him!
Zeke
That's so true and we all get caught up in the "whad he score" syndrome anyway.
What might be small for one unit is big for the other. Way too many factors at play here. I think we all agree that age is the most honest trophy factor on sheep.
I'm way more impressed with the harvest of an old 145" ram than I am with a high-dollar whack-n-stack hunt which produces a big number.
Oh, My guess is 166 2/8" gross score. Now go get him!
Zeke
BuzzH
Long Time Member
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LAST EDITED ON Jun-26-14 AT 02:57PM (MST)[p]Zeke,
I agree.
I found this ram during my pre-season scouting when I drew AZ a few years back.
I doubt he'd make 160, but this ram was my first choice ram until I found one I liked better 2 days prior to the season.
Just a great old ram. Tough to tell how old he is, but I was 90% sure he was 9+ judging through a spotter (the growth rings were really stacked near the base):
I still wonder at times if I made the right choice by not hunting this ram. Very, very happy with the one I got, but this ram just had a lot of what I was looking for.
I agree.
I found this ram during my pre-season scouting when I drew AZ a few years back.
I doubt he'd make 160, but this ram was my first choice ram until I found one I liked better 2 days prior to the season.
Just a great old ram. Tough to tell how old he is, but I was 90% sure he was 9+ judging through a spotter (the growth rings were really stacked near the base):
I still wonder at times if I made the right choice by not hunting this ram. Very, very happy with the one I got, but this ram just had a lot of what I was looking for.
littlebighorn
Long Time Member
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Trophy quality has little to do with inches in my mind. We all want the biggest/oldest animal we can find but judging hunt success with a tape measure just doesn't cut it for me either.
Nevada has some great sheep for sure, but last year's Hunter Check-out shows the average ram taken in Nevada in 2013 was 153 3/8 (according to Game Department measurements)
Two units didn't harvest a ram over 140, and in a good portion of the units the biggest ram taken was in the 150's
Given those statistics, a 160+ ram is special.
Also noted is that the average age of Nevada rams taken was 6.3 years old. There is a great argument that age should also factor into trophy quality, especially in sheep. BuzzH's pictures are a great example.
When I hunt, half the fun is scouting to find a good animal. So, as has been said, if this ram looks good, go after him, unless your scouting turns up one you like even more.
Best of luck!
Nevada has some great sheep for sure, but last year's Hunter Check-out shows the average ram taken in Nevada in 2013 was 153 3/8 (according to Game Department measurements)
Two units didn't harvest a ram over 140, and in a good portion of the units the biggest ram taken was in the 150's
Given those statistics, a 160+ ram is special.
Also noted is that the average age of Nevada rams taken was 6.3 years old. There is a great argument that age should also factor into trophy quality, especially in sheep. BuzzH's pictures are a great example.
When I hunt, half the fun is scouting to find a good animal. So, as has been said, if this ram looks good, go after him, unless your scouting turns up one you like even more.
Best of luck!
S
sagebucks
Guest
80 Rams killed in Nevada last year that were 160+. Thats about 30% of the sheep killed last year were 160+.
