Good luck barb hunters

iccyman001 · Feb 1, 2017

It's February 1st! Game on!

Good luck to those out chasing Barbary sheep.

If all goes well I'll be driving out February 10th from Florida and hunting for 6 days.

Save me a ram, please

mozey · Feb 1, 2017

Likewise--I won't be able to get away from work and school until the 10th. First couple days it will need to be pushing 30 before I'll pull the trigger, but after that, the freezer needs filling. What would be even better is if I happen on a mountain kitty while I'm out there... ;-)

sportsman01 · Feb 1, 2017

Nice man. Love sheep. Can't draw the tag anymore but filled my otc tag earlier this year so can't complain I suppose. Would love to hunt Unit 30 again though. Some good sheep to be found if you get away from the people. Good luck out there!

iccyman001 · Feb 1, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Feb-01-17 AT 12:24PM (MST)[p]>Nice man. Love sheep. Can't draw
>the tag anymore but filled
>my otc tag earlier this
>year so can't complain I
>suppose. Would love to hunt
>Unit 30 again though. Some
>good sheep to be found
>if you get away from
>the people. Good luck out
>there!

Congrats on filling the OTC tag. Lots of fun hanging out in those areas. I don't care what state I'm living in, I'll always head out there to chase them OTC.
I drew the 32, 34, 36 and 37 tag. I'm so excited.

>Likewise--I won't be able to get
>away from work and school
>until the 10th. First
>couple days it will need
>to be pushing 30 before
>I'll pull the trigger, but
>after that, the freezer needs
>filling. What would be
>even better is if I
>happen on a mountain kitty
>while I'm out there...
>;-)

I hope you find that 30" AND a cat!

I'd say I'm holding out for a 30", but can't judge them for the life of me. I have a small ewe already, I'm on a ram or bust trip!

Bowdeadly · Feb 1, 2017

Better stay home by Feb 10th they will be hiding under rocks. Lol.
Good luck it's a tough hunt

iccyman001 · Feb 1, 2017

>Better stay home by Feb 10th
>they will be hiding under
>rocks. Lol.
>Good luck it's a tough hunt
>

lol thanks!

This will be my first time hunting draw units. I picked spots on the map that looked "Barby" and I plan on just going out to hike and explore them all.

My expectations are low, but it'll be a great trip. I get to explore some new units, possibly find some new deer areas, maybe find some old sheds, and have fun in New Mexico!!!!
I'm a simple guy, so It'll be a great time regardless.

Now if a 34" barb wants to step out in front of me I won't complain either. ?

sportsman01 · Feb 1, 2017

Good luck to you guys. If you're headed out after that first week, go to the nastiest, steepest, ugliest terrain you can find. That's where those rams will be. They get hit pretty hard that first two weeks until people lose interest, or get tired of pulling cactus thorns out of their legs. Good luck, take a couple of extra spare tires.

mozey · Feb 1, 2017

"I'd say I'm holding out for a 30", but can't judge them for the life of me. I have a small ewe already, I'm on a ram or bust trip!"

I'm six for eight overall, but my best one was also my first one which was a 25-incher. I've since misjudged a few myself and I was pretty naive back then not knowing how hard it was going to be just to repeat. But I do know what a 30 looks like now--helped one of my employees on his first ever barbary hunt: http://www.monstermuleys.info/cgi-b..._thread&om=6178&forum=DCForumID34&archive=yes

Friggin beginner's luck...

NMPaul · Feb 1, 2017

Buddy coming out from CA for the hunt. Be fun to get out. Mozey, same boat, I got a pile of 25 inchers, but, no big boys yet.
Son has one, been on a couple hunts where we killed one, but, not for me yet. No tag this year, unless I break down and buy a trespass fee for private land somewhere, but, probably not. Ready to do some fishing and shed hunting soon.

mozey · Feb 1, 2017

Heh--I wish I could say "a pile." Mine look like this: 25", 23", 22", & "what a great hunt it was..." ;-)

nmarchr · Feb 1, 2017

Good luck everyone. Wish I had a tag this year. I'm 5/5 with a 25", 24" 33", 26" 24" in that order. Those 30" rams are hard to find, but they are out there!

iccyman001 · Feb 2, 2017

You guys have all shot some great rams! Congrats.

Im getting so antsy.

sportsman01 · Feb 2, 2017

Geeze, 5 for 5 on sheep is awesome. And a 33 incher...even better. That's a brute. They are hard to find these days now that sheep hunting has become so popular.

I should have 5 but am only at 3 with a 24", 22" and a tiny guy at 18". That being said I missed a few dang good ones and have had some other bruisers slip through my fingers. Makes it even more fun. I was ultra picky last yr early in the OTC season and passed up several I should have taken, but always a blast out there earning a sheep!

Good luck to you all!

live4muleys · Feb 9, 2017

Thought there would be a picture posted of one by now. Headed out this weekend also to see what happens.

mozey · Feb 9, 2017

Leaving for 30 this afternoon--expect to get there about midnight. I'm hoping the post above about looking for them in the steepest, nastiest places is prophetic, because that's where I'll be at first light tomorrow morning...

Looks like the wind is going to be a nasty factor the next several days...

sportsman01 · Feb 9, 2017

Not sure which part of 30 you're heading too but reports from the field from some fellow sheep hunters is exactly what I had mentioned previously. Tons of people and sheep went high and into the steep nasty within a few days. Several good rams being sighted but I only know of a few smaller sheep being taken. Good luck. Wind is going to be a factor but that's usually the norm for Feb in NM. Good luck!

mozey · Feb 12, 2017

Got into them yesterday--my buddy ended up taking a ewe while I held off the trigger. In hindsight, I probably should have taken one myself. I screwed up my knee hiking back out last night and had to forego hunting today and tomorrow while I go get it x-rayed. Hopefully I'm not done for the season, but not looking too good right now.

sportsman01 · Feb 13, 2017

Awesome man! Good work and congrats on the harvest. Sorry to hear about the knee. Unfortunately, one bad step in that country is all it takes. Take care of it...don't push it to hard.

I took a tumble last yr myself. I should have come out much worse than I did but outside of a cracked rifle stock, scratched up gear and several prickly pear thorns through my knee cap, I was alright. It was a lucky deal though. It was about a 6-8 ft ledge and it scared the sh*t out of me as I was by myself. Had to rethink the solo excursions a bit after that. I think my pack saved me on that one. Took some of the impact as it was loaded with gear.

Congrats again! Any sheep is good one in my book.

Ltsheets · Feb 13, 2017

I hear ya on the solo sheep hunting. I cut my first barb hunt short bc of how rugged it was where I was hunting and didn't want to get hurt so far from civilization! I have sense found areas I will hunt solo but usually want a hunting buddy for barb!

NMPaul · Feb 14, 2017

We helped a buddy get one the first weekend. It was his first and he took a ewe. Never worked so hard for a ewe in my life. Covered lots of country that day. Barely stopped to eat a sandwich, otherwise we were going from before daylight to after dark. That guy owes us.

The pack out was one of the worse I can remember. Just a certain mountain goat a few years back was worse.

mozey · Feb 14, 2017

Diagnosis is a torn ACL, but I'm too old for surgery. So it's a cortisone shot and a custom fit special type of knee brace that controls lateral movement, and I should be good to go after the pain subsides. As my old hunting buddy says, "Getting old is not for sissies."

I sure hope I can give it another go before February runs out. If not, I still have a State-wide back-up plan.

Much congrats to those of you who have already tagged, and may the rest of you have better luck than I have this season.

NMPaul · Feb 14, 2017

Mozey, hope you knee heals up.

leftturnabq · Feb 14, 2017

Sorry to hear that mozey. Take care of yourself and be careful out there.

A few years ago, while quartering a bull in the Gila Wildeness, my buddy stuck the short blade on his Leatherman up to the hilt into his thigh. Luckily it didn't hit anything major, but it sure scared the crap outta him.

vthokee · Feb 14, 2017

Sorry to hear about the knee. If they give you any type of physical therapy utilize it and keep that knee as strong as possible. I'm heading out next weekend on my first Barbary hunt. I'll be doing it solo so I'm making sure a few people know where I am going.

crazeymaez · Feb 14, 2017

>Diagnosis is a torn ACL, but
>I'm too old for surgery.
> So it's a cortisone
>shot and a custom fit
>special type of knee brace
>that controls lateral movement, and
>I should be good to
>go after the pain subsides.
>As my old hunting buddy
>says, "Getting old is not
>for sissies."
>
>I sure hope I can give
>it another go before February
>runs out. If not,
>I still have a State-wide
>back-up plan.
>
>Much congrats to those of you
>who have already tagged, and
>may the rest of you
>have better luck than I
>have this season.

Hope you heal up quick there.Mr Moz.

mozey · Feb 15, 2017

Love me some cortisone--can't believe the difference a shot makes--I had no idea. I still have to be very careful, but I'm getting fitted for an ACL brace tomorrow and I'm actually Optimistic about my chances to make it out next weekend.

A very sincere thank you to all for the well wishes.