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I was lucky enough to have drawn the first hunt in the Picacho Mountains (37A east) six years after the reintroduction of sheep to the area. Because the area is so close to my home I chose to go about the hunt self guided. First call was to AZG&F to figure out what I had gotten myself into. Officer Smallwood, the manager for 37A, kept me on the phone for well over an hour during my first phone call to him. He gave me areas to access the mountains and information on where they had been seeing sheep. This was huge. In all, I spent at least one day almost each weekend from beginning of September until the hunt in the area looking for sheep. I managed to wear out a set of tires on my Jeep on that road. Hunted seven days. It was physically and mentally strenuous. At one point, we found ourselves up on the mountain as the sun was setting. Coming down in the dark with headlamps on, moving from cliff to cliff was no picnic. I vowed that if I was ever in that situation again, I'd sleep on top of the mountain and come down in the daylight. I had several friends help out. I was never alone. My hunting partner, Jeff was with me every day of the hunt. Made two new friends from this website. Luis (Lucafu1) and Patrick (PatrickJr) each accompanied me for a day. Solid guys. Helpful to a fault. In fact Patrick glassed up the Ram that I ended up killing, he prepped the cape/head and hauled the meat off the mountain for me! I hope to repay the favor someday. I am including pics from scouting as I had as much fun looking at lambs as I did looking for mature rams! I did not kill the biggest ram in those mountains, nor the oldest. That said, I am super happy with him and he is going to look great on my wall! G&F determined it to be a 6 year old ram (probably born in the Picachos the year they were introduced) He nets 164 inches. An amazing once in a lifetime experience! I totally understand the fascination and addiction to finding sheep in the mountains. I hope to be a helper on somebody's hunt in the future!

Thought I would point out a few relevant items we came across at this year show. Athlon optics is coming out with a Garmin clone chrono in April for 350.00 Leupold is doing a rangefinder that will drop a pin of the ranged object in to your mapping software. outlier rifles has the craziest new design I’ve ever seen and new trend in barrel design with a locking collet style barrel tension. Seekins is similar as well as cadex. there are a bunch of new optics options hitting out of Japan. I’m testing currently on several. Athlon, Riton, tract, apex. sky is the limit on suppressors with way more than I can count Yankee Hill has amazing shotgun suppressors, dead air, huxwrx is amazing, annochoic has some solid tech and even now Dillon Aero has an all new design venting on the outside of the can and a 50cal version. MDT has a new bipod lighter than the groundpod called backcountry and mountain pods around 6 oz or under

Yes.... This isn't monstermuleys.com 😉

Sako M995 300 Win Mag 2 mags, Near Manufacturing Base, Threaded barrel with protector/cap 800.00 with base Located in the east valley.

Get a general power of attorney

We got a pair of cats as our first pets together. I didn’t hold it together at all when we lost each of them…it will be really bad when we lose the current one or the dog. I wouldn’t trade it though.

We did not charter. I had family from Michigan that would spend a couple months down there in the winter and had some friends with a boat. We did most of our fishing from the dock on the canal. Not sure if the place is still around but there was a restaurant on big pine key that had a dynamite lobster Rueben that wasn’t to pricey.

Losing one of our family pets can be tough. Sorry he is gone. My Milo is also 15. Seems like yesterday he caught his first deer.

sorry to hear that buddy !!!!!!! I’m a dog person but…. A good cat is pretty cool

Any talk about success rates with out mandatory havest reporting is worthless

I’d hunt bait if it was legal. I’m upset they changed it. I have no moral problem with bait. I’m out here trying to kill stuff so I can eat it, not see how difficult I can make my life. I killed my first bull on bait. I also fish with worms.

I would disagree, they water all the time during the day. But I do believe the pressure will push them to night watering.

Enough with the regulations and enough with the bureaucracy.

I’ve killed quite a few bucks spotting stock and I’ve killed a couple sitting water whatever the situation dictates

Was a good Hunt.....

My problem is I miss 8 years ago with little pressure, no AZGFD paid influencers and youtubers, no quota, and very few out of state plates....grin...

Unless we start bickering amongst ourselves in fishing as well……a flies only season , VS. any lures, and the soon to be controversial bait permit for the handicapped and cheaters…..

We can always fish. Hunting is slowly slipping away.

I believe itll be full draw soon. Just like javelina. Who’d of thought archery pig would go to a draw ? I know several guys who swing for the fence on their rifle deer apps knowing that they can still deer hunt during archery season as they wait to pull a great tag. Once it happens, they’ll be rethinking it, probably putting in for less desirable hunts to be able to go hunt. Once it happens , it’ll be interesting to see how the dynamics of bonus pts changes. JMO.

The seven guys that backpack, shoot 5 lb rifles and don't reload are going to be super pumped about this. I predict this is obsolete in 2 years or less.

Congrats.

Never used kifaru but have a K4 5000. Been a great pack and comfortable. Great customer service too

Wow...that goes to show points don't really make a big difference. I had you beat by 6 points. Congratulations on your Ram, he's very nice.

Thanks for letting me tag along. I wish i didn't have to got back to flagstaff to pick up my elk meat or I would have been there. I can't believe how many hours we watched this guy not move from his spot. It was funny after about 3 hours. Not for you I am sure. Congrats again!

At the range I use windex or rubbing alcohol followed by a dry patch. I think it removes some fouling, its a lot easier to load after a couple of shots. Out of the two, alcohol seems to dry faster when looking at the dry patch. just my observations.