Ryan and Laura's first desert bighorn sheep hunt!

[Capt. Don Martin]

Recently Ryan and Laura Borden of Golden Valley, AZ had the opportunity to go and actually assist on a desert bighorn sheep hunt in Unit 15B West. Mr. Jonathan Lang was our hunter and had no problem with allowing these two great and enthusiastic young people to come on his hunt.

 

As it turned out the two arrived in camp at the right time. They got to experience glassing and stalking, and all of the things that encompass a sheep hunt.

These two rams were seen one foggy morning!

 

They got to experience the ups and downs, and of the physical effort required to finish off one of these hunts.

 

We got lots of fog on this hunt when a storm came in. Fog stayed around for three straight days!

 

Jonathan and Ryan Borden had a fog bank move in behind them while they were glassing one afternoon.

 

This was the group that started out on the fateful hike on 12-6-2014

 

Laura looks for rams towards Lake Mead!

 

The group stops for a break before making the final stalk 12-6-2014

 

Looking down at Lake Mead

 

Laura was amazed how steep the canyons were in this unit.

 

In the end, after Jonathan had taken his ram, Laura and Mike were immediately present and both helped with the filed dressing chores, which included skinning out the ram for a life size mount. Laura actually carried part of the ram off the mountain while carrying my back pack!

 

A tired, but happy Laura looks at Jonathan's ram

 

Jonathan and Laura look at his ram.

 

Laura, Mike Samer and Jonathan admire his old ram.

 

Laura also cooked up the meals while she was in camp, and Ryan was a huge help with all the chores that are part of a remote sheep camp.

 

Laura and Jonathan say goodbye after breaking camp.

 

Region III Game Specialist Erin Butler scores Jonathan's ram. Ram was aged at 7.5 years old and scored (gross) 154 7/8. Net score was 154 2/8.

 

In the end, these young people, like all of us, were tired but also were very happy that they had been part of a sheep hunt.

 

Needless to say, they have the "bug" and you can look forward to seeing these two in future Arizona Wildlife Outfitters hunts.

[Vixen]

Hats off to you guys/gal. What an accomplishment

[jim]

Great job Don and congrats to your hunter and helpers.