Outfitter Report: Fourth Time’s a Charm Desert Sheep Hunt

Free Range Mexico Desert Bighorn Sheep Hunt
by David R. Pereda

Hey, look hard to your left, I can see the one ram now and he’s staring right at us! Oh man, and he’s really, really, CLOSE! It was day 4 of the desert bighorn sheep hunt and after 3 tough days of hiking and glassing the rugged country in the hot Sonoran sun it was finally showtime. With the ram being ridiculously close, and his eyes locked on us like a laser beam, the sweat began to pour……

Day 1 began with my client, myself, and the rest of our crew glassing for sheep on the steep Mexico mountainsides my crew and I had scouted prior to the hunt. Numerous sheep were spotted but not too many rams and certainly no shooters. We resolved to split our crew up the next day to glass more country and hopefully turn up a big ram.

The action was slow for most of day 2 until the sun was starting to set and we received word that two members of our team had spotted a couple of big rams. A mad dash ensued along with the very hasty dispatching of an extremely large rattlesnake intent on blocking the trail to the rest of the team. Our speedy descent was still not quick enough to close the gap so our glassers ended up watching the rams until dark and locking down the location where the rams bedded down for the night. Daylight found us glassing the dome shaped hill where the rams had bedded. As soon as it was light enough to see we watched both rams get up and immediately determined that both rams were shooters. A couple of brutal miles hiked and several hours later found us in position to get a clear shot at the rams. However, they chose not to expose themselves until darkness was upon us and were just out of range. Sheep 3, us 0.

A couple mile hike in the dark the next morning found us overlooking the large basin where we had almost gotten it done the night before. No more than 20 minutes had gone by after we set up to glass when I heard the words I was dying to hear. “ I GOT SHEEP!” My client made a great spot on the 2 rams as they fed their way uphill from us about ¾ of a mile away. Climbing the steep hogback ridge directly south of us seemed to be the only option my hunter and I had to get in front of these rams for a shot. We wanted to get close but we had no idea just how close we were going to get…….

With sweat rolling into my eyes from the tough hike and from the adrenaline of seeing the bruiser ram in bow range, we froze. We were caught in an akward position with me being directly in front of my client’s line of fire. With the rams being fixated on trying to figure just what in the heck we were it was now or never. If the rams got nervous and bolted they would be lost in a very brushy and deep canyon directly behind them. I whispered “get ready” and began a very slow and very uncomfortable crooked squat to the ground. As soon as my head cleared the muzzle I whispered “take him” and the bullet was on its way. The perfectly hit ram took one big leap and expired right in front of us within seconds. A lot of whooping and hollering commenced followed by respectful silence and even a tear or two being shed. The beautiful 8 year old Mexico desert bighorn sheep with 16 1/2 inch bases was ours……………. What a ram!

Would you like to go on a Desert Sheep hunt but just can’t draw the tag? We have Mexico Desert Bighorn Sheep tags available with no draw required.