Cabeza Prieta Sheep Hunt 46bw - 2024

 

Middle of October I got a call regarding my experience guiding in the Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Refuge for Desert Sheep. The guy on the other side of the phone drew a 46bw tag and planned on doing it himself until life slowly took over his plans on figuring out the logistics and taking time to scout and plan for it. We had a great conversation for about an hour on the phone. I think it was pretty obvious I am a nut job for sheep hunting down there by the border. Steve (not from 2023) said he wanted to think about it overnight and call some of my references from past hunts. Less than 24 hours later he called back saying we are going sheep hunting! The clock was ticking, I was currently guiding a Nevada mule deer hunter so my mind was full already with that going on but I couldn't stop planning for December. 

I called my good friend and guide Bo and told him we are going back but we have a short time window to plan our water locations and we needed to decide on where we want to focus. Fast forward too late November I met with my friend and his string of horses to haul water. His horses did the heavy carrying of 70 gallons of water as we went roughly 9 miles in with a total of 18 miles logged in and out. We had to hide the water as best as we could since the CPWR is known for heavy illegal immigrant traffic. We were all set, water was placed now we wait for the opener of Sheep season.

Day before season I like to get down to the CPWR and hike in with no rush. Packs are far too heavy to risk injury in the middle of nowhere. I always tell my hunters and friends that join me - we are hiking a long ways with heavy packs let's take our time and slowly get to base camp, we can take as many breaks as we need to. This hunt I was with my guide Bo, Steve (the hunter), Steves father and his friend Hunter.

Hence all the water I took in, better to have more than less.

The first day we spent most of the day hiking in to my water supply. Its always the worst part of the trip for me as im nervous that my water has been stolen. This has yet to happen so nothing to worry about. We finally make it to the water with a few hours of light to spare. We find a great camping spot for our main camp, unload our packs and set our tents up. Then we shuttled water from the water spot to camp so we had water with us in camp at all times. That evening I couldn't help myself but look for sheep. I set my BTX up in camp and spotted a handful of ewes and lambs feeding on the shaded side of nasty bluff up high. That definitely got everyone excited! We rested our sore feet that evening and had a game plan for the morning. 

We woke up in the dark of Day 1, grabbed a day bag of food with no plans of being back til dark or until we had a ram on our backs. We left camp eager to glass. We got to our first big ridge where I have seen many rams the year prior. That morning wasn't a total bust be we did see some ewes and lambs like we had the night prior. We regrouped and pushed through a wash to goto some country I hunted not far from camp I had been the year before. I remember it was unusually hot for December and most sheep we saw were not up and feeding. Bo went one direction with Hunter while Steve and his father stuck with me. That afternoon/evening Bo had spotted a band of young rams where they had went and told me one may have been a good ram but did not get the best look at him. We all talked about the next day and what it may bring around a campfire and hot peak refuels that night. 

Day 2 we again woke up in the dark and hiked out of camp as we did the first morning. We were going out the same direction but chose a different path to get different angles. I didn't want to cover the same ground as the day before and also didn't want to spook the small band Bo had seen incase they were in the same area. That first half of the morning we didn't see much if anything. I told the guys we were doing a pretty big push today but the country we are headed too looked wicked good. Just before hitting the opening of a big pass we stopped to have a snack and cool off. I got up on a small rise in the desert floor and glassed to the east into a super thick canyon. I saw some small movement down low. It was the small band of rams Bo had seen the evening prior. I waved over Steve so he could get eyes on some rams, boy was he stoked!

After watching the rams and making sure nothing old and big was with him we went another mile to a loan spine in the desert floor. Everyone was pretty hot and tired. We stopped for a snack and to rest our feet for awhile before our last big push. Of course that means everyone is going to be glassing. Everyone is glassing, five sets of eyes going in every direction. Steves dad the night before made a comment that he was the only one who didn't glass a sheep up on the first two days and I had told him they are tough to see in the granite sometimes. Well after relaxing for thirty minutes or so I heard him say "got a ram!" the words every sheep hunter wants to hear. He points where he's at and says the rams moving high. I grab my 95mm scope and focus on the ram. I watch him for a few minutes and the more I look at him the more I realize i've seen this ram. I tell Steve, you won't believe this but I saw this ram last season and he slipped from us quick, he is super sneaky and does not stick around for much! I pulled my phone out and showed him video from last year. Steve loved his character and look and told me he would love to take him. I told Steve I can't promise I can relocate that sneaky ram but I will do everything I can too. 

We packed up our backpacks quickly and I studied the topographic map. I picked a route thinking he may crest the skyline and bed somewhere he can see us if we go anywhere near him. Which would result in him leaving before we get eyes on him. It took some time for us to climb into a big saddle somewhat near where he last was. Once we hit the saddle is was the hottest part of the day. I told the guys to relax in the shade and I am going to climb high to see if I can pick him up bedded. I got damn lucky and found him bedded high in some granite bluffs in the shade. After judging his age I went and got the guys to come take a look through my scope.

Steve was all in on killing this ram. Last year I had him at about 8 years old so this year being 9 years old, he had a big chunk out of his horn so score wise it would hurt him. Steve did not care one bit, I remember he told me he would love killing a dark red horned old ram with his dad that had character. It was on, now we need the ram to stay put.

We gathered our things and dropped off the saddle out of sight from the ram, I was hoping he would pull a quick one on us and leave town. We looped around the ridge where it met the desert floor and to my surprise he was still bedded. I told Bo, Hunter and Steves father to hang back while Steve and I closed the distance to minimize sound and movement. Steve and I pushed forward found a great shooting bench and setup. I had Steve look at the ram again through my scope just to make sure he was certain he wanted to take him. Nothing changed except he was getting buck fever. He got anchored in his rifle and controlled his breathing. The ram got out of his bed walked around a bit and BOOM Steve let one off hitting the ram, the ram didn't drop so Steve put one more in him for good measure. Steves ram tipped over an Steve was flooded with emotion, his once in a lifetime ram is down! The rest of the crew came running too us where we all high fived and hugged it out. It was awesome seeing the moment between the father and son and the work they put into it. I remember the exact feeling when I drew my tag in 2022 and my dad was with me in the same scenario. 

We gathered our packs and headed toward his ram, it always feels like the longest hike when its the most exciting hike of the hunt. Steve went and checked out his ram with his dad while us three let them have their moment. Bittersweet. We all put our hands on this old sneaky ram, talking about the perfect stalk and how fast it all happened. I told them that it felt like my 2022 hunt, my dad also found my ram as well. 

We all took a ton of photos together ate all of our snacks and enjoyed the moment you can't replicate ever again. Super grateful that Steve decided to hunt with me and trusted me with such a special tag and moment. We caped out the ram and left toward camp. We wouldn't get to camp til late after dark that evening but so be it, we are done! We ate some sheep tenderloins over the fire while I caped out the head and stayed up as long as we could before wanting to pass out. The hike out was a lot longer and heavier but thats what makes it a great sheep hunt. Photos below of Steves ram, the camp and the crew hiking to camp. Thank you Steve, Steves father, Hunter and Bo!