Little Horn Outfitters

Borrego Outfitters - Nevada

2012-03-01T12:04:00.002-08:00

If you are applying for sheep in Nevada, check out this new website Victor Trujillo has just set up. Victor has been guiding hunters to big Nevada rams for years and has finally established his own outfit. Give him a call if you will be applying in Nevada this year.

2012 HAM Javelina Hunt

2012-02-24T06:22:00.003-08:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: Paul Taylor of "Taylor Made Taxidermy" was another successful HAM hunter. Paul took his Javelina with one shot from his muzzleloader. Paul was assisted on his hunt by his good friend Tim Downs. Congrats Paul, it looks like you guys had a great hunt.

AAA Car Buying Service

2012-02-21T15:28:00.002-08:00

I bought a new pickup late in 2011 through AAA's car buying service and would highly recommend this service to anyone. Click on the link above or contact Carl Rispoli at 480-858-0445 XT 6. This service saved me over $4,000 and a lot of gray hairs...I never set foot on a dealer lot and with any luck I never will again!

2012 HAM Javelina hunt

2012-02-19T23:34:00.002-08:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: My Nephew Josh and I were drawn for the 2012 HAM hunt for Javelina. Josh used my 50 cal. muzzleloader, and with one shot at approx. 100 yds., he harvested his 1st Javelina. We had a lot of fun on this hunt and have some GREAT MEMORIES!!!

Summer Trail Cam Pics

2012-02-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

These pics were recently retrieved from a camera left out last summer. No giants, but one nice looking young ram with potential. And no lions, which is nice to see.

2011 Bighorn Sheep Harvest Summary

2012-02-09T16:26:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge or detach and save these jpg files in order to better view the data. It was another incredible year with 19 desert rams over 170 - that's just 1 less than 2010 which was the best year on record for big rams in AZ.

Official Score - Ernie Bunch Ram

2012-02-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

Well, the 60 day drying period is up and Ernie's ram has been officially scored. The final tale of the tape is 180 4/8 gross and 180 0/8 net B&C. Congratulations Ernie!

Left: 38.0, 15.6, 15.2, 13.3, 9.4

Right: 35.0, 15.7, 15.2, 13.3, 9.1

January Scouting Pics

2012-01-30T16:03:00.001-08:00

Tim was out scouting last week and found these 6 rams bachelored up. He also saw some young lambs which is always good news.

The weather has been sunny and warm, but luckily we got good rain in December and things are green. Hope those rams are putting on some horn and growing big for next year!

Bob's Buffalo hunt

2012-01-28T07:40:00.001-08:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: Here's a few pics. from my Buffalo hunt on the Kaibab National Forest last weekend. WOW...what a weekend!!! The weather forecast was calling for 1-3" of snow, no prob. we were prepared to handle that. The problem was we got approx. 16". To make a long story short, we were stranded and had to leave 2 trucks and 3 snowmobiles on the mountain!!! Hopefully this weekend we will be able to get in there to recover all the equipment.

A beautiful sunrise on the Kaibab with a couple of inches of snow in the foreground.

Jim and Russ are shoveling snow trying to get Arlis' truck out. Russ loading the snowmobiles, trying to beat the snow storm. Even after shoveling snow for 4-5 hrs., Russ is all smiles...gotta love the positive attitude. No Buffalo yet, but making some great memories!

2011 Hunt AZ Booklet

2012-01-07T09:15:00.000-08:00

Download the 2011 edition of Hunt Arizona booklet by clicking on this LINK.

Unit 22 Ram - 2011

2011-12-27T19:17:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to retired AGFD biologist Tim Rogers, who took this great ram in Unit 22 with the assistance of LHO.

Tim's ram checked in at over 173 B&C as scored by AGFD and had bases over 15 inches and a long horn near 37 inches.

Compare the age rings in the right horn in these first two photos - Bob photographed this ram earlier last summer before he broke the chunks out of the front of both horns.

After passing this ram several times, Tim finally took him late on December 10th at a distance of only 30 yards.

This photo shows the bench above Canyon Lake where the group of sheep was found.

Grumpy Old Men

2011-12-20T16:27:00.000-08:00

We photographed these two great old rams while scouting last summer. This is one of the oldest rams I have ever seen in this unit.

He looked to be close to losing his right horn due to a deep chip on the back side.

This old ram has been around a while, and we photographed him several times back in 2009. His horns are more worn, but for the most part he looks the same.

Bob captured these stills from video he shot during the rut. We saw this ram again on Thanksgiving weekend and he looked much more healthy.

Mid December Update

2011-12-16T13:00:00.003-08:00

It has been a stormy December going back to opening weekend of the sheep hunt when these photos were taken.

This shows fresh snow on 4-Peaks in Unit 22, with the cliffs of Canyon Lake in the foreground.

Last weekend we found this ram floating in the lake. AGFD determined it was likely a natural drowning, which appears to happen fairly frequently.

Rough field measurements put this ram at about 34" long with bases over 15".....probably right at the B&C minimum.

Rocky - Live Pics

2011-12-08T18:28:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of the best photos and video captures Bob and I took of Rocky over the past several months.

We didn't get many good shots with his nose up, but this look is mind blowing!

This is the photo Bob sent me at work the first day he found this ram in August. I about fell out of my chair...

He looked at the peak of health every time we saw him and appeared to be very much in his prime. The day Ernie took him he was walking very stiffly and seemed to have suffered some type of injury.

Ernie Bunch's 24BS Ram - Part 2

2011-12-06T17:37:00.001-08:00

More pics of Ernie's awesome ram - this photo really shows the deep drop of Rocky's horns.

This live photo was taken in early September before the right horn tip was broken. This is about as clean and pretty a ram as you could hope to see.

View looking back at the route of the stalk and showing how high up the mountain we were. Normally the rams can be found much lower this time of year, but they are unpredictable and it pays to look anywhere and everywhere!

Click this link to view more of Mike B urm's awesome photos: http://mjbphoto.smugmug.com/Other/Ernies-2011-Big-Horn-Sheep/20406441_F7nvmW#1614781261_hsWmxNP

Ernie Bunch's 24BS Ram - Part 1

2011-12-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Ernie Bunch of Cave Creek, AZ on taking the ram we had named "Rocky" in Unit 24BS last Friday. Despite recently breaking his right horn tip, he still grossed 180 1/8 and netted just under 180 as scored by official B&C measurer Clay Goldman of Mogollon Taxidermy.

Special thanks to Bob Kyhn, Josh Flowers, Tim Downs, and Jim Hamberlin for their dedication and assistance in year round scouting. We had well in excess of 100 man-days scouting this ram which we first found in early August 2011.

Thanks also to Mike Burm for his phenomenal photography which will be treasured by all of us. As this photo shows, the ram was taken in the typically rough and nasty country found in Units 24B and 22.

This photos shows just how high up the mountain we were, and the route we took up and down.

Lots more to come, including some of the great live photos we took of this ram over the past 4 months.

13B Mule Deer

2011-11-20T16:30:00.001-08:00

I was blessed with a tag on the Arizona Strip this year and hunted with Chad Smith and Vaquero Outfitters. This pretty buck was taken at the end of the 8th day, and goes 30" outside and 190 gross.

Chad runs a first class outfit and I hope this isn't my last chance to hunt with him on the Strip! Thanks to my guide Aaron Overton, cook/camp managers Judy and Ernie Rojas, and to Jim Renkema and Colt & Wayne Prevedel for their help spotting.

AZ Raffle Ram 2011

2011-11-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Jay and Darr and Colburn and Scott Outfitters on guiding Donnie Young to a fantastic Nelsoni ram earlier this week. This ram was 9 years old and green scores over 166 net B&C, which is potentially the largest harvested on the raffle tag since 1994. Check out many more photos on Jay's blog at www.jayscottoutdoors.blogspot.com

Up close and personal ram!

2011-10-31T10:52:00.000-07:00

Posted by: Bob Kyhn I just got back from the Kaibab yesterday. I helped a 75yr. old hunter get a nice 4x4 Mule Deer.

Before heading to the Kaibab, I did a little sheep scouting. I started taking pics. of this ram a couple hundred yards away.

The ram kept coming closer and closer.

This last pic. was taken at approx. 20 yards. That's what I call "Up close and personal"

Portable Topo Maps

2011-10-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

Topo map too big to stuff in your pack? Take a digital photo of the area you are headed to and carry the map on your camera. I tried this on a whim this fall and it has been extremely handy - wish I had thought of it sooner.

Scouting Photos

2011-10-10T18:42:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics from last weekend. It was cold by our standards on Saturday morning which was a nice change.

We put on a lot of miles and covered a lot of ROUGH country looking for big rams. Can't wait for December 1st!

Worn out!

2011-10-08T17:53:00.000-07:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: I took advantage of the cooler temps. we had yesterday and did a little sheep scouting. I found a herd that had 2 rams and 4 ewes. One of the ewes must have been coming into estrus, because both of the rams were scenting her and lip curling.

The 2 rams were chasing her all over the mountain. The rams were shoving each other and head-butted multiple times.

The smaller of the 2 rams finally got "Worn Out" and took himself a nap.

Randy's 1st Elk

2011-10-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

Posted by: Bob Kyhn

After 17 years of applying for elk, my brother-in-law was drawn for the early bull hunt in units 3A/3C. After passing on numerous bulls, Randy took this great looking 8x7 on the 3rd. morning of the hunt.

Pictured from left to right are Randy's sons Scott and Mark, Randy and myself.

My sister Carol and Randy. Carol was the camp cook and she took very good care of us hungry hunters. Thx. Carol

The four of us having a little fun breaking down the bull. This was truly a "Hunt of a lifetime" for all of us.

Luckily we were able to get my Nephews 4x4 Razor to the elk, and after a couple of cross-country trips we had the elk out.

First Tortoise for 2011

2011-10-02T18:43:00.000-07:00

Unit 9 Muzzleloader Bull

2011-09-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to John Milhon of Queen Creek, AZ on a great muzzleloader bull taken last Saturday in Unit 9. John was assisted by Tim Downs, who forwarded these photos.
John's 15-year quest for a trophy bull came to a successful conclusion after passing numerous other bulls. He was accompanied on the hunt by his wife Devaree.

Utah Elk Hunt 2011

2011-09-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

I am finally back from almost 2 weeks in Utah - we have all been chasing elk for most of September and have been gone a lot.

Good friend Hank Flatow drew a Boulder elk permit at the Expo in Salt Lake City last winter and my parents and I went along to help.

Hank also brought along his fiance Jenny and friend Tom, so we had a big camp and a lot of fun....too bad we only had 1 tag!

Hank took this great 7x5 that goes about 360 on the evening of the third day. This view shows the awesome 7 point side.

We had a great hunt and hope to be back on a draw tag soon!

Year-to-Year Comparison

2011-09-12T16:18:00.000-07:00

I get asked a lot how much a ram will grow in one year. There are several variables and I'm certainly no expert, but I think it depends a whole lot on the age of the ram. Generally speaking they will grow more the younger they are.
These two photos show one good ram we are watching - top photo is last year and bottom photo is this year. I've posted lots of pics of him previously, but last year he was just a ram and this year he is close to being a keeper. With freaky big bases and a very deep curl, I'm excited to see what he looks like in another year or two.

Rams in the Smoke

2011-09-05T16:41:00.000-07:00

Bob Kyhn took these great pics late last week. The poor lighting is due to smoke in the air from a nearby wildfire.

Make it Four

2011-09-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

Hank is packing them off the mountain faster than I can post the photos. This is the 4th ram he has guided this year for Dan Montgomery's Alaska Trophy Adventures. This ram was taken by Don Priest and goes 41 1/2 and 167 6/8 gross B&C.
Hank also guided this 10" billy last week which gross scores 50 2/8 B&C. This is shaping up to be the best year ever for Dan's outfit...at last count their sheep hunters were 7 for 7 with all rams having at least one horn over 39".

Hammerin' Hank Strikes Again

2011-08-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

This is the 3rd big ram guided by Hank Flatow in the Chucach Mountains this year. Both horns are 41+ with 14 2/8 inch bases, it goes 172 gross and over 171 net. Hank passed this ram last year with his own tag as it was only 7 years old!

Nolan Eck guided Sam Hern of Ohio to this 39 1/4 inch ram. Clients of Dan Montgomery's Alaska Trophy Adventures are 6 for 6 so far this year with all rams having at least one horn over 39". Hank is heading in on his 4th hunt tomorrow and I believe there are about 3 more tags to be filled.

Dan can be reached at 907-373-4898....call if you're interested in drawing one of these permits!

A good Friday morning!

2011-08-27T08:11:00.000-07:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: I went scouting yesterday hoping to locate some bighorns before it got to hot. I was able to glass-up a herd of 14 sheep which included 8 rams! I was able to close the distance to approx. 200 yds. and get some neat pics. It was "A good Friday morning".

Big Chugach Dall Rams

2011-08-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

These 3 rams were all taken in the past 10 days in the Chugach Mountains of Alaska with Dan Montgomery and Alaska Trophy Adventures. This ram is the largest Dan has ever guided and reportedly nets around 176!

Hank Flatow guided these next two rams, both of which score 160 or better. Details are thin right now, but I believe all of these ram are 39 inches and larger.

Call Dan to put in for the draw next year at (907) 373-4898.

Rutting bighorns

2011-08-13T20:05:00.001-07:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: On one of my recent scouting trips I got to watch a couple of rams courting a ewe. It was neat watching the larger ram trying to keep the smaller ram away from the ewe. The rams probably smacked heads 30 or more times in the hour I was watching them. Love it!!!!

Scouting Update

2011-08-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

Bob has still been hitting the lakes from time to time and seeing lots of sheep. This rattler was in the parking lot at Apache Lake!

This nice ram is dozing in the sun - probably worn out from the rut and the heat.

Gila Monster!

2011-08-07T13:47:00.001-07:00

What a treat it was to see this Gila Monster in the trail yesterday! This is the first one I have seen since August 2006, so it is rare.

Look at the meat hooks on this bad boy! I never realized they had such big paws with long fingers. Also note the sharp white claws.

Bob finally taught me to capture still images from video and these turned out great.

Scouting is going well, but we will be holding back the pics of the best rams until after the season is over. It is looking to be a very good year!

Pair of Growers

2011-08-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple good young rams that I photographed last weekend. The sheep seemed to be laying up early with the extreme heat and lack of rain. We got a big rain storm on Sunday, so hopefully things will pick up.

CEI Outdoors Top Picks

2011-07-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

We would like to thank CEI Outdoors and all those who helped vote Little Horn Outfitters as the Top Pick for 2011 sheep guide service. Check out the CEI Outdoors blog at http://www.ceioutdoors.blogspot.com/ and the Outdoorsman's Resource Guide at http://outdoorsmansresourceguide.com/. One feature of the Resource Guide I found particularly useful was the listing of medical facilities in various regions of the state. I have been in the unfortunate position of needing that information twice, the latest being during the late elk hunt last year when I stuck a knife in my knee while skinning my mom's bull!

NWT Dall Sheep

2011-07-25T17:16:00.000-07:00

Jim Hamberlin just returned from the Northwest Territories in Canada with his first Dall Sheep. His ram was taken with Stan Simpson's Ram Head Outfitters and goes 37.5 inches.
This ram was taken on the last afternoon of a long and rainy hunt. Sounds like Jim worked his butt off and really earned his trophy. Congrats Jim!!

Buncha Rams

2011-07-23T16:51:00.000-07:00

There are 5 different rams in these photos, and there were an additional 11 ewes and yearlings in the group. This is the best bunch of sheep we have found recently.

Desert Bighorn Book - Update!

2011-07-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all those that have supported the pre-sale. We are at 125+ sold and counting and the files will be delivered to the printer tomorrow. Click this LINK to the book website where you can purchase online.

Here are a few stats about what exactly is in this book: 424 pages including well over 200 different rams, and all photos are COLOR; live photos of approximately 2 dozen rams ranging from low 170s to the 201 3/8 state record Koons ram; tables of the largest rams taken annually from 1953 through 2010 (including measurements); unit-specific tables for the top trophy producing units (22, 24B, 31/32, 40A, 46A/B, 44BN, and 45A-C; color hunt unit maps for the top 6 trophy producing areas, and a statewide map; numerous scenery photos showing the spectacular country these sheep call home; and photos of 60 rams over 180, 25 over 185, 14 over 188, and 6 over 190!!

One of the highlights is an unofficial Top 100 List that includes 32 rams that have never been entered in the record books. 91 of those rams are featured in the book, many of which have multiple photos and/or stories included. The Top 100 list references the source of the score and the hunt unit the ram was taken in......believe me when I say this was a monumental effort tracking down the "missing" rams from harvest reports dating back to 1953 and converting mountain ranges and counties into actual hunt units!

Slow Weekend

2011-07-17T17:55:00.000-07:00

Only 9 sheep sighted in two days, but I took advantage of a cloudy morning and walked about 2 miles into this canyon today.

Great place to come back to later - it looked too good to be empty all the time.

Here are a few more photos of that nice ram from last weekend.

Skylined Ram

2011-07-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: During a recent scouting trip I was able to get these neat pics. I found this ram right at first light skylined on top of this ridge at about 500 yds. It was tough to get a sharp focus because of the low light and taking the pics. through my spotting. Even though the pics. aren't in good focus I still wanted to share them.

Monsoon Update

2011-07-14T17:09:00.001-07:00

Well I woke up to a heavy rain on Sunday night and we got about 3-4 hours of it into Monday morning. Look at this tank, which is 100% topped off.

It doesn't take much to get the ocotillos to bloom - good green feed in mid summer, which is on the early side this year.

Jim is currently fogged in in Norman Wells, NWT...a lovely start to his first Dall Sheep hunt! Hopefully we will have photos of a big ram to share in another 10 days or so.

Live Ram Video

2011-07-11T19:43:00.000-07:00

Video from Saturday - Jim is becoming a wiz at video editing in a short time. This is a sneaky big ram with a big open curl, heavy bases, and an extremely large body.

Mountain Lion at Sheep Water

2011-07-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

Jim just brought back these pics from a camera we set back in May. This first shot is incredible - look in the lower left and you can see a mountain lion launched in attack and a ewe runing on the right!! Click to enlarge this photo.

Look how skinny this cat looks in this photo and then as the days go on, how it looks to be improving in health. The photos are placed sequentially over time.

Although Jim didn't look hard for evidence, it seems logical this cat has a kill nearby. Luckily this area got good rains last week and hopefully the sheep won't have to visit the water holes for a while.

In this photo, el gato looks to be on the prowl again, and looks to possibly be stalking something.

Flat Top is back!

2011-07-09T09:38:00.001-07:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: The first 2 pics. are of a ram I named "Flat Top". I saw this ram a couple of times last summer, then he disappeared. Yesterday was the first time I've seen him since last summer. I'm surprised he hasn't lost his left horn yet. As you can see the top of left horn is getting pretty thin. I'm sure It's just a matter of time before we re-name this ram "Old One Horn".

These last 2 pics. are of another ram I saw yesterday. Last summer Geof named this ram "Pig Pen". This is a pretty darn good looking ram. It sure was good seeing him again.

Reptiles in the Desert

2011-07-08T20:48:00.000-07:00

Jim has been taking awesome pics faster than I can post them. Here are a few, including Western Diamondack and Speckled rattle snakes from this morning.
Look at the temp in my rearview mirror in the top pic. Jim brought home pics of a mountain lion at a sheep water today. Will post later...one shot shows a leaping lion and a ewe running away!

Bring on the Rain - Video Added

2011-07-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

The Phoenix Haboob of July 5th, 2011 from Mike Olbinski on Vimeo.

Check out this amazing time lapse video of the massive Haboob (dust storm) we had yesterday. It's nearly impossible to describe in words!

The Phoenix Haboob of July 5th, 2011 from Mike Olbinski on Vimeo.

The monsoon is starting strong this year. This photo shows how spotty these storms can be and why some areas of the desert can "green up" while others don't.

Jim Hamberlin took these next two photos tonight. They show the same view minutes apart - you can mark it with the Saguaros.

It's amazing how fast the storms move and how visibility can go to zero in seconds. The dust storm that blew into Phoenix tonight was so bad it shut down the airport and apparently made the news in Denver. The photos on the news are unbelievable!!

4th of July Scouting

2011-07-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

Here is another great pic taken by Bob Kyhn last week. We got our first monsoon yesterday, which was long overdue. Unfortunately for me, the fuel pump went out in my truck this weekend. These two videos are from last weekend.

"Tight and Heavy"

2011-07-01T08:33:00.001-07:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: I did a little mid-week scouting and found a familiar ram that we named "Tight and Heavy" We gave him this name because the ram has fairly heavy horns and a tight curl. Here's a few great pics. I got of "Tight and Heavy".

Beautiful but Deadly

2011-06-29T20:56:00.000-07:00

It's getting near 115 and downright dangerous to be getting far off the roads. The top 3 photos were taken by my friend and co-worker Mike O'Keeffe earlier this summer.

I am lucky to be accompanied by some pretty good photographers from time to time.

The bottom photo was taken by Jim Hamberlin yesterday in the Superstition Mountains.

We will get caught up with the live sheep photos and video soon.

Dog Days of Summer

2011-06-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

Up at 2:00 am, and it's still 84 degrees when I met Jim at 3:00!! I think the high reached about 110 yesterday and we're just getting started.

With a short nap in the early afternoon, yesterday lasted from that early start until 11 pm, so I'm home for the first weekend day in 5 weeks.

We saw a lot of sheep and a lot of nice rams, but only one big one which is shown in the second photo, above. We saw a lot of very active rutting activity and I even shot video of a ram breeding a ewe from 40 yards. Will work on uploading that file later.

The rut is on!!!

2011-06-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: We've been anxiously waiting for the rut to get started. I was scouting earlier in the week and found 3 mature rams with ewes, so the rut is finally under way! The ram in the 1st photo was really chasing this ewe hard. In the next photo the same ram is doing a little lip curling.

This is the 2nd mature ram that was with 7 ewes. He was also chasing one ewe pretty hard. The rut is such a neat time of the year for us "Sheep Fanatics". The interaction between the rams and ewes is fascinating to watch. Also watching the rams lip curling, butting heads, ect. is awesome! We will keep you posted as our scouting continues.

AZ Desert Bighorn Book: Pre-Sale Notice

2011-06-20T18:17:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned this book project off and on since January, but it is finally nearing completion. Please click on the attached images to enlarge or detach. This pre-sale advertisement includes details on the book and how to purchase it. We are trying to sell the first 225 to fund the printing cost.

This book includes over 400 pages of color photos including most of top 100 rams ever to come from Arizona. Of the top 100, more than 30 have never been entered in the record books. There is a lot of valuable information for prospective sheep hunters and a ton of eye candy for those who love sheep and especially hunting desert bighorns.

Please email me with questions at littlehornoutfitters@gmail.com or email Tom Saad at the address on the attached flyer. Checks for pre-sale purchases can be sent to me at 29819 N. 41st Street, Cave Creek, AZ 85331 or to Tom at the address listed on the flyer.

Purchase online at the following address: http://www.desertbighornsltd.com/

Father's Day Rams

2011-06-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

What a nice morning! It was slightly overcast and only in the 70s and I finally turned up 4 of the rams Jim had found 9 days ago.

There are two good rams here and the top left ram has got some interesting stuff going on. He's a really large bodied ram, with a big open curl and big bases.

I think the lower ram is older and maybe a bit prettier - he reminds me of Nancy Demaree's ram from last year.

Hopefully we will see these rams many more times this summer and get some better photos in good light. For now it's nice to just break the drought!

Still waiting!

2011-06-17T06:37:00.000-07:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: I took my nephew out for a little sheep scouting yesterday morning. We found several herds, but still no big rams with the ewe groups yet. We did find a bachelor herd of 4 rams. The first 3 pics. are of the larger ram that was apart of that group. Not a big ram, but give him a few years.
The last pic. is of a younger ram that has long horns and still has his lamb tips. We're "Still waiting" for the big boys to show up!

Tough Ewe

2011-06-13T14:07:00.001-07:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: I was out sheep scouting the other day and once again found this ewe with broken Rt. front leg. Click on the image to enlarge.

The first time I saw this ewe was last Nov. and I haven't seen her since. It sure was good to see her again alive and healthy!

Can you imagine trying to move around in sheep country with a broken leg. This is one tough ewe!!!

Band of Rams

2011-06-10T16:42:00.000-07:00

Jim was at it again today and bumped into a group of rams by accident. He pulled a MacGyver and used his binos and I-phone to take these photos without the use of a tripod.
Three of these rams are worth a closer look, and the one on the right reminds me a lot of the ram Nancy Demaree took last year.

I hope to get a scope on them this weekend and bring home some better photos and video!

Barrel Cactus Brunch

2011-06-07T18:30:00.000-07:00

Finally found a few sheep last Sunday.

They are finally showing up where I would normally expect to start seeing them this time of year.

Hopefully the coming weeks will hold a pleasant surprise with a big ram showing up. Typically June is when they start coming out of the woodwork.

Checking Water Holes

2011-06-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

We got out again on Saturday and checked one of my favorite sheep waters, which was very low. Luckily there is underground storage feeding a drinker further downhill.

The construction of these water holes is really impressive and they blend in very well to the desert environment.

The fences are intended to keep out any livestock that might wander this far into the desert.

Looking back at the long walk in. Round trip was about 6.5 miles, but at least it isn't really hot yet.

A Long Friday Walk

2011-06-04T17:06:00.000-07:00

Jim logged 9 miles on foot yesterday in the early June heat. He is getting in shape for a Dall Sheep hunt later this summer.

We put on another 6.5 miles on foot this morning checking another water hole - will post pics later this weekend.

This natural pothole still had a lot of water, despite the fact it hasn't rained for a long time.

Memorial Day Scouting - Part 2

2011-05-29T13:32:00.001-07:00

Josh, Jim and I made it out to check another sheep water yesterday. This was a new one to all of us and it's one of the coolest I've seen in terms of construction and location.

This one is placed in a natural collection point. It's deep and holds a LOT of water. By the looks of things the sheep are just starting to come in to drink.

We did see one rattlesnake in the road.

View of the sheep water from the front and below. It really blends into the natural environment.

View under the shade canopy. Note how full it is.

This shot shows the rock dam above the tank, which is meant to stop debris from entering the water hole.

Memorial Day Scouting - Part 1

2011-05-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

This is about the cutest photo I've ever seen of a really young lamb. Jim and I checked a trail camera today and had quite a few photos of lambs and ewes.

This was the best ram, but I don't expect to see anything good until it gets hot later in June.

Here is a lamb with a little more age to it. All the sheep looked healthy.

Jim slipped and boogered up his knee pretty good. He's tough though.....it didn't even slow him down.

Somewhere in the distance is my truck and our starting point.

New Country

2011-05-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

Jim Hamberlin and I got out yesterday and took a first look for Rocky Mountain bighorns in a new unit. It's always tough learning a new unit from nothing, but we got lucky and found some sheep.

Although we didn't see any rams, we found roughly 18 ewes and lambs in a small area, including at least 5 very young lambs. The sheep were tucked into a shady draw and I don't think we saw them all.

I also saw my third mountain lion in the past 3 years while walking this high rim country. Thanks Jim for taking the pics!

It's Good To Be Lucky

2011-05-15T13:21:00.001-07:00

This weekend mom returned to the scene of the crime...where she took a great 362 4/8 gross bull last November. This must be her spot, because this great brown 6-point shed was laying there for her!

Mom also found a decent brown 4-point mule deer horn. I find about one deer horn ever 5 years up there, so she did very well!

Mother's Day Scouting Trip

2011-05-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

What a view! It was another beautiful morning to get out and get some exercise. I saw 8 ewes and lambs and 1 small ram. One of the lambs was about the size of a puppy and must have only been a couple weeks old.

I love the way the new KUIU camo pattern looks in the desert, and hope they make the Attack pant in a khaki color soon.

More Spring Scouting

2011-05-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

Another cool weekend was perfect for getting boots on the ground and doing some walking. The view from the top was amazing.

Sheep & Deer Regs Available Online

2011-04-29T16:12:00.000-07:00

Click this link to access the entire document.

AZ Sheep Draw Odds Analysis

2011-04-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

Odds of drawing a sheep permit are tough, but just how bad are they? As it turns out, they are getting better due to a decrease in applicants and an increase in the permit quota. Between 2007 and 2010, total applicants decreased from 10,930 to 8,206. Simple odds over that stretch improved from 1 in 110 to 1 in 82 without respect to residency, # of bonus points, or unit applied for.

Over the past 2 years approximately 19% of applicants are applying for the Rocky Mountain subspecies - taking those applicants out of the equation, simple odds for all applicants applying for desert bighorn permits were just over 1 in 75 in 2010. Therefore your odds are better if you're applying for desert units. The mean number of bonus points per applicant is slightly more than 7 and the median number is slightly more than 5. If you have more bonus points than that, your odds are better yet.

Based on the data presented in the 2011 bonus point pool (previous post) approximately 64% of applicants are residents, and they are allocated 90% of the permits. If my math is correct, that equates to simple odds of 1 in 58.4 for a resident to draw a desert bighorn permit in 2010. Of course the unit applied for is a huge factor as well - rolling the dice on the best units equates to much worse odds. When you get right down to it, luck is probably your best ally......but as a resident applying for a desert permit, and having 13 bonus points, I feel much better having crunched the numbers!

More Spring Scouting Pics

2011-04-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

These photos are from this morning - thanks to Jim Hamberlin for taking the great pics.

We took advantage of some cooler spring weather and got out into some different country, but the sheep are still proving tough to find.

Bonus Point Pool - Sheep

2011-04-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

There are over 102,000 people with 1 bonus point, so that group was excluded from this graph.....it messes up the scale.

The application period for 2011 is approaching - here is a look at the competition with a breakdown by residency.

Spring Scouting

2011-04-17T13:18:00.001-07:00

True to form, the sheep were nowhere to be found yesterday...they seem to disappear in the spring months - at least from the areas we normally see them in.

These photos were taken by Jim Hamberlin earlier this spring, and show some of the rugged country in Units 22 and 24B.

Arizona's Biggest Desert Rams

2011-04-13T19:11:00.000-07:00

So, the lack of posts over the past several months can be attributed to one thing.....a lot of work and time spent on a new book. I've been helping Tom Saad put together a book that will document the history of desert sheep hunting in Arizona. A particular focus of the book will be documenting the largest rams taken statewide, including MANY rams that have never been entered in any record books. I have compiled an unofficial list of the top 100 rams ever taken that includes 33 rams not entered in Boone & Crockett or the Arizona Wildlife Trophies book. This book will include color photos of at least 90 of those rams, and well over 200 rams total. Following is a list of the largest rams we are still trying to find - if you know one of these hunters, please put them in contact with me at 602-432-4170. More to come...... 180 4/8 - Unit 22, Peterson, Richard, 1992 178 7/8 - Unit 15CN, Norman, Ronald, 1994 178 6/8 - Unit 32, Webber, Raymond, 1994 178 4/8 - Unit 33, Broyles, Ken, 1971 178 4/8 - Unit 40A, Vaughn, Franklin, 1990 177 4/8 - Unit 40A, Hoyle, Thomas, 1994 177 4/8 - San Carlos Res, Wiley, Bryon, 1986 177 3/8 - Unit 15CN, Darner, Joel, 1989 177 - Unit 31/32, Congrove, John, 1988 176 4/8 - Unit 45C, Neely, C.W., 1985 176 -Unit 16A, Terlecky, Jeff, 2004 175 6/8, Unit 22, Turner, Eulis, 1994 175 6/8, Unit 31/32 , Stolp, Rodger, 1985

LHO Advertisement - 2011

2011-04-07T16:32:00.001-07:00

The time to fill out applications is near. Hope 2011 is as good a season as we had in Arizona last year!

2011 Sheep Hunt Recommendations

2011-04-05T11:17:00.000-07:00

AGFD recently released the recommendations for 2011 sheep hunts - click the attached chart to enlarge and see recommended quotas for desert sheep hunts.

KUIU Launched Today

2011-03-31T17:12:00.001-07:00

KUIU was officially launched today. Check out this awesome new line of lightweight mountain hunting apparel and packs at http://www.kuiu.com/.

A couple of nice rams

2011-03-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: My friend Gary and I did a little sheep scouting last week. Here's a few pics. of a couple of nice rams we found. These rams were in a herd of approx. 20 sheep. There were at least 5 lambs and several smaller rams in the group. It's a great feeling seeing how well the sheep herds are doing.

Last year was an amazing year for sheep hunting. It looks like it's shaping-up to be another great year! We will keep you posted as our scouting continues.

Elk Shed Hunting Trip

2011-03-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the sheds come easy, but if you're not paying attention you could drive right over one!
I found two brown horns out the truck window on Thursday evening, and a few white ones walking on Friday. All in all it was pretty slow and there was lots of competition.

"Ohio Jim" Gulliver spent a couple days shed hunting with me before heading back home. Jim comes out and bowhunts deer in the desert every year.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Ram

2011-03-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

This great looking ram is currently listed at #24 in the 2010 version of the Arizona Wildlife Trophies book. The head was picked up by a hiker on Pinkley Peak in 1957.

The ram nets 183 3/8 and is built a little different than most high scoring rams with relatively small bases (14 and 13 7/8), large 3rd quarters (10 4/8 and 9 6/8) and very long horns at 40" and 40 3/8". This is one of very few rams that are at least 40" on both horns.

Thanks to Tim Tibbitts at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument for taking the time to take and send these photos!

Dos Amigos in Ajo

2011-03-14T20:40:00.000-07:00

These two great old rams are hanging in the Shell station in Ajo, Arizona. Mike Holt owns the station as well as the ram in the top photo, which was taken in Unit 40A in 1970. This ram nets 178 1/8 B&C despite one heavily broomed horn.

This 177 3/8 net B&C ram was taken by Mark Alley in Unit 46A in 1975 and also hangs on the same wall. Stop in and see these two great rams if you're ever traveling through Ajo. This ram is tied for #99 in the unofficial top 100 list I have been building from the available record books and the AGFD harvest reports dating back to 1953. The top 100 is a small part of the list I have compiled to assist in searching for photos to include in a new book on AZ desert rams that I'm working on with Tom Saad.

The Best Unit You've Never Heard of

2011-03-09T19:53:00.000-08:00

Tony Caliguiri of Osceola, Iowa took this beautiful ram in Unit 40A back in 1990 with the help of Larry Heathington and Sand Tank Outfitters. With 17 inch bases and over 112 inches of mass this ram is extremely massive and scores over 179 B&C.

Unit 40A has not had a permit since 2006 when it produced the largest ram in Arizona. This unit has produced 11 of the top 100 rams Arizona has ever seen including the 201 3/8 pickup head found by Greg Koons in 1982.

Thanks Tony for sharing the photos!

Bachelor Herd

2011-03-05T21:27:00.001-08:00

These photos came courtesy of Jim Hamberlin who has been pounding the hills for the past several weeks.
For me, this is the time of year when the rams are typically hardest to find. These photos show why.....these rams are all grouped up away from the ewes and lambs.

There were 11 rams total and 3 or 4 good ones. After rain the past two weekends and temps hitting near 80, there should be lots of green feed to help put on the horn growth.

Shed Season Is Here

2011-03-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

March 1st is usually about the time to start picking up elk sheds, although it can be slow at first. Here is a good haul I made several years back on one trip...no 4 wheeler involved - just 8 days of walking my feet off.
The weather is pretty volatile this time of year and can range from 70 degrees and dusty to snowy and near zero.

Every now and then I get lucky and pick up a dead head. This one was about a 310 bull.
A nice 5 point as I found it - on top of one of those hills above my head in the above photo.

Once on the last day in February I bumped a bull that had already shed its antlers. He left quite a blood trail that I cut higher up the hill. As hard as I tried to backtrack, I lost the trail and never picked up the sheds!

Looking for Info on These Rams

2011-02-28T08:56:00.000-08:00

I am looking for photos of these rams for inclusion in a book Tom Saad is writing on AZ desert sheep. This will be a follow-up to his book "Kofa Kings" and will feature color photos of most of the big rams ever taken in AZ. Any help running down these rams would be much appreciated. If you know any of these hunters, please contact me or better yet, have them contact me at 602-432-4170 or at geofrey.moss@erm.com

Click on this list to enlarge it. Thanks!

Rick Wood's 187 1/8 Eagletail Ram from 1996

2011-02-22T11:28:00.000-08:00

Here is a near 40-inch ram that won the first award for the Boone & Crockett's 23rd awards period.

Rick Wood took this giant ram from the Eagletail Mountains in Unit 41E back in 1996. With a net score of 187 1/8 B&C, the ram is still listed at #10 in the 2010 edition of the Arizona Wildlife Trophies record book.

Both horns measure over 39 inches long, both bases are at least 15 4/8, and the 3rd quarter measurements are both 10 inches.

I want to thank Rick for sharing these rarely seen photos!

Lambs in training

2011-02-17T07:43:00.000-08:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: I went sheep scouting yesterday with my brother-in-law. I was able to pull some neat pics. off of the video I got of some very young Lambs. In this pic. there are 3 Lambs.

These little guys were getting some serious training from their mothers on how to handle this rugged terrain. Watching these young Lambs learn how to go up and down the cliffs and boulders was simply amazing!

Randy Smith's Giant Ram from the Tank Mtns.

2011-02-15T15:44:00.000-08:00

This incredible ram was taken by Randy Smith in the Tank Mountains of Unit 41W on December 5th 1988. This ram is currently tied for 7th place in the AZ record book and I belive 14th place in Boone & Crockett. It is simply huge, netting 188 3/8!

I want to thank Randy for sending these photos for inclusion in a book that Tom Saad is compiling on the great rams taken in Arizona. The book would not have been complete without this ram.

Horn lengths are 39 3/8 and 40 and 2/8 with 15 5/8 bases, over 10" third quarters, and only 4/8" in deductions. This ram is a legend and the photos have not been seen by many - thanks again Randy for sharing this ram with all the sheep nuts that are sure to be enjoying these photos.

Official Scores 2010 Rams

2011-02-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

We had Nancy Demaree's 24BS ram from 2010 officially scored today - official gross score was 177 4/8 and official net was 175 7/8. Congratulations Nancy!
Dwight Brunsvold's 44BN ram from 2010 officially netted 171 3/8 - congrats Dwight on a great ram!

Thanks to Clay Goldman of Mogollon Taxidermy in Payson, AZ for taking time out of his Saturday to score these rams!

Indian River Ranch - Big Game Hunts in British Columbia

2011-02-08T16:59:00.001-08:00

This "photo essay" article was previously published in Western Hunter magazine. These photos document my dad's 2006 stone sheep hunt with Indian River Ranch Outfitters in British Columbia.

Photo credit goes to my brother Tom who took some amazing photos. Hunts for this fall are filling up fast. Check the "recession special" rates on the price list below and call outfitter Allan Larson at the number listed.

Article - 2006 Auction Permit Hunt

2011-02-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

Coatamundi and Bobcat

2011-02-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

Jim Hamberlin sent these photos recently....the big bobcat was taken by his friend near Canyon Lake and the Coatamundi was taken yesterday off of Apache Lake. Both should make great mounts with the prime winter coats!

New Tines Up Video

2011-02-01T17:15:00.000-08:00

Tines Up is just about ready to release their second shed antler video called "They Shed 'em....I Find 'em Volume II" - Check their web site by clicking this link as the video should be available soon. Or pick it up at the Hunt Expo this weekend in Salt Lake City. I loved the first video and can't wait to see this one.

2010 AZ Sheep Harvest Data

2011-01-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

Just released - click on each individual sheet to enlarge or detach the files. 2010 was quite a year and there is some interesting data here. 20 desert rams with net green scores over 170 and 5 rams over 180!

Live pics. of Bob's Lion

2011-01-28T06:03:00.001-08:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: Here's a few pics. of my Lion before I took the shot. Donny Randall of Bedlion Outfitters took these neat pics. of the big Tom(Thx. Donny). Thanks to all the guys at Bedlion Outfitters for all the hard work helping me take this great Mt Lion. I've got some great memories of the hunt and will never forget it.

If anyone is interested in hunting Lions with a great pack of hounds and some hard working guides, I highly recommend the crew at Bedlion Outfitters. Give Jim or Donny a call. Jims # is (928)606-1788 and Donny's # is (928)978-2901.

Orocopia Mountain Ram - January 2010

2011-01-26T12:27:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Cliff St. Martin and the Dry Creek Outiftters crew on this magnificent ram taken just days ago in the Orocopia Mountains of southern California. This photo was sent to me by Troy Scott who accompanied Dry Creek Outfitters on the trip. California Fish & Game checked the ram in at 177 3/8 gross and 8.5 years old. This has to be the prettiest ram I've seen out of California!

Trail Cam Pics - Last Summer

2011-01-24T11:12:00.000-08:00

Jim Hamberlin just retrieved a camera that had been out for some time. Here are a few interesting pics that were on the memory card.

There is a small bobcat in the bottom center of this photo.

Two decent rams....hopefully by next year we will start seeing some larger and older rams in this unit again.

This one is really cool.....this large bullfrog set the camera off in the middle of the night!

Cave Camp Site

2011-01-20T17:30:00.000-08:00

Donny's cousin "JL" and I took a walk looking for sheep heads last Sunday and found this big cave. Look closely and you can see evidence that it was used by Native Americans.

If I understand correctly, this rock would have been used to grind corn or grain into flour.
This is the view looking out....it sure would make good shelter from rain or summer heat.

Someone had actually set up a tent camp inside the cave and left the tent there for years. JL and I burned the tent and other garbage and hauled the poles back to a dumpster.

Here you can see part of the tent remnants and JL enjoying some shade. How tough do you gotta be to climb up there in tennis shoes?!

Ram's Best Friend!

2011-01-19T17:44:00.000-08:00

This post is goin' to the dogs! I gained a great appreciation for these hounds over the past couple weeks and this first dog is one of my favorites. Smokey is old, scarred, and deaf and was the most laid back dog of the bunch.

We rode the dogs 4 to a box on the back of quads up and down some very rough trails. It didn't seem to phase them, but honestly I think I would rather walk if I was a dog!

I couldn't keep track of which dogs belonged to which guide, but Jim Bedlion, Donny Randall, and Austin Wilbanks all had dogs in the hunt.

I also couldn't keep track of all the names, but it often sounded like Santa calling out the 8 reindeer when they were calling dogs.....Striker, Smokey, Bubbles, Star, Sancho, Jill, Bull, Gator....the list goes on and on!

How could you not love such hard working animals that will run all day with no food or water, come back with paws and nose full of cactus, and never complain?!

It was amazing to watch these guys conduct the orchestra with 3 to 4 guys and as many as 20 dogs working at one time. They can really cover some country in a day and the guys with Bedlion Outfitters are amazingly efficient at what they do!

Bob's Big Tom

2011-01-18T06:57:00.001-08:00

Posted by Bob Kyhn: After 2 trips and 7 full days of chasing lions with Jim Bedlion and his crew of Bedlion Outfitters I was able to take this big Tom. What an amazing hunt I had with these guys. The shape these guys are in is simply amazing. Day after day they would run their dogs in the rugged terrain around Apache Lake. Guide Donny Randall getting the dogs ready for a day of chasing lions. Donny and I rode the quads for several mile before unloading the dogs.

Jim is securing the boat and Josh is on shore getting his gear ready. It looks like the dogs are ready to chase some lions. The dogs are getting a much need drink from the lake after a long day chasing lions. You can see Jim and Donny on the opposite shore heading for the boats. Anyone who enjoys these majestic bighorns as much as I do, owe a huge debt of gratitude to the guys from Bedlion Outfitters, Jim and Travis Bedlion, Donny Randall and Austin Wilbanks. Because of all their hard work and dedication to hunting lions in this rugged terrain, there will be many more bighorns for us to enjoy. THANKS GUYS!!!

Apache Lake Mountain Lion

2011-01-17T15:13:00.000-08:00

Bob Kyhn completed his Arizona Big 10 when he harvested this mountain lion yesterday. The lion was taken in Unit 22 off of Apache Lake...not only did Bob complete a lifetime goal, he also did a favor to the sheep population along the lakes that he has enjoyed watching for many years.

This hunt was outfitted by Bedlion Outfitters whom we could not recommend more highly. The lion was taken in the yellow cliffs in the bottom photo and fell an estimated 100 feet - look near lower left where guide Austin Wilbanks is standing. He and guide Donny Randall were with Bob when he made the shot.