[KTownKiller]

Sorry guys!!! With some help, I think I got the pics fired up this time around!!!

Intro;
Well, someone asked for pics in my new member intro! So I thought I'd go right to my favs!!! Not xbow hunting, but thought some may find it entertaining anyway. I'm spoiled to live in BC, Canada where we have mountains to climb, and a huge variety of game! Including one of the most prized, Stone sheep in the very remote, northern parts!!! FYI, non residents pay between 50-55 Gs to bag one of these brutes!

I finally got a guy to commit to a trip up where I've been twice before. And I booked flights and dates right away! Flights gotta be booked in late winter or early spring, because the few bush pilots there are, get really booked with hunts. His last 4 days of July were already full! So we chose to fly July 27th. Because there was nooo way we wanted to be flying on Aug 1st, opening day!!! Especially when we needed a couple days just to backpack into the ram's area from the lake!

Months of training, preparing homemade dehydrated food and packing began! And we pulled outta Kelowna in my big red Tundra for the long drive north, on the 26th of July.

I know this place very well, and there are huge rams in it! Last year, I saw 17 rams in one group on opening day!!! One of which was a wopping 4-5 inches past full curl!!! So he was the one I was really hoping for this year!

So, this year was an epic hunt!!! And I literally, 'Hammered' my first Stone Ram!

Let's get to it, here's the low down;
I had my 25-06, Weatherby S2 loaded with RL 17 behind my new 92gr Hammer Hunter, all copper pills, as I set up on a group of Stone rams at about 500 yds!! (Ya, I like tiny, fast meds!!!)

It was Aug 2nd, about 3pm, and they had no idea I was there! I made sure the big boy was way past full curl, then had to wait for him to be in a good place for Hammer time!!! I got my quarter bore in a solid position on the ground, and made sure I could lay in a good prone position. With the help of a small, cloth bag I keep with me, I filled it with dirt to use as a shooting bag. It was past 5:30pm, when he woke up, and stood perfect!!! ......BOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!

 

[KTownKiller]

If his horn tips weren't worn back a couple inches, he'd be 40+"or more, Now he's just a hair under 40", with a 27" spread!!! His bases are 14" around, and he's 10.5 years old! Scores about 167 P&Y.

So the weather was a bit sketchy, the day we flew in, July 27. But we managed to stay dry anyway.



And it was still, the next day. So we hung out at the lake another day. We had lots of time anyway. We hit the trail the 29th, but didn't make the alpine. But pitched the tent in a great spot anyway. The ground was so soft, we didn't really need mattresses. Set up a bear alarm around camp though because of all the big grizz tracks everywhere! Yikes!



Trying out my new Havalon Baracuta saw and knife combo! Very impressed!!! Trim'n branches to get food bags up off the ground.



The 30th, we set up in the sub alpine! Nice flat spot for the tent, and awesome fresh water nearby! The 31st was a rainy morn'n, so we just hung out by camp, and could glass sheep right from there anyway! The next morn'n, Aug 1st opener! Had to wait for the fog to burn off, so headed out about 11am. Got out where we could glass 11 rams in several groups, including my big one, waay in the distance!!!! Only had a brief look with bins, but I could tell he was a beaut!!!!



This isn't a great ram mnt, but sure looks good!!!



View of camp...I could stay here a looong time!!!



Not a shooter! But look how wide he is already!!! These rams get huge here! Wide, flaring tips are the norm with the boyz here!!!!



Still not!!!


But this one was!!!!!


Aug 3rd to pack him out! Took over 4 hours just to get back to him, from camp. Buried the meat in snow on the way back to camp, and got back just before dark! What a day!!! But! What an awesome end to the day!!!!! This is quite the view right from camp!!!!! Made it hard to go to bed every night! And that is only from about 11pm - 3am.



Next morning, caping and salting.....But there's horns in camp!!!! And tenderloins on the fire at the close of yet another day!!!!! Need loads of time for sheep hunts!
The cloud here was actually a big fire started by lightning, I guess. We were glad to see it calmed down the next day! We were start'n to wonder, and checked in with the pilot on my InReach, 2 way satellite texting device. Slick little units for hunts in the wilderness like this! They're taking over from sat phones, I think!



These are grizz we saw a couple days after I got my ram! They were chow'n down on a sheep. On our flight out, we saw them just leaving my kill site!


Aug 9th, last night at the lake, to fly out next day. One day earlier than planned, because of the meat. We brought my ram out nearly 30km from the lake. Good thing I like hike'n!!!

Kept the meat in great shape (clean and cold) for 9 days, just keeping it in snow, creeks and the lake. Always had it in clean cotton pillow cases and sterilized with vitamin c or salt.
I'll never forget this trip! Thanks Ethan for come'n and put'n up with me!!! And for all the great pics!!!!!


So, now ya understand my addiction a bit more in my profile!? LOL

Hope ya liked,
KTK

 

[KTownKiller]

I hope y'all can see the pics now!?

The tent is a Henrey Shires design from Calif, and sewn in the good ol USA!!!! In Seattle Wash.
This sucker only weighs in at 4 lbs and is top notch gear! Found out about them on backpacking forums. Ya can only buy direct from him, at Tarptent it's called.

 

[Jack Pine]

Great pix, story and trophy too, congratulations.
Made me tired just reading about all that climbing/hiking!

 

[robertyb]

The pics turned out great. Beautiful country without a doubt. I loved your story and presentation, it looks professionally done. Great sheep too! Congrats.

 

[Old Vet]

Awesome hunt and story to go with it. Reminds me of hunting New Mexico Mulies at 12,000 feet when I was young and frisky. Nothing like a pack in hunt, miles away from another hunting party.

Congrats on a beautiful ram and a great recount of your adventure. Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[samt]

KTK, that's awesome! I thoroughly enjoyed you story and pictures, and I can see why it's hard to leave! Thanks for sharing.

 

[KTownKiller]

Thanks! Glad y'all enjoyed it!
This year, I'll probably really go after a Rocky Bighorn! I've got an awesome spot for them out in the Rockies, about 6 hr drive from here only. A guy that does wildlife counts for the Gov't put me onto the spot! Been in there 4 times and probably seen that many full curl legal rams in there! Next ones hit'n dirt!!!

The guy that went with me is a very busy, pro photographer. But could only bring his I phone, because we were so loaded with food for two weeks! He was sure wish'n he had his big cam sometimes, but not when were haul'n loads and do'n creek crossings!!!!

 

[TX_RDXguy]

Great story, excellent pictures, beautiful ram and a memory to hold on to for life, no doubt!

Now, step it up a bit Nolan and repeat that effort with your crossbow

 

[KTownKiller]

Thanks, Rich! Ya, that would be a challenge with an xbow forsure!!! 300 yd shots are considered close range for these boyz in that country! That's why the quarter bore reaching out to 600! Looks wild when the ram drops a couple seconds after the Boooom! I'll never forget that image in my mind!!!

 

[highoctane]

Living the dream!!!! Beautiful ram! Those grizzlies are awesome! Ive also wanted to go after one of those big ol boars!

 

[KTownKiller]

Thanks!
My friends got flown into the far end of the same lake after my trip there, and shot a decent bull moose the very next morning before they could have breaky and coffee!!! Then they spent the next 7 days trying to keep all the grizz off the meat!!! Had enough finally and got flown out a few days early! This northern country is polluted in Grizz!!!!
You're constantly watch'n for them up there!...Not the most fun hauling packs with sheep meat through the thick areas along the creek bottoms! Pepper sprays in hand with the safety button off in the thickest areas!!! And make noise to let them know you're coming through! On the way in, I got rid of one young Grizz with a bear banger over his head!!! Man, did he run from that!!!! Works better than shooting at them because they can see it coming at them.
And now, we can't hunt Grizz!!! Unreal!!!! I won't say what I'm think'n......

 

[KTownKiller]

BTW; I told a bio about these bears in my pic. He said that it's very rare a sow will have 4 cubs! And that the only reason she still has 4, is because she keeps them high in the alpine, too avoid the boars down lower where the huckleberries are. The boars will try to kill cubs when ever they can, so she's keeping them up high, and training them to live on what's up there. Including Ptarmigan, rodents and, sheep even! He said he's seen them run'n sheep right up into the rocks and surrounding them to take down like nothin!!!! The cubs get very proficient at it too! Yikes!!!

Awesome to see, but they can be big, stink'n, kill'n machines!

 

[SEW]

Very impressive! Great pictures and narrative. I think that’s a perfect cartridge choice! I use both Barnes and CEB.
How was the flight? Cessna 206?
Congratulations on your trophy.

 

[KTownKiller]

Thanks, Steve!!!

I've been using Barnes for over 20 years with awesome results! Which to me, goes way beyond just a dead animal! I want a pill that doesn't waste meat, even if shoulder shot. And I don't want meat infused with lead, period! IMHO, and I want small holes in capes of game I may want to mount. Big gaping holes just don't suit mounts well!!! .....Anyways, lol! Just say'n!

But I was start'n to worry about the performance on longer shots between say 400-600 yds. And Barnes don't make a long range quarter bore pill in their LRX line up. I've asked (bugged) Ty Herring (Barnes tech dude) a couple times about it over the years, but they can't get the weight issue figured out for the common 1/10 twist pipes most factory offerings come with. Then I found another Steve dude at this newer company, Hammer bullets!!! He's a brilliant gunsmith/engineer guy that came up with a 92gr pill that got great performance out to about 600 yds in my cal at the velocity they're being spat at, with RL 17!

These are an all copper pill that's designed to shed it's petals. And can perform carnage down to 1600 fps vs the TTSX at about 2200fps. So I'm stick'n with the 100gr TTSX for under 400 yds, 'cause I figure there's no need for fragmenting pills at good velocity. But the Hammer Hunters are where it's at for when it's slowing down too much maybe for good expansion. So when I got into the basin and saw how far the rams where, I reloaded up with the Hammers and got ready for the launch!!!

I'm tempted to get Steve to make me a 1/7 twist pipe and use their heavier pill. Which he says turns the little lowly 25 cal into a 1000yds sheep slay'n machine!!! But that might be overkill a little. Not sure...

Yikes! Ya got me go'n, man!!! But all this performance....and probably less than 15 ftlbs of recoil!!!

Yup, you're right, a 206 took us in. But it had starter troubles later, so we got hauled out with his 185. Bumpy rides, but I love it!!! And half the coinage of a Beaver or Otter!!!!
https://alpinelakesair.com/about/

 

[KTownKiller]

I hate this editing time out thingy go'n on here!

PS, the flights are half the fun of these trips up north!!!! Peaks and glaciers as far as the eye can see!!!! Sooo much eye candy!!!!! It's gonna be hard for me not to be book'n another flight next month!!!!!

 

[SEW]

You’ve had an exciting time. Hammer makes MLing bullets. He makes a 4005 and 4008 with weights from 253-323g. I see no downside to faster twists for all except dedicated benchrest barrels. The faster twist allows greater loading flexibility - much wider sweet spots and has no downside with short, quality bullets. I shoot 40 NBTs out of my 22-250 AK IMP at 4500’/sec. coyotes shot with that don’t get mounted. And, of course, it does great with 75 Amaxes and the various 80s.
Slower twist rates rule out higher BC monolithic bullets.

 

[KTownKiller]

I'm still pretty happy with the performance I'm get'n though just outta my 1/10 twist with monos.

 

[KTownKiller]

Quote from SEW; "Slower twist rates rule out higher BC monolithic bullets."

Sorry, ya, I see what you're say'n! In other words, slower twist rates can not stabilize the heavy monos, right? Which would be higher BC...

I keep hearing people thinking that heavier pills are better and make a bigger wound channel. But, like Steve from Hammer Bullets and Ty both said also, it has more to do with what works with the twist of the pipe, and how it stabilizes a bullet....Slower twist/smaller pills and faster twist/heavier projectiles.

Wound channels through soft lung matter is about the same now with small, fast pills as I had outta my old kick'n stick, 06! So it's obviously just the shock waves from the bullet that tear up the soft lungs. But the tough muscle tissue doesn't get as damaged if it's hit. So I see better over all performance and less recoil, so it can be easier to make those longer shot....

 

[HunterB]

Quote from SEW; "Slower twist rates rule out higher BC monolithic bullets."

Sorry, ya, I see what you're say'n! In other words, slower twist rates can not stabilize the heavy monos, right? Which would be higher BC...

I keep hearing people thinking that heavier pills are better and make a bigger wound channel. But, like Steve from Hammer Bullets and Ty both said also, it has more to do with what works with the twist of the pipe, and how it stabilizes a bullet....Slower twist/smaller pills and faster twist/heavier projectiles.

Wound channels through soft lung matter is about the same now with small, fast pills as I had outta my old kick'n stick, 06! So it's obviously just the shock waves from the bullet that tear up the soft lungs. But the tough muscle tissue doesn't get as damaged if it's hit. So I see better over all performance and less recoil, so it can be easier to make those longer shot....

Congrats. Beautiful Ram and pictures. I also took a ram very much like that in 1979 in northern BC. Also saw grizzlies ,mountain goats, and wolverines. Huge awesome country.