Hi everyone!
Just back from my first sheep hunt, aDall’s Sheep taken on August 5th in the Yukon. Detlef Reuss withHelmut Hofmann and I hunted with Mervyn’s Yukon Outfitting. Detlefharvested an incredible sheep with a Federal 300 WM Trophy Bonded Tipload that could make B&C; pictures from his camera to follow.
The hunt of a lifetime, I wasprivileged to stay at the same camp and hunt the same country JackO’Connor did many years ago. As you recall, Jack was the longtimefirearms editor of Outdoor Life magazine. At an early age I read manyof his articles and never would have dreamed I would be able to walkin his footprints. He lived in Lewiston, ID from 1948 until his deathin 1978.
Please note the memorial comments Icopied from the Yukon hunting cabin wall:
O’Conner Memorial Ram -by Eldon”Buck” Buchner, VP N.A. Big Game Records, Boone &Crockett Club
“My friend Jack O’Connor(1902-1978) first hunted the Whitehorse area in 1958 with Herb Klein,taking a 44″ Ram on Pilot Mountain. In 1956 he shot a 40 1/2inch ram on Prospector Mountain, North of here, hunting with OutdoorLife Editor Bill Rae and Fred Huntington. In 1963 he returned withhis wife Eleanor, Bill Ruger, Bob Chatfield-Taylor and LeonardBrownell with two pack strings-Alex Davis Outfitter. Eleanor missed abig ram out of this camp spot, but later killed it near Dry PassCamp. It was over 43″ and won a B&C medal. Grizzlies,caribou and other sheep were bagged on the hunt by the party. Jackdid not take a ram, but passed on several under 40″. Today,8-30-05, accompanied by guide Russ Geisbreeht, his wife and cook Jodiand Matt Neufeld, wrangler, I scattered part of Jack and Eleanor’sashes on a high little sheep basin South of camp, as per Jack’swishes and family request.”
The shot on my sheep was made at 430yards with a HS Precision 300 WM using a 180 grain Fusion load. (Thiswas the only good sheep I saw and I was not about to let him getaway). The measurements on the eight year old Dall’s Sheep have onehorn at 37″ and the other at 38″. The base of the horns are13 1/2 inches. My plans are to get the trophy mounted and put it onthe wall, so it will be here when you stop by and I can tell you moreof the story.
Tom
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