GET IN YOUR BEST SHAPE

Get In Your Best Shape | Arizona Bighorn Sheep Hunting

Story By: Marc Orlando 

It all started with a phone call from Huntin’ Fool in June of this year notifying me that I had drawn a once-in-a-lifetime Arizona unit 22 Rocky Mountain sheep tag. Out-of-state, in the random draw… What are the odds? After more than a decade, the “apply, apply, apply” method had finally worked. After a couple of phone calls to guys in the sheep world, including Scott Coe of Sheep Mountain Outfitters and Robert Hanneman at Huntin’ Fool, it was clear that Sam Dieringer of Dieringer Outfitters was the guide for the job.

Early on in our communications, he sent me a picture of some of the most rugged country I’ve ever seen and said, “Get in your best shape.” Over the next five months, I managed to get my fifty-five-year-old frame into the best shape it’s been in over the last decade. After what seemed like forever, the day of departure finally arrived. Three of my closest friends and I headed out the day after Thanksgiving to make the long drive from Oregon to Arizona. We were greeted by guide Brent Bunger. We hit it off from the very beginning. He and his wife were amazing and set us up with incredible accommodations. Then the hunt was on. Sam and his crew had had eyes all over my unit for the last several weeks and had a target “Flare” ram located shortly before my arrival.

Opening morning arrived and we found ourselves in an hour-long truck ride to the trailhead. This was followed by an hour-long buggy ride from the trailhead up some seriously brutal terrain and an additional thirty-minute hike up the mountain. We arrived at our spotting location at daylight. Sam had raced to the far peak by himself at daylight. It didn’t take him long to locate the target Flare ram. Unfortunately, Sam was on the far side of the drainage from our location. Off the mountain we went, headed toward Sam. After an hour and a half and significant elevation change, we arrived at his location. He had a group of rams located that included not only the target Flare ram but a new “Tight Curl” ram. Both were mature rams in the 180" class.

We worked our way off the back side of the mountain and onto the face where the rams were located. I can say, without doubt, that this was some of the most vertical terrain I’ve ever jumped off. We found ourselves on a steep ledge overlooking the rams. What an issue to have: the Tight Curl ram at 375 yards or the Flare ram at 260 yards? The older Flare ram was awesome, but I loved the look and shape of the Tight Curl ram. He was bedded, slightly quartered toward me. After some debate on whether to let him stand up or to take the small shooting window while he was still bedded, I got the green light from Sam. Game on. With everyone ready and the digiscope rolling, I snuggled my rifle into the packs for the steep-angle shot. Distance: 375 yards. Shooting solution: 317 yards. I dialed the turret, settled the scope, and sent one down range.

I didn’t see the hit, but I heard the impact. As I came off the recoil, the ram stood up, off shoulder broken. He went stiff legged, stumbled a few steps, and tipped over. After a few additional kicks, he settled on a boulder just above the drop-off into the canyon.

As I laid on the gun, taking it all in, I thought to myself, “Now that is how it is supposed to work!” After some congratulations, we made our way down to the ram through a boulder-and-cactus-ridden side draw. He was everything and then some. After pictures and breaking the ram down, we started our long pack out. Three hours later, we arrived at the buggies. Two of the crew had gone back earlier and built a fire. What an incredible sight as we finished the last leg off the mountain.

As we sat around the fire, reliving the hunt and the experience, I couldn’t help but think what an incredible day this had been. I had just taken a once-in-a-lifetime ram. The hunt was amazing on many levels, but being in my “best shape” was a key component. What amazing and vertical country. I would like to thank Sam Dieringer for the motivation to prepare myself for this hunt, for sharing his expertise, and for the help of his first-class guides. I would also like to thank my closest friends—Darren, Kevin, and Scott—for taking the time to accompany me on this adventure. My group of guys has hunted together for more years than I can count. We have always said the hunt is all about the story. I cannot thank them enough for making this a story of a lifetime. Incredible.