Bighorn Sheep Hunt 2011

This year, my sister and I both drew out for bighorn sheep in Nevada. Not only is this tag incredibly hard to draw, but it is incredibly rare to draw out with another person in your party in the same year. To give you an idea, my dad has been putting in for this tag every year for the past 30 years and has only drawn out for this tag once. He has also put me in for 13 years, and my sister in for 21 years, and we just barely drew out. It was an incredible and rare opportunity for this to happen, especially if you understand hunting!

We hunted opening morning and were both successful. These sheep are found in very rocky and steep terrain and can see up to a mile away. Getting closer than a 1,000 yards to them is difficult and getting even closer to get a shot off takes serious hunting skills! We were successful, and I killed a 9 1/2 year old ram, and my sister killed an 8 1/2 year old ram. It was a great hunt that I will always remember. It is a little bittersweet that it is over so quickly, but it was an amazing experience.

 If you don't know much about Desert bighorn sheep, here are a few fun facts...

The most conspicuous feature of the desert bighorn sheep is the large brown horns that continue to grow. Both rams (males) and ewes (females) have horns, though the horns of rams are much bigger and more curved. Each horn is in a “C” shape known as a “curl”. The horns are permanent and consist of a sheath of keratin (a hard protein found in fingernails and hair) covering a bony core.

Desert bighorns are located in mountain ranges throughout the southwest. Besides the southern region of Nevada, populations exist in Arizona, southeast California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Texas and Mexico. Typical desert bighorn terrain is rough, rocky and steep, broken up by canyons and washes. This type of terrain affords them the advantage in coping with predation. Desert bighorns live in regions marked by hot summers and little annual precipitation. Bighorn sheep require access to freestanding water during summer months, and in drought conditions they may water throughout the year. They often break open barrel cactus with their horns and eat out the inside.

During the rutting season in July through September, dominance among rams is established in contests in which two rams may clash horns. It has been estimated rams may meet head-on at a combined speed of approximately 30 mph. 

Amazing animals!

I Fell in Love

I know this is not the most exotic place in the world, but I fell in love with Flagstaff over the summer. After spending a weekend there in a cabin with my family and camping there over Labor Day weekend with Kyle and Macy, I am obsessed. Maybe it has something to do with the amazing weather in the summer and that it is only two hours from Phoenix, but I like it there! We were lucky enough to stay in a beautiful cabin that backed up to the greenest golf course. We did some hiking and took Macy for her first swim in Lake Mary. She learned how to swim in about one second but wasn't a fan. We will have to try it again next summer. Anyone up for a weekend in Flagstaff? Look how beautiful!

Great backyard for star gazing or golf gazing, in Kyle's case!

Macy loved rolling in this grass...she was obssessed.



Our first camping trip...finally!!





Lake Mary




Macy recovering from her first dip in the lake.



Newport Beach

After we got Macy, we were able to head off to Newport Beach with my family. The weather was perfect of course, and we enjoyed going to the beach, Ikea, the pool, and more beach. The girls enjoyed riding a few ferris wheels, and the twins braved the beach. Even though it was crazy almost every minute, it was a great trip. I guess if someone twisted my arm, I would go back. It was my last week of vacation before I had to head back to work for the school year, and it made my school blues even bluer! Thanks Mom and Dad for a great trip.

 



Macy

Okay-here goes my attempt to get caught up with my blogging from the last few months. There will be more posts to come, but first I have to blog about our new puppy- a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel! We got Macy on the 4th of July, and she was only 2 pounds. She is now almost four months old and has tripled her weight. Macy is the biggest cuddler ever and has the sweetest personality. I am totally a weird puppy lover now, and she has become a member of our family. Kyle even loves her - must be the big ears!