I shot a Ram yesterday. One of those with the large curled horns that start growing at the top front of the skull growing backwards and turning a complete circle ending up pointed upward and somewhat outward to the face of the animal.
This was a big Ram that my brother wanted thinned from his herd of animals and was destined to be table fare for a fellow and his family from Africa.
I received a call from my brother wanting me to bring a heavy rifle to dispatch this animal as all he had was a 22 mag rifle and a 1903 Springfield that I had given him to shoot Buffalo. The 22 was obviously too small and the 06 was over kill as we were worried about hitting other animals etc. as it would not stop by the relatively small body of the ram.
I chose two rifles a .222 Remington and a SKS to take along. Not knowing exactly what was in store for me. I filled the magazine well of the .222 and we went out to the game yard with a tractor and loader which the animals were used to seeing and being around to see what we could do. When we got close to the animals they started moving away from the tractor so I dismounted and took up a position that would allow me a good shot when the herd passed by. I was planning on a headshot but soon understood that it was nearly impossible for me to get a clear brain shot. I have shot many large animals such as cattle and hogs and quite a few deer for butchering and never had much difficulty in dropping any with a headshot. Let me tell you it is nearly impossible to get a clear shot for the head with the animal moving and those big horns being in the way. If the animal looks right at you they seem to tilt their head back and you would have to shoot at their nose to be in line for the brain and there would be too much bone to penetrate to get the job done.
As the animals were bunched up and constantly moving I ended up taking a heart shot that actually went about 4 inches too high and became a lung hit. I had allowed too much for the thickness of the wool on the body of the sheep. It simply is not that thick and heavy on their brisket area and there is little wool on the bottom of the brisket. The animal turned and gave me another opportunity for a side shot at the heart, which I took and he went down in just a few seconds. The total time elapsed was about 30 to 40 seconds between the first shot fired and the animal being down and bleeding out.
The body of the ram was approximately 18 to 20 inch thick where the bullets hit and neither one exited the animal. This is what I had wanted as to prevent thru shots from possibly hitting other animals in the herd.
I was going to use the SKS for a heart shot but I already had the 222 loaded and with me and it did a good job. Does anyone know how the SKS might have performed? Do you think that the 30 cal spire point would have gone completely thru the animal? Would the 30 cal have knocked the ram off his feet on the first shot? I have never used the SKS for anything as I had just gotten it and sighted it in, so no experience with it at all.
I had to leave before the body cavity was opened so I don’t know how much if any meat was damaged, I don’t think that it did much more than scramble the lungs. The entrance holes were nothing more than a bit bigger than the 22 cal round.
I just talked to my brother who said that almost no damage to meat as the rounds were both contained in the ribcage and the men would be back in two weeks for another animal. They were very happy with the way things went.
Just a note: I usually shoot cattle and hogs in the head with a 22LR when done properly they drop instantly. They usually stand still and you can shoot them from almost point blank range and a single shot will normally do it.
Vern
This was a big Ram that my brother wanted thinned from his herd of animals and was destined to be table fare for a fellow and his family from Africa.
I received a call from my brother wanting me to bring a heavy rifle to dispatch this animal as all he had was a 22 mag rifle and a 1903 Springfield that I had given him to shoot Buffalo. The 22 was obviously too small and the 06 was over kill as we were worried about hitting other animals etc. as it would not stop by the relatively small body of the ram.
I chose two rifles a .222 Remington and a SKS to take along. Not knowing exactly what was in store for me. I filled the magazine well of the .222 and we went out to the game yard with a tractor and loader which the animals were used to seeing and being around to see what we could do. When we got close to the animals they started moving away from the tractor so I dismounted and took up a position that would allow me a good shot when the herd passed by. I was planning on a headshot but soon understood that it was nearly impossible for me to get a clear brain shot. I have shot many large animals such as cattle and hogs and quite a few deer for butchering and never had much difficulty in dropping any with a headshot. Let me tell you it is nearly impossible to get a clear shot for the head with the animal moving and those big horns being in the way. If the animal looks right at you they seem to tilt their head back and you would have to shoot at their nose to be in line for the brain and there would be too much bone to penetrate to get the job done.
As the animals were bunched up and constantly moving I ended up taking a heart shot that actually went about 4 inches too high and became a lung hit. I had allowed too much for the thickness of the wool on the body of the sheep. It simply is not that thick and heavy on their brisket area and there is little wool on the bottom of the brisket. The animal turned and gave me another opportunity for a side shot at the heart, which I took and he went down in just a few seconds. The total time elapsed was about 30 to 40 seconds between the first shot fired and the animal being down and bleeding out.
The body of the ram was approximately 18 to 20 inch thick where the bullets hit and neither one exited the animal. This is what I had wanted as to prevent thru shots from possibly hitting other animals in the herd.
I was going to use the SKS for a heart shot but I already had the 222 loaded and with me and it did a good job. Does anyone know how the SKS might have performed? Do you think that the 30 cal spire point would have gone completely thru the animal? Would the 30 cal have knocked the ram off his feet on the first shot? I have never used the SKS for anything as I had just gotten it and sighted it in, so no experience with it at all.
I had to leave before the body cavity was opened so I don’t know how much if any meat was damaged, I don’t think that it did much more than scramble the lungs. The entrance holes were nothing more than a bit bigger than the 22 cal round.
I just talked to my brother who said that almost no damage to meat as the rounds were both contained in the ribcage and the men would be back in two weeks for another animal. They were very happy with the way things went.
Just a note: I usually shoot cattle and hogs in the head with a 22LR when done properly they drop instantly. They usually stand still and you can shoot them from almost point blank range and a single shot will normally do it.
Vern
