Soon a group of rams began to file up out of the canyon and onto the slope opposite of us. There were several good rams, with a couple of larger ones sporting broken horns. I picked out the best-looking set of horns and told Norm to "shoot the one walking above the rest and fourth back from the front."

Norm was packing one of his custom 9.3x62mm rifles (we call him "9.3 Norm") and he assumed a tight sitting position for the 160-yard shot. At the shot the ram he had targeted staggered and stopped while the rest of the rams fled the area. He shot again as the ram began to slide backwards and tumble down the ridge and out of sight into the canyon.

Ballistically, the 9.3x62 is between the .35 Whelan and the .338/06. It enjoys a fine reputation in Europe, and in Africa is looked on as nearly equal to the .375 H&H due to excellent sectional density and resultant penetration of its .366 bullet. Norm's 235-grain Hawk bullet put the ram down in good order. We were both tickled and shook hands over and over.

AIMING FOR TROPHY QUALITY
The rams in the canyon are getting older and their horns are getting bigger. Witness that rams have been taken that record in the upper 160 and lower 170 range, using the Boone & Crockett scoring system.

One of the better bighorns taken just last season was a great ram shot by Gary Bilyeu of The Dalles. Gary's reaction to drawing his tag was like everyone's -- total surprise and absolute disbelief. Ironically, he received notice that he's drawn a tag not on a return card from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife but from his brother, who read the notification on the Internet.

Since The Dalles is only 15 miles from the mouth of the Deschutes River, Gary spent at least three days a week for three months scouting for his ram. Most of his scouting was done by driving back roads that put him within two or three miles of the Deschutes canyon. Then he spent hours glassing with binoculars and a spotting scope, attempting to find the largest ram possible. His second concern was planning possible stalking routes to get a shot at the ram of his choice.

Several local hunters who know the canyon and its sheep helped him scout, and then a near-calamity struck. Ten days before the season opened, Gary became afflicted with pancreitis, an extremely painful ailment. Somehow he recovered enough to make opening day on Sept. 4, and although he was physically weak, he was determined to make good his hunt for a trophy ram.

His stepson, Richard Irving, and friend, Alvin Decker, went along to help. Between them they located three rams that first morning. Two were big rams and the other was smaller. They also had some competition that morning as another tag holder sought his ram in the same area.

The rams moved down into a shallow canyon and then rambled out of sight. Then all three hunters saw the sheep moving toward Gary's position. The wait for the rams to move into range was almost interminable.

Finally he felt the rams had moved close enough to shoot, and he rested his .25/06 over his backpack. He was shooting handloads: a 120-grain Hornady Interlock bullet backed by 51-grains of 4831. He chose the biggest ram, and with the first shot there was no reaction. He shot again and the ram collapsed and slid down a shale-covered ridge. The three held a ridge-side celebration right there on that steep slope.

At that moment Gary's painful condition was the last thing on his mind. He had taken a great ram that scored better than 167 B&C points. After pictures Gary needed the extra help to pack his ram up out of the canyon.

The best part of these stories is that the Deschutes canyon rams are back. With the help of good game management and financial backing from the hunting fraternity, there are rams in the canyon once again.