South Dakota Bighorn Sheep Confirmed New World Record

by
posted on February 18, 2019
worldrecordbighornsheep-sd_lead.jpg
Clayton Miller

On Jan. 24th, the Pope and Young Club assembled a special panel to officially measure a new potential world record Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, taken by Clayton Miller in Pennington County, S.D. in October 2018.

With a final score of 209⅛ inches, the ram was massive ram was confirmed as the largest hunter-killed bighorn sheep with both Pope and Young and Boone and Crockett, exceeding the previous world record ram (taken by Todd Kirk in 1998) by nearly 10 inches.

“I couldn’t believe it when I got the phone call that my name had been drawn for the first and only bighorn sheep unit in the Badlands of South Dakota! I have been dreaming of the opportunity to draw a tag like this since I started applying religiously at the age of 12,” said Miller. “I went into this hunt knowing that there were some spectacular animals in the area, but it was beyond my wildest dream that I would be after the new Pope and Young Club World Record!”

Justin Spring, Records Director for the Boone and Crockett Club and part of the special panel that measured the new world record sheep said, “Boone and Crockett would like to join Pope and Young in congratulating the hunter on his record-setting ram. In addition, we also would like to thank all those involved … in the restoration efforts bringing a robust population of bighorn sheep back to South Dakota. This is a true testament to the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and a shining beacon of what can be accomplished with efforts and funds being dedicated to wildlife."

Miller’s ram will be on display at the Pope and Young Club’s 31st Biennial Convention in Omaha, Neb., April 10-13, 2019. It will accompany both the new World Record non-typical mule deer, which scored 191⅛ inches, and the new World Record Alaskan brown bear that measured 29-4/16 inches.

Latest

How To Hunt North Woods Without Snow Lead
How To Hunt North Woods Without Snow Lead

How to Hunt the North Woods Without Snow

In the North Woods, when no snow covers the ground, you won't see deer by any hunting method unless you first find woods with sign. The most successful hunters here, regardless of the weather, are adaptable.

Recipe: Easy Grouse Shawarma

Brad Fenson takes some fresh spruce grouse from a recent hunt in Saskatchewan, and turns them into an easy, delicious shawarma.

Art Fueling Conservation in Arkansas

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation and Historic Cane Hill have issued a nationwide call for art to be featured on the 2025 Arkansas Northern Bobwhite Conservation Stamp and Eastern Wild Turkey Conservation Stamp.

4 Reasons Big-Bore Revolvers are Still Ideal Trail Guns

Although semi-automatic pistols have a place in the trail gun line up, revolvers still have their advantages.

First Look: Rise Reliant Bolt-Action Trigger

Rise Triggers has entered the bolt-action market with its first-ever trigger for the Remington 700 platform: the Reliant Hunter and Reliant Pro triggers.

NRA Announces New Club Leadership & Development Online Course

The National Rifle Association of America is pleased to announce the release of its newly revised edition of the NRA Club Leadership & Development Online Course.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.