“I was shaking more than normal with the adrenaline and cold wind,” Justin Sheedy told the Helena Independent Record.
The Montana State University civil engineering student set his crosshairs on a large bighorn ram from 279 yards away in the Missouri River Breaks. The shot rang true and the animal went down.
Sheedy knew it was big, but didn’t know exactly how big it was until it was officially measured. The final numbers go like this: 208 3/8 Boone and Crockett official scoring system or large enough to tie the largest ram ever taken.
The truth is Sheedy already had luck on his side. Despite odds of less than one percent, he drew the coveted tag. He then spent three weeks chasing the ram. And though he did successfully fill his tag, Sheedy says that’s not what hunting is all about.
“I just feel an element of survival even though it’s not a life-or-death situation,” he told the Helena Independent Record. “In the outdoors, being away from people and technology, I don’t have to worry about the stresses of life. And it’s great pursuing a challenge you’re passionate about.”