“Karma,” Good things happen to good people,” even to paraphrase the great Jim Carrey line, “...you mean there’s still a chance”? All these phrases could have been used after receiving Austin Atkinson’s phone call at the end of May ‘23 informing me that I had pulled a Nevada unit 267 sheep tag. The phrases were not in reference to the Nevada tag in hand but to the most improbable of occurrences.Austin had contacted me early in January of 2023, telling me about Arizona’s new web-based Ethical Hunting Course that would award me an additional bonus point upon completion. Both Austin and I knew what that would mean for June 2023’s sheep tag application, maximum point status. No guarantee but a lot better than “...just one short of maximum point status.” I would suggest to anyone that they take advantage of this opportunity to gain just that little edge as a resident or non-resident in the pursuit of all that Arizona has to offer. The successful completion of the course and acceptance by Arizona Game and Fish is what led me to ask Austin on the phone call confirming and concerning my once-in-a-lifetime Nevada sheep tag, “...so you’re saying there is still a chance?” Shortly after the Arizona sheep tag draw, I saw the number and ID on my cell phone and could only start laughing when I found Austin on the other end of the line. Yes, I had drawn the tag. Austin had put me in for unit 37A just north and a little west of Tucson.Here is where I would like to thank Huntin’ Fool for years of advice, counsel, and encouragement. I live in Atlanta, Georgia, and my first exposure to western hunting was the Powder River Breaks in Montana for mule deer and antelope right after college. I originally enlisted the help of a one-man application service out of Montana. It was a year or two later that I stumbled on the most interesting monthly newsletter printed on paper and offering assistance in the application process for all the western states. At the time, I had to use the index of the Utah section of Rand McNally Maps to locate Cedar City, Utah, but once I did, Huntin’ Fool has been a staple in my life 12 months a year.The next call shortly after my selection for the Arizona unit 37A tag was Austin’s phone call highly recommending A3 Trophy Hunts with guide Jason Marsalla. By the end of June, Austin and I had finalized plans which would see me heading for Tucson on the Friday of Thanksgiving with my son-in-law, Graham.Friday, November 24th, found Graham and me taking back roads from the Tucson Airport to Marana, Arizona and the home of our guide, Jason Marsalla. Being a holiday weekend, Jason was able to enlist a number of friends to help with spotting as we went out to find a sheep. We were very fortunate in that Jason lives in unit 37A and we were hunting literally in his backyard. Our main focus was the Silverbells area, but we took a quick trip through Waterman Park.Saturday had us finding a number of sheep high up on the east side of the Silverbells and crossing back and forth from the west side into our view on the east and back again to the west. We were fortunate that we had Cole Davis spotting from the west side all day and had sheep, including one very good sheep, in his view the entire day. Access from the west is complicated by the presence of Silver Bell Mines and Mining Company. Complicated only in the sense that this is private property and not accessible to enable any approach from the west on the specific sheep sighted. Day one ended positively knowing we had sheep in the area. My question was how I was going to get close enough.Days two and three had us working the east slopes of the Silverbells towards the southern part of the range. Day two was much like day one, but we had our first break mid-morning on day three. Graham was spotting with Jay Lopeman, one of the principals of A3 Trophy Hunts, when he “stumbled” on a sheep Jay thought was worthy of a closer look. Jason and I circled back around to Graham and Jay’s location and made a plan for a stalk. The stalk was everything I imagined. We use the topography to make our initial approach, staying out of the sheep’s sightline using the hills and then dropping into the washes to stay out of sight. Our first setup was at about 800 yards, which I knew and Jason suspected was probably not the right distance for a shot, plus the sheep wasn’t cooperating. Jason made the executive decision to dive back off the hill and try to get closer.We crested a rise using the vegetation for cover at about 550 yards only to find the sheep bedded and looking away. The weather was terrific, but it was the hottest part of the day just out in the open. Jason was clairvoyant when during our waiting he said “...when the sheep gets up, he will be moving.” After an hour, just as Jason predicted, the sheep rose, turned to his left, and slowly began moving. I had self- doubts to the distance and may have dialed one click too many into my elevation. The video would prove that to be the case as you could see the bullets contrail sail about six feet over the sheep’s back. At the shot, the sheep ran to the ridgeline and gave me another broadside opportunity, but again I probably dialed in another six extra feet of elevation not having an accurate distance for the sheep.Day four found Graham having to return home, so he was going to the Tucson Airport while we were heading out. The only change in plans was that Jason offered to let me use his rifle, which I had no hesitancy accepting. Jason shoots a rifle of his own making, using a .338 caliber pushing a 300 grain bullet and Nightforce Optics with an extremely light trigger pull. As Jay Lopeman said that morning as I acquainted myself with the pull, dry firing the rifle, “Mark, it will feel even lighter when it’s loaded.”This morning, Jason decided a change of plans was in order and we moved south of the highway to the area of the Waterman Mountains. Cole returned to his post high on the mountains, enabling him to see the sheep on the backside of the Silverbells. Buck was on station looking over a part of the Waterman’s while we started scoping another. About 7:30 a.m., Buck texted Jason to say he just might have a sheep that met Jason’s qualifications. We jumped in the truck and drove to meet up with Buck. It didn’t take long for Jason to say, “Let’s make a move on this one.”Buck stayed on station to keep an eye on the sheep in case it had an idea of moving. It was probably only a mile to a turnout along the road that gave Jason a good view of the sheep. The sheep stood rock solid about midway up the mountain, staring in our direction. It gave Jason plenty of time to make a final determination that I should attempt a shot. Jason set up his rifle on the desert floor on a “moving blanket.” He calmly told me to lean into the rifle to get ready to shoot. At this point, my finger was nowhere near the trigger. When he gave me the go ahead, I was very conscious of getting my fingertip in position and pulling the trigger. It seemed as though I merely thought of pulling the trigger and the bullet was on its way. This time, the rifle did exactly what it was supposed to do. An angled shot from 650 yards hit the sheep just back and low of the shoulder and destroyed the sheep’s heart and lungs. The sheep wheeled to its left and ran down a trail, circling the mountain. It only ran 80-100 yards and expired. The elation, realization, and gratitude set in. I had shot a Desert sheep, which was a culmination of years of wishing, days of work, and now just a second in time.Thanks to Austin Atkinson and all the staff of Huntin’ Fool. Jason Marsalla, his wife, and two wonderful daughters were the most gracious of hosts. A sincere thanks to the folks who gave up their Thanksgiving weekend to help me in this lifetime quest – Jay Lopeman, A3 Trophy Hunts, and his brother and two teenage children, Jason’s uncle, Buck Marsalla, Cole Davis who had the best attitude on his solitary post high on the mountain, and Adam Blotkamp. I will leave with this note, apply, apply apply! You never know when your number will come up, but when it does, it will leave you with memories for a lifetime.