Howdy folks, I just returned from a wonderful hunt at my friend's ranch in Texas (it's called the Southern Outdoor Experience and his son has a TV show by the same name) from hunting Scimitar Horned Oryx. As most of you know, this animal is all but extinct in the wild but they thrive in Texas.

Unfortunately our marxist president just signed a UN resolution that now includes these endangered animals everywhere, so even though there are over 100k in Texas, after 1 January they will be illegal to hunt in Texas and thus lose thier value,but I digress....

Anyhow,I used 180gr TSXs out of my 300 H&H @ 3000 fps MV. Took a nice (35") Oryx at a lazered 200 yards. Quartering away shot so I placed the bullet abaft the last rib and angled it forward to the opposite shoulder off shooting sticks. Complete penetration and about a 40 plus caliber exit hole. LOTS of devastation inside as I suspect the bullet expanded dramatically as it traveresed the paunch and into the vitals. Animal walked about ten yards and dropped. The hunted is FULL of big deer as well as hogs and other exotics including Axis.

Man I had fun!!! jorge

nice trophy , sad story

Congrats on your oryx

Three friends and I went down to south Texas a couple weeks ago too. Did the Oryx, Blackbuck, Tactical Hog, visited LBJ ranch and went to Luckenbach.

We called it our Obama Safari since the economy kept us out of Africa. The Oryx and Blackbuck was such a canned hunt we all tipped our glasses in shame and swore to never do that again.

The people and sightseeing were great and the night hog hunt was fantastic. We will do the hog hunt again.

How do you like my new hat?

thanks for sharing .. wow, i am stunned that LIVESTOCK can be made illegal to sell. that sounds ALOT like "Takings"

So are there any screaming deals on scimitar horned oryx at this time, since no one can shoot them after 1 of january? I would like to shoot one if its a good deal....

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Originally posted by Patricio Gaudiano:
So are there any screaming deals on scimitar horned oryx at this time, since no one can shoot them after 1 of january? I would like to shoot one if its a good deal....

That is what I'm thinking too!

Jorge, I told you those TSX's open up very nicely. Extremely destructive. Great leopard bullet.



Mike

Palmer, you and Bill look like you just parachuted in special ops...
I just saw an article about those new semis for deer and whatever you want to use them on..
I do like your new hat.

Mike

Great trophies!!! Looks like fun to me as well...

There are a couple of threads here (Am Hunting Bd) on the Scimitar-Horned Oryx. It was a court ruling changing the interpretation of current law that created the issue, and it is under appeal.

Search for Scimitar and you will find them.

Edit: here's one.

Another.

Looks like both of you had enjoyable hunts.

who is on stage?

Nice Scimitar jorge! Congratulations! Mine was taken in Africa many years ago. A great trophy.

I have been given good word from EWA that we can hunt the scimitars until the final ruling comes in. If anyone knows that date please pm me. If anyone is interested and it remains legal, I have a few to take off the place. Bulls are $2000, cows $1400, daily rate $150. Let me know if there is any interest. Thanks

How does the United Nations have any authority over hunting regulations in the USA? Where does the Constitution give the President the authority to ban hunting anything?

quote:

Originally posted by Silverado:
How does the United Nations have any authority over hunting regulations in the USA? Where does the Constitution give the President the authority to ban hunting anything?

Read the threads I linked above. This is the result of an interpretation under the Endangered Species Act, not the UN or the president.

quote:

Unfortunately our marxist president just signed a UN resolution that now includes these endangered animals everywhere, so even though there are over 100k in Texas, after 1 January they will be illegal to hunt in Texas and thus lose thier value,but I digress....

God knows why they can't differentiate between populations i.e. wild and feral/introduced

Palmer, I couldn't read the logo on the hat, but that hairdo in pic #5 is the bomb

quote:

Originally posted by Charles_Helm:

quote:

Originally posted by Silverado:
How does the United Nations have any authority over hunting regulations in the USA? Where does the Constitution give the President the authority to ban hunting anything?

Read the threads I linked above. This is the result of an interpretation under the Endangered Species Act, not the UN or the president.

This issue has been on the table for quite sometime now and the Bush Administration refused to act on it. With the new one USFWS is taking direction from the new Kommisar.

Thanks Vaughn! The horns are a bt thin, but they sure were long! jorge

I'm in a real bind here. My mother had people from Texas (Mundy, north of Waco) -and yet I think the Texans are wrong. There just isn't anything like hunting the real animal in the wild -and I freely admit that I never even saw an oryx -wild or not- but I do know that hunting a truly wild animal is not the same as hunting on a "preserve". or whatever you want to call it. Texas is a huge state and I enjoyed seeing much of it - but you Texans cannot make me believe that a wild animal born and raised in the wild is no different (in terms of hunting) from preserve animals (who may have had some human help right after birth and for a while thereafter) Notice that I don't even mention the "fence". Look, I don't object to Texans making a living out of people who want to "shoot something". There are a lot of people who want to display animal trophy heads on a wall. The real hunters who shot those same kind of animals may also have other opinions.

I think I would like some extra butter on my popcorn, please!

Lots of information here. As far as I know, the Department of the Interior has been supportive of the position that continued hunting is appropriate without the additinal steps requried under the court ruling in Friends of Animals v. Norton.

I am no fan of the current administration and would be only too happy to blame them if someone can point me to an appropriate source for that.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerrypeters375:
I'm in a real bind here. My mother had people from Texas (Mundy, north of Waco) -and yet I think the Texans are wrong. There just isn't anything like hunting the real animal in the wild -and I freely admit that I never even saw an oryx -wild or not- but I do know that hunting a truly wild animal is not the same as hunting on a "preserve". or whatever you want to call it. Texas is a huge state and I enjoyed seeing much of it - but you Texans cannot make me believe that a wild animal born and raised in the wild is no different (in terms of hunting) from preserve animals (who may have had some human help right after birth and for a while thereafter) Notice that I don't even mention the "fence". Look, I don't object to Texans making a living out of people who want to "shoot something". There are a lot of people who want to display animal trophy heads on a wall. The real hunters who shot those same kind of animals may also have other opinions.

Many exotics in Texas are born and raised in the wild on open-range or very large ranches, making them little different from many places in Africa (particularly South Africa). Of course, there are small fenced pastures that don't offer that. I can see your point when talking of those places.

There are totally free-ranging populations of oryx (gemsbok), ibex, and Barbary sheep (aoudad) in New Mexico. I've seen oryx that we much harder to hunt/kill in NM than those in Namibia. And don't even get me started on ibex - that hunt's a genuine knee-buster.

My point - don't get caught up in the fence debate and generalize. Take each hunting location and game animal on its own merits. There are some great opportunities to hunt non-native animals in this country, and they aren't all canned.

I got my oryx and an addax ... just in case.

Oryx tacos are delicious by the way.

Sevens, glad to see you got you an oryx, sorry I couldn't do the hunt for you, just wasn't clear if it was okay when we talked earlier. The letter from EWA cleared the air for a lot of us.

No problem Seven Mag, I'm sorry we couldn't make something work.

Jorge, that's a nice looking oryx you got there, BTW! Beautiful markings and coloration (mine had lost its orange mane).

Palmer, great looking animals as well.

european hunting lands are dwarf compared to wildranches in texas . i hope hunting will not be banned in europe too
yes

quote:

who is on stage?

505 gibbs - that was Bob Livingston from Austin. He was an excellent act and is on tour in South Africa now.

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that hairdo in pic #5 is the bomb

David, I have to admit the hairdo and new hat are one and the same. Just the ticket for some of us who are a bit challenged on top.

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Palmer, great looking animals as well.

Sevens, thanks - he was quite the difficult shot since he was standing in the road right behind the antenna on the truck and right by the front fender - making a severe downward angle to compensate for.

The guys in there with me had to call out when a school bus, 18 wheeler or pickup was about to pass - it was pretty un-nerving for a while.

We couldn't back up because a herd of Ibex and Texas Dall sheep had moved in close behind the corn spreader on the back bumper (I think they have developed a fondness for corn) and just behind the Oryx was a 420 class 9x9 Elk that I was hoping not to hit. That sucker would have cost more than an elephant hunt.

Also I was glad that the outfitter did not see the zebra that my buddies said limped off after my shot. I dont see how that could have happened anyway because I heard a distinct ping not a hollow thumping sound like something was hit.

It could have been the antenna which for some reason was missing the top third of its length when we got down to the Junction BBQ joint. Those big bushes that Texans call trees can break antennas though.

Anyway one of the advantages of hunting Texas is that you get to bring the meat home and that Oryx is good eatin. I already cooked some.

Them curvy horns caused quite a stir when I was gassin the pickup in Ridgedale, Arkansas on the way to my Ozark mountain home. I tried to tell em it was Scimpter or schphinkter somethin or other but they didnt go along with it. One fella figured that an old yeller goat had been messin with the local deer again which come to think of it might be happenin right now preventing the extinction of the schphinkter.

DesertRam:

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I confess thst I had not thought about animals born in successive generations in captivity (yet, what about wolves whose mothers seems to pass on to their young a sheer instinct to "be wild") I think that it's not just the fact of a "fence" (somewheres off there - I'm an Easterner who has seen the West and appreciates it vastness) Frankly, I think I am talking about a certain emotional feeling about hunters who want to "hunt" with all that means to a hunter - and don't you dare tell me that you think hunting in a preserve (or whatever it's called) is just like hunting a truly wild animal.. If you do, I'll call you out -just like in the old days!

muygrande;

Save the popcorn. I have too much Texas blood in me (yeah, I'm dsmnyankee also) to want to fight with a Texan! I'm sorry, in a way to hear, though, that someone from "The Land of Enchantment" wants to watch a fight between a New Yorker and a Texan. I lived in Albuquerque for about 6 months (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth) and truly loved your state (even if I did hate being baked alive at high noon in the open)

quote:

Originally posted by Gerrypeters375:
I'm in a real bind here. My mother had people from Texas (Mundy, north of Waco) -and yet I think the Texans are wrong. There just isn't anything like hunting the real animal in the wild -and I freely admit that I never even saw an oryx -wild or not- but I do know that hunting a truly wild animal is not the same as hunting on a "preserve". or whatever you want to call it. Texas is a huge state and I enjoyed seeing much of it - but you Texans cannot make me believe that a wild animal born and raised in the wild is no different (in terms of hunting) from preserve animals (who may have had some human help right after birth and for a while thereafter) Notice that I don't even mention the "fence". Look, I don't object to Texans making a living out of people who want to "shoot something". There are a lot of people who want to display animal trophy heads on a wall. The real hunters who shot those same kind of animals may also have other opinions.

You are assuming that everyone in Texas is in favor of "high fences" and "canned" exotic hunts. They are not. Only those who are after the almighty $$$$$ are. I am a born and raised Texan with my ancestors having been here since 1850. I have written the state attorney general and state legislators on the legality of high fences. The only one who responded back was the AG. I personally think anyone who has a tract of land encompassed by a "deer proof" high fence should be able to do what they want with it as long as no laws are broken, BUT they should not have any agricultrural exemption status on that property. In other words, they should be paying full commercial property value tax on that land be it one acre or one million acres. When commercial hunting is involved it no longer agricultural usage! How long would those high fences stay up then? I also personally think importation of exotic animals should be severly discouraged. Many of these animals and plants reak havok on native wildlife and habitat.

quote:

Unfortunately our marxist president just signed a UN resolution that now includes these endangered animals everywhere, so even though there are over 100k in Texas, after 1 January they will be illegal to hunt in Texas and thus lose thier value,but I digress....

That is absolute unadulterated bullshit and you should be ashamed of posting something which is COMPLETELY WRONG.

quote:

I personally think anyone who has a tract of land encompassed by a "deer proof" high fence should be able to do what they want with it as long as no laws are broken, BUT they should not have any agricultrural exemption status on that property. In other words, they should be paying full commercial property value tax on that land be it one acre or one million acres. When commercial hunting is involved it no longer agricultural usage!

Why is it no longer agricultural usage when there is commercial hunting involved? From a cow's POV a high fence is no different than a low fence, except maybe more difficult to penetrate. Many ranches have commercial hunting in season and cattle, what's wrong with that? My place is not high fenced, and my ancestors have been in Texas since the 1830s but I think if someone wants to pay for high fencing, more power to them.

Yep, I was wrong about the UN and our marxist president. It was presented to me that way by a few folks when I was setting up the hunt. The link provided by another forumite to the SCI site covers it well.
There, maybe I won't have to kill myself now. jorge

Gatogordo, I agree with you totally in that if a landowner wants to high fence his/her land they should have every right to do so. They should also be willing to pay COMMERCAIL property tax rates on that land when over 50% of the income from the property is derived from sport/hunting or even oil/gas income instead of the production of agricultural products. I know of many ranches where the cattle, goats etc. have removed and it is purely a hunting property. Deer are suppose to be free ranging animals. Which brings up another matter, how does a deer head get into the Boone & Crockett book when it is shot inside a high fenced ranch?

I was also in TX last weekend to kill a maverick Scimitar bull that had wandered on to a friend's ranch. Like Jorge's, he was 35" with really great markings.

My desktop is off to HP repairs, and my laptop won't read my HCSD card from my camera. As soon as I get it read, I'll upload a photo.

I also killed a heavy-beamed 9-pt. buck while I was there.

Looking forward to your pics and report. Glad you were successful here.

Not as exotic as a Scimitar but this is what I ended up hunting with my Dallas Agent and a client in September this year...



Apparently it is called a "Watoozi" (spelling?) - some kind of "wild" African cow...

That's "Watusi" -- slang for "steak."

quote:

Originally posted by Rae59:
Gatogordo, I agree with you totally in that if a landowner wants to high fence his/her land they should have every right to do so. They should also be willing to pay COMMERCAIL property tax rates on that land when over 50% of the income from the property is derived from sport/hunting or even oil/gas income instead of the production of agricultural products. I know of many ranches where the cattle, goats etc. have removed and it is purely a hunting property. Deer are suppose to be free ranging animals. Which brings up another matter, how does a deer head get into the Boone & Crockett book when it is shot inside a high fenced ranch?

With all due respect, you obviously don't have a clue about ad valorem taxes or the various exemptions that can be applied for. Just for instance, oil and gas income (not counting surface damage payments), which would be from mineral rights, are completely separate from the surface rights and are taxed as such by the various counties. Often the mineral rights are not owned, or are not owned in whole, by the owner of the real estate.

Deer taken behind high fences are not eligible for B&C registration.