18 May 2017, 12:38
Big Wonderful WyomingI know a lot of Texas ranchers hate them, but I think they are neat.
Thank you for posting that photo.
18 May 2017, 19:06
DesertRamCool! Much larger than the one I killed a couple months ago, and in much easier country. Do you think you'll get a chance at one of them?
18 May 2017, 19:15
Colorado BobGW, Great photo. When I clicked on the thread, I was thinking I would see a bunch of hogs. Have a good one. Bob
18 May 2017, 20:14
GeedubyaI guess I'm getting old and soft. Years ago I'd of shot at least one if not all three.
I've taken a number of ewes, as I like mix them with pork for smoked links and summer sausage.
When we first got on this lease we did not see any Aoudad. In the last 5 years or so I've been seeing more and more.
Here is a decent one from the recent past at a different location about a mile from where the others were.
I have a good one on my wall that I hunted for 14 months and saw on three different occasions before I could close the deal.
My best ram I shot several years ago. I say it was my best, cause it was the one that got away/I did not recover. These are the only pix of that ram. Never saw him before these pix,
It was two months after these pix that I saw him with my own eyeballs.
Friday night, Dec. 28th I sat in a stand that is another half mile back behind the feeder where the Aoudad had shown up. It was about 30 minutes before dark when, as luck would have it I saw a troop of them coming over the top of the hill directly across from the hilltop I was perched on. I watched them mosey down a ways. The big ‘un was in the lead. He walked out on an outcrop and turned broadside. I ranged him at 306 yds. My Sako carbine is loaded with 150 gr. Accubonds at +/- 2,750 FPS and as I’m a short range meat hunter, it was zeroed at a measly ½” high at 100 yds.
Bummer, wrong rifle and wrong zero. What the heck. Seven years and no Aoudad. I decided to take the shot. I held about 6” over the top of his back, set the trigger and let fly. At that medium velocity and range it seemed like a couple seconds before I heard a solid “whop”. It looked like he hunched up and took off behind some juniper. I watched for about fifteen minutes. No movement. It was starting to get dark but I wasn’t about to wait till morning to start looking. Problem was, I had to go all the way down the hill, across a stream bed then climb a vertical incline lined with cedar, cactus and cats claw. To make matters worse, I was in shorts. Needless to say, by time I got near where I thought he might be it was almost dark. I had a flashlight, but no good reference point. By the time I got off the side of that mountain I looked like I’d been drug behind a truck. I looked for that dude off and on for two days. Aoudad meat ain’t the most tasty, but can be mixed with pork to make pretty fair jalepeno cheese salami. I didn’t mind not recovering the meat, but this guy was a stud puppy. I sure did want the head and horns. Would have made braggin’ rights for a good while.
Anywho, I'll have to wait and see whether I get "the fever" if and when I see another "stud puppy". Most likely will shoot him with a camera and a long lens. Lot less work!
ya!
GWB
18 May 2017, 20:24
Geedubyaquote:
Originally posted by Colorado Bob:
GW, Great photo. When I clicked on the thread, I was thinking I would see a bunch of hogs. Have a good one. Bob
Bob,
Hoglets are my passion. I'd rather hunt pigs than just about anything. Guess its quantity over quality. However the mature boars are a challenge as they are smart, solitary, wary and generally nocturnal.
ya!
GWB
I'm gonna rename my place Aoudad acres....... I got more Aoudad than deer!
Those are some great pic's my friend!
.
18 May 2017, 23:30
Jason PI am headed for my second Aoudad hunt this September. The first time I was unsuccessful (In New Mexico).
I am hunting near El Paso this time. Those pic's get me excited. Thanks for posting!!
19 May 2017, 01:23
BuglemintodayThat is awesome! I was always told on the deer leases I was on that they would come through the property but I never saw them. I'd like to shoulder mount one.
One of these days I'll get one on the ground
19 May 2017, 01:44
DesertRamGeedubya, I remember reading of your encounter with the big one you didn't find. What a bummer. Any one of the three in your first picture would make a dandy substitute (at least to me).
quote:
Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
That is awesome! I was always told on the deer leases I was on that they would come through the property but I never saw them. I'd like to shoulder mount one.
Me too. I didn't think mine was quite up to a shoulder mount, though I'm having the skull prepared. Someday I'll get big guy and do a front half mount (really need to show those chaps). I'd really like an elaborate pedestal mount with a big ram and nice mature ewe done together.
19 May 2017, 03:49
BuglemintodayDefinitely show off the chaps!! I meant front 1/2 mount
