Does any body know if there is any public land in Texas to hunt aoudad on without getting access through a drawing? I am on a tight budget and I am really wanting to try my hand at a aoudad. I am willing to put in the work if it is in a tough area and I assume they probably will be. This is the first year that I am going to get a public hunting permit so I don’t know much about the steps to do one, any help or advice would be appreciated. I have entered into some of the drawings but I know my luck and I am definitely not counting on that coming through for me.

Don't know about Tx, but you can hunt them in NM on public land. Copied this out of the regulations:

Barbary Sheep Draw, Private land and Statewide Licenses
License Required
Hunters must possess a valid resident or nonresident Barbary sheep license with valid tag. Some licenses are issued by drawing. For draw licenses,
up to four persons may apply on Form 2009. Application must be made by April 8, 2009. Private land and statewide hunt licenses are available
ONLY through Department offices.
Draw, Private Land and Statewide License Fees
Resident $112 Nonresident $372. Anyone applying for a Barbary sheep draw license, MUST pay the full license and application fee when making
application. Fees include a nonrefundable application fee. Habitat Stamps are required for hunting, fishing, and trapping on U.S. Forest Service
and BLM lands and must be purchased separately. A Habitat Management and Access Validation must be purchased separately and possessed.
Bag Limit One Barbary sheep.
Legal Sporting Arms
Centerfire rifle or handgun; shotgun no smaller than 28 gauge, firing a single slug; any muzzleloading rifle; or any bow and arrows. Crossbows
may only be used by certified Mobility-Impaired Hunters, see page 15.
What You Must Know Before You Hunt
Closed Areas are: Units 8, 13, 14, 16, WSMR and Fort Bliss portions of Unit 19, 22-24, 26 and 27, Sugarite Canyon State Park, Rio Grande Wild
and Scenic River Area including the Taos Valley Overlook, all WMAs, the Valle Vidal and the Valles Caldera. Blaze Orange Clothing: Hunters
must wear at least 244 square inches of blaze orange while hunting on military property. McGregor Range/Fort Bliss requires all hunters wear
a blaze orange hat and at least 288 square inches of blaze orange clothing (the size of a hunting vest). ALL hunters on McGregor Range/Fort
Bliss are required to have proof of passing a certified hunter education course before they hunt.
Public Land Draw Hunts Any Legal Sporting Arm (Centerfire, muzzleloader and bow)
Hunt Area Hunt Dates Hunt Code Licenses Bag Limit
Units 29, 31-34, 36 and 37 Feb. 1-March 15, ‘10 BBY-1-100 600 ES
Unit 30 Feb. 1-28, ‘10 BBY-1-101 600 ES
Unit 28 McGregor Range Military Only Dec. 26-27, ‘09 BBY-1-102 5 ES
Private Land and Statewide Hunts Any Legal Sporting Arm (Centerfire, muzzleloader and bow)
Units 29, 31-34, 36 and 37 Private Land Only Feb. 1-March 15, ‘10 NA Unlimited ES
Unit 30 Private Land Only Feb. 1-28, ‘10 NA Unlimited ES
Statewide, including Water Canyon WMA in Unit 9, but not Marquez WMA and
NOT public lands within Closed Areas listed above April 1, ‘09-March 31, ‘10 NA Unlimited ES

Good point MAC, but if he's looking for something soon he's screwed. He would have to wait until next April to apply, and if successful wouldn't get to hunt until Feb. 2011.

You can get "OTC" tags for private land still, but then you're basically in the same situation as you'd be in Texas (unless you happen to know someone who will let you hunt on their land for free).

After a little research I have found that there is a population of aoudad in Palo Duro Canyon and in Caprock Canyon. Does anybody know if these areas can be hunted without a drawing or paying for a guide.

As far as I know, these are only offered through the TPWD drawing hunts, and only a handful of permits are issued annually.

There are also wild populations in Big Bend State Park and Black Gap WMA. Both are next to Big Bend National Park and have draw hunts each year. My friend and I have hunted both places on the draw javalina hunts where any "exotics" may also be harvested. On each self guided hunt you are given roughly 75,000 to 100,000 acres of mountains for you to hunt over 3 days with little informatoin or help locating any animals.

Needless to say although we made finding the aoudad (or even Ibex) a priority we just didnt have the time or luck.

It has been about 8 years since we last tried these hunts and although we still put in for the draw each year, we have not had our card pulled for as long as I can remember. It seems there are many more people putting in for the draw with the same amount of hunts being offered each year.