In the last 10 years, I can only recall a small number of Aoudad hunts we have done on my ranch. In the last five years, this is only the second one. After that long with no Aoudad hunts, I figured, it’s time to hunt one.

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Area: My ranch, NW Texas halfway between Amarillo and Wichita Falls in the Pease River breaks.

Gun: AR-15; BCM lower, Geissele trigger

Caliber: 6.5 Grendel

Upper: BCM upper receiver with Alexander Arms, 18” barrel.

Suppressor: 30 cal Silencerco Saker can.

Scope: Leupold VX-6 , 3-18x56. Reticle has a medium stadia with fire dot reticle. I’m not wild about the thickness of the reticle, I never use the fire dot, but it’s taken a bunch of game, and the glass is impeccable, so I can’t complain.

A bit of history, my ranch was game fenced when I introduced Aoudad 17 years ago. 7 years ago, I pulled down portions of the fence, water gaps are out, the fence has been left unchecked and all game are able to come and go as they please.

I have had the pleasure of hunting Aoudad with many AR members over the years. Save two, all the rest were spot and stalk. I do not hunt Aoudad at a feeder here when spot and stalk is a more rewarding way to get your sheep. This way, you do not just shoot an Aoudad, you earn it.



I have spent countless hours walking and climbing and sitting behind a spotting scope and binoculars looking for big Aoudad for my hunters. It is my favorite hunt in Texas, hands down.



I got some game camera pics of some big Aoudad, so I decided to be picky. I have all the time I need and want to shoot an excellent ram, so I’m going to take my time.

I arrived at the ranch about 2:00, got dressed and headed to the range to verify zero.

After getting it dialed in, I took the Polaris about 400 yards to the first canyon. Picked up my binoculars and there were some Aoudad looking directly at me across the canyon from 650 yards away.

I’m cussing myself for driving this close. I know better. After 5 minutes or so, they settled down and determined I wasn’t a threat.

I watched a dozen ewes and lambs mill about, feed and bed on the rim of the canyon. My wife calls and we are chatting about this and that as I look through the spotting scope.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m watching Aoudad. It makes me happy.”

Eventually, they start to move and this TANK stands up.

“Holy shit! I gotta go!” Wife understands.

Since there is a canyon between us, I grab my pack and double back and find a route to a point on the rim across from the herd. I’m a bit concerned because they are on the move and I’m not certain where they will be when I get there and everything looks different than you thought when you get there anyway.

As I get close I see a lone Ram on the rim. Long chaps and big body. I range him at 250, I see I can get another 30-40 yards closer and be in a better position. But, he bails off the rim and heads into the valley floor. I’m watching him and realize, It’s the wrong ram. This one is really nice, but he’s not the one I’m after.

As I get close to the rim, I see a herd walking about 100 yards out. I crawl up to the edge and glass.



They don’t see me, but I don’t see the ram either. I look farther back and he has busted me. Facing me, in the shadows under some trees, looking right at me. I grab my pack and throw the rifle on top of it. Of course, it’s on 18x (from sighting it in) and I can’t find him in the trees at 100 yards. I crank it down to 10 and find him.

I’m shooting down, he’s ass high, facing me. I can shoot him in the head, or squeeze one just below his chin and catch a low frontal chest shot. I go for the chest and he folds like a bad poker hand. Throws his head back and dies.

I stay on him for a minute, just in case. No movement. I stand up and the shakes start.

Now, I’m in a situation. He’s in a nondescript location in a brushy flat, across a sheer face little draw, and the sun is about to set. It’s going to take 30 minutes just to drive close enough to him to get out and navigate the draw. I stand on the rim and study every bit of topography I can.

I call a friend hunting close by. He starts heading my way. It’s dark when he gets there. Luckily locating him was uneventful. I happened to walk right up on him.

He’s 34” on his longest horn. I doubt I could better him, even in the best Aoudad ranches in west TX.


It’s good to have tough friends to pack out for you. I weighed the head and cape at the house and it was a tad under 50 lbs.



Unfortunately for me, this was one of the easiest Aoudad hunts I have done. I sort of wanted more blood and sweat put into this one, but, hey … you take it when you can get it.

Excellent Aoudad! You had some big rams out there when I was on the ranch in 2007...i'm glad to see you still have that place. Beautiful ranch

That's a really nice sheep! Love your territory there. Very rugged.

I too love a good aoudad spot and stalk, but mine have yet to result in one like that! What a stud! Good for you.

Very nice!!!

Great ram Wendell!

i got no clue as to whether the goat is big or not.
but I enjoyed the story.

Nice!!

One of those was on my bucket list, but I never got around to it. Too late now.

Very Nice Ram ...Well done

How old are this Rams when the over 30" ?

mbb, most 30" rams are around 10 years old, but they can certainly be more or less.

quote:

Originally posted by squeezenhope:
mbb, most 30" rams are around 10 years old, but they can certainly be more or less.

Thanks for the clarification

Great ram Wendell!

quote:

Originally posted by squeezenhope:
mbb, most 30" rams are around 10 years old, but they can certainly be more or less.

In the wild, say, in West TX (Glass, Davis, Chianti’s etc), this is probably about correct. If he has access to good browse, protein, or crops like soybeans or cowpeas etc, it can happen in 6 years.

If they park their nose in a protein feeder, I have heard it can be quicker.

Their growth rings aren’t as pronounced as a Dall because their winters aren’t as harsh, but they are visible. Im reasonably sure this guy was 10.

I need to give this a try before I get too old.

Cheers
Jim

Exceptionally fine ram. Congrats on getting him. Well done.
Bruce

Are you stilling offering hunts there?

quote:

Originally posted by KevinNY:
Are you stilling offering hunts there?

I do Whitetail and Mule Deer and we will chase Aoudad while hunting deer, but I don’t (for now) do straight Aoudad hunts.

Glad to see that you are doing well Wendell.

Thanks Mike. Huffaker is here now and we are having a good time chasing Rock Donkeys. Got on a really good one yesterday, but just couldn’t get the hunting gods to bless us.

Arrived back at the ranch on Thursday and saw a herd of 47 before we even got to the house. Nephew was looking for his first horned or antlered big game.

After a good amount of glassing, the sun set, we had seen somewhere in the neighborhood of 75-90 sheep (hard to know if we double counted a few.

A small herd popped out on the cliff 2 draws over, 300 yards exactly on the rangefinder. Shooting a 6.5 Grendel, it's doable. He says he thinks he can do it.

Get into prone position, using the spotting scope in the dirt as a rest, I ask him to pick one and see if he is steady enough.

"Absolutely".

I deal in 3 MOA on the scope (Should have been 3.5 in hindsight)

"Take the ewe on the left."

He hit her low, shot again a bit higher and she was down.

He's 100% hooked. He loved the spot and stalk type hunting. Wants a Bighorn now!

quote:

Unfortunately for me, this was one of the easiest Aoudad hunts I have done. I sort of wanted more blood and sweat put into this one, but, hey … you take it when you can get it.

That is hunting some times fast and easy other times slow and hard.