After a grueling hunt in south Texas 109*+ heat I finally connected with a Scimitar-Horned Oryx. 35inch Albino. I was hunting the Glick Ranch in Encino,Texas. Chalk-up one more for my 375 H&H!


The hunt really started the previous day with my friend CamomanJ driving in from San Antonio and leaving his powerjoke in my driveway and we continued south in my CUMMINS...had to rub it in. We had been invited to spend the evening at La Atravesada in Sarita which was a lot closer to our destination than Corpus. After helping Carlton fill some feeders we took a little drive around the place to see a 10pter, a massive porker and 6-8 Nilgai and a few turkeys. Later we watched about 10 coons fishing for frogs and bugs in the pond.

There are about 20 Oryx on the Glick Ranch and chances of getting close enough for a shot to a specific one were slim to none. I had resigned myself to take just about any that might present a shot opportunity, whether it was the albino or not.

The morning of the hunt we got up at 4am and snuck out and drove 6 miles down the easement back to US 77 North to the crossover at 285 then south on 281 to the ranch. Our guide Dean was there shortly. The humidity was brutal even early in the morning while it was hovering around 85*. That temp didn't last long as it reached 107 by noon, but I get ahead of myself.

The exotic enclosure is around 1100acres, and while entirely high fenced this was in no way a canned hunt. These critters are known to hang out in certain places and they weren't there. The brush in many area is impenetrable, except by critters. While driving around we saw the following and I wish I would have had prescence of mind to take more pictures...Elk, Japanese and European Sika, Bison, Impala, Eland, Gemsbok, BlackBuck, Fallow-white, choc, and spotted, a few gorgeous axis, multitudes of wild turkeys, hogs, Lechwei, Barasingha(sp), Zebra, Whitetails, and Wildebeest. There are also found doves, whistling tree ducks, roadrunners and numerous hawks. By noon we had only glimpsed the Oryx a couple times and they were well over 400yds and hauling a$$. I voted we go down the road to a little place called Delicious to grab a bite and regroup.

After some fantastic Avacado tacos and lots of cold fresh unsweetened tea, we went back to try again.

Folks I live and work in south Texas and thought I was used to the heat, but it was brutal. The temp climbed to 109-111 and stayed there. In Corpus there is an almost constant breeze, not so down there. Worn out, with tongues hanging out all of a sudden Dean says,"There she is!" The albino is about 300yds straight in front of us with a big fallen tree blocking my shot and she does a 180 and runs into the brush or so I thought. She had infact run down the trail to where the other Oryx had just gone under a fence. Dean mashed the pedal to the floor as we pursued and as we came around the corner there she was. Standing broadside about 150yds away. I threw up the rifle, cranked up the scope and for a moment thought about how amazing this animal really had been to keep eluding us all day in the awful heat....Never felt the gun go off, don't remember the recoil, but I'll never forget the sound 250gr,.375 NorthFork SS makes upon impact. I quickly chambered another round, but none was necessary. Although she acted like nothing had happened, we all knew it was a solid hit. She swapped ends and we could see the exit, a bit farther back than I would have liked. She spun around again, turned towards us, took a few more steps and collapsed. I hit her low center of left shoulder. Heart and lungs destroyed, no busted guts or anything that might taint the flesh.

This is by far the most beautiful animal I have ever had the priveledge of hunting. I got a little misty eyed as I touched her ears and snout. I thanked God for this amazing animal. Then the work began.

Dean(I can't remember his last name) is a fantastic guide, he owns Cowboys & Indians...Things They Shoot TAXIDERMY and is doing the shoulder mount and rug. Don't know how often the taxidermist gets to have the hide treated perfectly but this is one.

A big thank you to Bob and Gary Glick for allowing me to hunt Oryx on their fine ranch.

I have hunted there before with Tiggertate, Jeffeosso, Hog Killer, Robgunbuilder, CamomanJ and several others. If ever you get the chance to hunt the Glick Ranch by all means jump on it. It is a 1st class operation.

Andy

Congrats! Looking forward to pictures

Scimitars are beautiful!
Congrats

Congrats! A buddy and I took SHO last November and added our addax about two weeks ago. Not sure about the Dama.

I just hung my mount on Sunday. You'll enjoy it!!!

Congrats again!

Congrats!

I have been eating and processing the flesh and it is by far the best I have ever had. Among the other exotics I have eaten: Axis, Fallow, Wildebeest, Nilgai, and BlackBuck, Oryx is by far the best!

Congratulations, very nice trophy.

Excellent Hunt Report...but Man, that hunt was by far the hottest & hardest hunt that I participated as an observer. Andy's right...canned hunt...my a$$! I have a newfound respect for high fence game hunting & I've shot 2 in the last year that I'm proud of just like Andy is. The Glick Brothers run a top notch operation & has my endorsement. Congrats, once again...my friend!

let me get this right, you shot the animal from a truck inside a high fence?

yep...well the rifle was outside the vehicle. Come on down and get you one. You have until the 1st of September. I'll make it a personnal challenge for you to spot and stalk on this ranch. Good chance you'll never see one!

quote:

Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:


I have hunted there before with Tiggertate, Jeffeosso, Hog Killer, Robgunbuilder, CamomanJ and several others.

Andy

I hope that was a heavily discounted hunt

It is always fun hunting with those guys. I look forward to hunting with them all again soon. Can't put a price tag on the info gained from such weekends.......All those minds in the same room at the same time, it is unbelieveable, and not always about guns or hunting!

quote:

Originally posted by Patricio Gaudiano:
let me get this right, you shot the animal from a truck inside a high fence?

Your point, assumimg you have one?

Sept 1 is the date these animals go on the threatened/endangered species list and many like the Glicks offered special pricing to get the animals harvested before then. If not, they become unmanageable competion for resources to the other animals. So yeah, we'd hunt them from helicopters if we had one. Especially facing who knows how many years of drought ahead of us.

Helicopters!!! That would be cool! It wouldn't take all freakin' day to find them!

There's one down the road about 10 miles for $240 an hour. Two bad its a 2-seater...