07 April 2011, 03:06
drummondlindseyNM Oryx Pictures
I promised pictures and never got around to posting them. I was invited by Madeleine(Maddie) and Jeff Demaske to go with them on Maddies Oryx hunt this past February on White Sands Missle Range. I had posted previously about our run in with George Taulman and how he parked next to our truck, walked up on the knob we were sitting on, glassed some Oryx we had been looking at and bailed off of the hill in front of us. Maddie shrugged it off better than I did and we all continued hunting. The weather went south on Sunday with winds approacking 50mph gusts but Maddie didnt want to settle and we knew that the guide that Jeff had hired through Altimus Adverntures knew how to hunt these Oryx. Even in adverse weather conditions we were always seeing animals. On Sunday evening with about 20 minutes of legal shooting time left Maddie connected on the 2nd largest bull taken on that hunt, he's 38" and just an awesome animal. She couldnt see off of the sticks so she just raised up and dumped him off-hand at 100 yards. She showed a mental toughness beyond her years and ended up with a bull that she had set her sights on.
I cannot say enough good things about our guide, Shannon Owen, he is a master of his craft! He has incredible eyes, knows the WSMR like the back of his hand and has a great understanding of the Oryx that live there. He called his shot on more than one occassion, telling us where the Oryx were going to be and what they were going to do when pressured. Not only that, the guy is HILARIOUS! I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him on that trip.
I was most impressed when he told George Taulman that he should go hunt somewhere else during our confrontation. When George was an ass about the whole thing Shannon told him that it didnt matter, he was going to make sure that Maddie killed a giant bull regardless of whether Taulman did the right thing or not.
Anyway, here are the pics. Maddies first Oryx was the 72nd Oryx Sannon had guided on over the years
Madeleine Demaske
L to R: Madeleine, Jeff Demaske and Shannon Owen
For me, it was a great trip! I had the pleasure of again hunting with 2 of my very best friends in the world, Jeff and Maddie and I was able to make a new friend and hunting buddy in Shannon Owen. I'm sure Shannon and I will hunt again in the future, in fact, he's who I am hiring when I draw my once in a lifetime tag. Its worth the cost of the hunt just to drive around, look at Oryx and laugh all day. Any Oryx harvested would just be a bonus
I asked Shannon if I could post his email and phone number in case you guys had questions or were possibly interested in booking and he said no problem. I am sure that Oryxrus(Gilbert) can verify that he is one of the good ones on WSMR. Anyway, Shannon can be reached at sowen65@hotmail.com or on the phone at (575)838-7390. Hope this helps!
Drummond
