Judging Scimitar Horned Oryx

.. Anyone out there know much about Scimitar Horned Oryx. What makes a great trophy, horn length etc. I can't seem to find much information about them except that some think they are pretty much extinct.. Any info would be greatly appreciated & one of these are on my wish list if I make an exotic hunt later yhis year!!

Calhoun, as far as I know the scimitar horned Oryx is extinct in the wild, and all animals in existence are owned by someone. The trophy is measured by length, and mass of the horns.

There are many game ranches that have them, some very large ranches, and some smaller, but I don't believe you will find them except in a high fence operation, because they are very valuable animals. Predators, and poachers must be kept away from these type animals, so most of the high fence areas are in the interior of large ranch properties, with no access from from a public area like a highway, or public road.

Some will give you grief about the high fence ranches, but if you want a Scimitar horned Oryx it is likely that is where you will have to hunt. Any hunt is what you make it, and with a little looking around you can find an operation that will allow you to hunt on foot, or anyway you would find more or less ethical. However that is your call, not the public's!

PS; The meat is some of the best wild meat I have ever tasted, and well worth processing for the table!





EXOTICS

2 DAY HUNTS

AXIS LESS THAN 30" = $1,800

AXIS 30" - 33" = $2,000

AXIS OVER 33" = $3,000

BLACKBUCK UP TO 20" = $1,500

BLACKBUCK OVER 20" = POR

SCIMITAR-HORNED ORYX = $2,500

The above are examples of scimitar horned oryx, and ball park prices!

Calhoun,

I can see why the Simitar-Horned Oryx is on your wish list, it has spectacular horns.

I am not very familiar with judging this species however I can easily relate it to judging Gemsbok / Oryx. It is the same method of measurement as for the Gemsbok / Oryx Method 1 for Safari Club International Methods Of Measurement.

The only standard I could find is for the Minimum Gold Score of the Scimitar-Horned Oryx for SCI which is 80 5/8 inches. This score combines the length and base of both horns.

Using an average base measurement of 8 inches per horn as found on a Gemsbok / Oryx male, horn length should measure slightly over 32 inches for each horn just to give you an idea. However looking at trophy pictures of "exotic" Scimitar-Horned Oryx found here in the States that they seem to measure well over this 32 inches in length.

Click here to visit Safari Club International Record Book Top Ten page for Scimitar-Horned Oryx to see some cool old trophy pictures.

...Thanks Dugaboy & Jerome for the responses!! It gives me some what of an idea of what I'm looking at! My friend shot one in Texas several years back & I've had a passion to hunt one ever since. I know they will be hunted in a high fence but if there is sufficent acreage that is no major concern of mine! If you take a square mile of swamp at 640 acres you tell me the animal has no chance!! I beg to differ!!
.... I have heard that the meat is better than Gemsbuck.. If so it should be a real treat!! Jerome those were some great photo's!!!

I'd love to go hunting oryx with you Calhoun sometime. That is great animal to hunt...who cares about the fences. Lets enjoy the outdoors and hunting tradition!

Was this the animal that the last SCI magazine had an article about? I believe that the hunt took place on government land (missile base?) in New Mexico. Hunt permits were on a lottery.

Originally Posted by tarawa

Was this the animal that the last SCI magazine had an article about? I believe that the hunt took place on government land (missile base?) in New Mexico. Hunt permits were on a lottery.

No, the ones in New Mexico are gemsbok (oryx). And yes, the hunts take place on White Sands. There are also hunts that can be done outside the base. I think an outfitter to the west of White Sands has a large area that he can provide "guaranteed tags." Don't know how it works though.

Here's a pic I took of some SHO on a hunting trip down to the YO Ranch.

Can you hunt Scimitar Horned Oryx in South Africa or in Texas only?

Great hunt and great looking animal!!! Here in Mexico we have a lot of ranches that have them and offer a fair chase experience, even though fenced, I know a couple and the quality is great and the prices are way way more accesible than in the US, I know specially of two ranches that I have hunted in that are superb; big, not expensive and good people who offer fair chase, may be even with the plane ticket it will be a better deal to come down here...if you are interested just say the word and I'll send you the contact info!

I could be mistaken on this but, I believe, up until fairly recently, you could hunt Scimitar-horned Oryx in the Sudan with Angelo Dacey. The only major issue was that YOU HAD TO GO TO THE SUDAN !!! While you can still hunt in most of the Sudan with him, his western concessions were closed for the obvious reasons. While he had a very small quota of SHO available, it was the terrible human conditions and high risk to hunting clients that shut this opportunity down. Apparently, he also offered Addax as well. Imagine being able to hunt both of these species, as well as a lot of others, in their natural environment and range. Hopefully someday . . .

Christian, you can hunt them in South Africa, but getting a export CITES permit will probably never happen in my lifetime. The "greenies" have been try to shut hunting down in Texas in the past too. Another example of the animal rights on the wrong side of the fence.

...Enysse is correct. They say you can't get a cites tag any where in Africa to export Scimiatar Oryx to the U.S.. They are raising heck holy hell with some of the outfitters in texas as I've ben checking on a few ranches & they have stated they are getting rid of them as they are going to shut down hunting on that species from what they are hearing.
...An Addax & Scimitar Oryx hunt would be an awesome deal, I hope things turn around quick for me so I can do this before they shut them down!