Helicopter Aoudad hunting in Tx

[Flbt]

I have family in GA that has land to hunt. I'd likely have to buy a tag too. That's just the cost of doing business though. NJ charges $2 for a coyote special season tag here. I remember having to pay the tag when we hunted with an outfitter in GA. $20-$30 pales in comparison to the fees some outfitters charge.

We hunted with one in GA that was $600 a person. However, lodging and transportation were included.

I don’t know I have not hunted ga since the small game permit was all that’s nessary for hog.

I used to have to buy a out of state big game tag and it was quite a bit more back then.
I got to where I would go with them but not handle the dogs or carry a hunting gun
Until the dogs got back into fl.
Or just stay on the fl side of the line.
Once I got to where I could not get around well it was not worth it.

 

[Flbt]

I have family in GA that has land to hunt. I'd likely have to buy a tag too. That's just the cost of doing business though. NJ charges $2 for a coyote special season tag here. I remember having to pay the tag when we hunted with an outfitter in GA. $20-$30 pales in comparison to the fees some outfitters charge.

We hunted with one in GA that was $600 a person. However, lodging and transportation were included.

With food and room $600 might not be that bad.
There was a group charging $800 for a night hunt. But they supplied all the guns ammo night optics and the trucks.

But most of what I saw in this part was $75-250 for a hunt with nothing included.
But I don’t like those places.
A lot of them would buy wild Cought hogs and put them behind a fence to sell a hunt.
When we were getting a lot had a man from south fl come up and off us 0.35$ a lbs for the hogs we Cought alive and then a $1.50 per lbs if we delivered.
That’s not legal unless you get a Fwc permit.
And that’s how hogs get every where

 

[Red Leg]

I actually would love to hunt one. Not for $6000-$7000 though. I just saw one outfitter charging the same price for mule deer. Just doesn't make sense to me.

I've also heard the same about them not being much of a challenge in high-fence.

Neither are deer.

 

[HookMeUpII]

Neither are deer.

There's a lot we can get into on this. I agree with you and I've seen some pretty depressing stuff.

I had a client to went to TX to hunt whitetail. They told him if he didn't get his buck, he was "guaranteed" an aoudad. Almost like a consolation prize.

There's a place out here that offers "hog hunting" and it's literally hogs up against a fence.

 

[Flbt]

The problem I've always had with TX/OK/GA and hogs is it seems super greedy the way the industry prices hunting them. Granted, having people come in and shoot them is apparently only scratching the surface of the problem. I look at it from the standpoint of: If you're charging $1,000+ for a hog hunt, doesn't seem like much of a problem you are eager to solve, now does it? If there is lodging, meals, and so on, included, that's a different story. However, I've seen $1,000+ just to be driven to a box blind in front of a feeder on private property.

I had no idea, until this post, about the aoudad issue. Seems like a lucrative "problem" to have when places are charging $6,000 trophy fees on them.

Helicopter hunting is a bit different, obviously. Fuel is expensive, insurance isn't cheap, and pilots don't typically work for free.

One thing on the high charges for hog hunts.
Or at least what I was told.
The farmers want to make up for the money for the crop losses now. And they charge a higher price or lease out the hog hunting for enough to off set the damage.

I knew of one place that would do deer hunting by the day in the stand . $50 to hunt anther $50 for a doe and $150 for a buck up to a 8pt and $250 for anything above.
But would let you shoot every hog you saw for the $50 stand fee.

But now people see hunting will pay and anything there money in things happen

 

[Red Leg]

One thing on the high charges for hog hunts.
Or at least what I was told.
The farmers want to make up for the money for the crop losses now. And they charge a higher price or lease out the hog hunting for enough to off set the damage.

I knew of one place that would do deer hunting by the day in the stand . $50 to hunt anther $50 for a doe and $150 for a buck up to a 8pt and $250 for anything above.
But would let you shoot every hog you saw for the $50 stand fee.

But now people see hunting will pay and anything there money in things happen

It is purely what the market will bear. If farmer X now has no trouble getting 3500 a hunter for hogs rather than 1500, it is kind of hard to begrudge him that opportunity.

 

[Flbt]

It is purely what the market will bear. If farmer X now has no trouble getting 3500 a hunter for hogs rather than 1500, it is kind of hard to begrudge him that opportunity.

I completely understand that especially making up for the damage.
I had 20 acres of clover get taken out in a night. And the people side of me had a whole field of satsumas and drip tape get taken out.
$35 a new saplings + lose of fruit for the next 4 years or so and drip tape at about $2.75-3.90 a foot. (At the time of the damage)

But when does the money from the hogs over ride trying to kill off a bunch of invasive animals? And when does the farm become a hog hunt ranch and not a farm?
And what does that do to neighbors that still farm?

I see both sides .
I have heard some stats are talk of stopping all hog hunting.
That way there no money in keeping them around.

Idk and have no idea on how to solve the problems it’s caused.

 

[Gemsbok45]

Ok 6-7 k. They are a cool looking animal. Go look at any other sheep hunt. I plan on getting on one as soon as possible.

 

[coreydb]

I shot a Texas Aoudad in April and the trophy fee was about the same as an Axis. I don't know where they are such a nuisance, there's nothing but ranches. Just like wild hogs......if they are such a nuisance, why isn't there an open season on them? Nope....you pay $$$ to hunt hogs.

 

[375Fox]

Yup. For $6000-$7000. It's not horrible. It's not great considering its invasive.

I defer back to the question: How did they get there in the first place?

Invasive isn’t the right word. Introduced is. $6000-$7000 per hunt, tough animals that survive well in tough conditions with few predators, year round season without restrictions. The economics of why many landowners want them in far west Texas is easy to see.

Calling them invasive is like calling lechwe or sable in South Africa invasive. They are introduced.