USA: Aoudad Hunt At The Rockin G Ranch

BWH

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Howdy y’all,

Now that I’m back home & decompressing from a long weekend, I thought I’d compose my report before reality sets in for me tomorrow with a 7:30am meeting.

Several months ago I booked an Aoudad hunt with @gizmo w/ Rockin G Ranch. This is some what full circle for me as I started hunting these dudes not 10 miles away, almost 20 years ago. As Life would have it..... I never connected. Don’t get me wrong, over the last 20 years, I’ve amassed & accomplished quite a collection and memory bank of hunting trophies..... but not the Aoudad. Opportunity presents itself & I book a hunt with good buddy & AH @gizmo.

We decided on mid October for a few reasons.... Fall coming in, deer season isn’t really upon us, dove season on the wind down, etc..... plus it’s when both of our crazy schedules aligned.

Friday the 13th is here..... I arrive at the Rockin’ G about noon on Friday. No bogeys, except that it is 90+ degrees. About 15 or 20 more than normal. Get greeted by Erik & all the superb staffers (Ranch hand, cook, etc). After getting unpacked, settled, sighted in.... were off for afternoon hunt.

Lots of glassing, climbing, descending, ascending, thorns, miles on the UTVs...... the heat/Mother Nature, did not allow us to connect.

Day 2. Morning temps in 70s, sunny & hot.... temps rising fast. As many animals as I know are on this place.... the heat has them ghosted. I mean how the hell does 2000lb white Scimitar hide, big ass axis with monster horns no show, 400” stag not exist..... plus my quarry the elusive Aoudad..... a no show. We hiked, walked scraped canyons, cedar breaks, mesquite bluffs, etc. occasionally bumping something.... but no opportunity presents with a shooter.

Day 3. Cold blast moves in. Temps drop 50 degrees. Wind goes bipolar.... hard south to hard north. We change our game plan.... we see a lot more game. Monster Axis (lucky bastard), blackbuck, fallow, etc.... no Aoudad. Erik says, “F this, let’s keep moving”. We bump 2 rams.... stalk hard. No luck. We get mobile in his Kawasaki Mule, do some driving. We spot a small ram on a canyon away, about 300m. About that time, we see a larger ram rush up canyon wall to join behind a large grove of cedars & mesquites. We get on a bluff, into position & wait...... and wait & wait. An hour goes past, no movement. Erik says let move a draw/canyon over. So we go stealth mode. Keeping close watch, they don’t see us & don’t move.

Then....... a couple of mule deer (buck & doe), start grazing toward them.... that got them moving. They move out from behind the protection of the wind & their sunning bed. Not 2, not 3, but 4 rams appear. Keep in mind, these damn things make a life of playing hide & seek.

Erik quickly points out the largest of the 4. Boom, pow, drt.... 180 turn, quick nose dive into the cedar break. We got our ram.

In short....

Erik is an awesome dude
Rockin G is an incredible place
Staff is friggin Amazon
You will hunt your ass off
That will keep you from gaining weight from the great food.
Accommodations are great

I highly recommend this outfitter..... Aoudad is not for everyone. So please take that into consideration. However, he has something for everyone & all abilities. Deer, turkey, hogs, quail, dove & like 20 exotic species.

It is not a flat hay meadow. This is rough country. I love it!

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Awesome buddy! Congrats on the hunt and connecting on a nice ram!
 
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Yep Gizmo’s isn’t the flat West Texas piece of land. It’s actually a beautiful place with lots of structure as in hills, washes, creeks, bluffs, long expanses to spot far off game, beautiful!
So did you flush any of his gazillion quail?
Did you use your 30-06 and 168 TTSX?
 
Yep Gizmo’s isn’t the flat West Texas piece of land. It’s actually a beautiful place with lots of structure as in hills, washes, creeks, bluffs, long expanses to spot far off game, beautiful!
So did you flush any of his gazillion quail?
Did you use your 30-06 and 168 TTSX?

Yes sir.... the 06 w/ 168 TTSX..... flat out lethal. It ain’t fancy. However, that girl has whacked 15+ African species.... Springbok to Eland.

Quail....? Hory Shet yes!!!! I was sighting in my Rifle & the Little phuckers we’re buzzing around me like bees.

At one point I told Erik. “If you had a 20 ga & it was season, I could skillet shoot & limit off the ground.”
 
BTW.... I would give Erik @gizmo & the Rockin G a 5 Star Review. However, I’m going to have to dock him 4.5 stars for his untimely farting.
 
Only kidding..... can’t wait to go back. Actually, just waiting to hear back from him when he’ll have me back for 3rd trip.
 
When I was there last January quail hunting with my old doggie, Michel letft scrapped cooked pieces of meat in the fridge for me to wrap my dog’s Trimadal in before our hunts to help with his arthritis. They spoiled him (and me).
Just one of the many little things that make you appreciate Gizmo’s place.
 
A couple of things I left out..... he’s a precision taxidermist. You would t know by looking at him... lol.... in al seriousness. He brought me back my stud Russian boar & coyote from last December. Beyond pleased. Also, it’s pretty kick ass, to know the artist that will be doing your Taxidermie is the one skinning your animal. I swear the dude was way more meticulous than the average surgeon. He had gloves on & surgical blades... changing regularly.... insisting that we go eat, while he took his time, carefully making cuts. Not your average hunt or skinning. He is an artisan I assure you that. So much so... I was like E, hurry the F up... let’s go. He was like..... buzz off.... I’m busy, go eat without me.
 
I'm glad you and the ram both smiled for the photos. Good sport, that critter!

Great job with the story.



Erik has my alligator from the trip I took with the kids in May. I'm anxious to see how it starts developing. I gave him the go to post a thread about it if he wants
 
Brad thanks bro, I enjoyed the hell out of hunting with you as always. My feet are still sore as crap from all the climbing but it was absolutely a blast. Ended with an absolutely epic stalk!
FYI I wish you could have stayed, since I'm still here anyway I took the ol crossbow out and stuck a bolt through a boar hog with the broad heads you brought me. It was a bad day to be a pig on the turnip patch today. :LOL:
 
Hopefully not only the montec broadheads did deed..... maybe the Rum
Hit spot too!!!!
 
Please keep in mind my dudes.... this hunt is not to distract from an Africa experience. It’s actually to give someone an opportunity, option or in addition to.

Nonetheless, you’ll be shining like a diamond in a goats ass! Grinning ear to ear!

Call or pm if want deets!
 
Sounds like a great place and a good hunt nice sheep. Those aoudad sure can blend in with that red dirt.
 
Awesome Brad! Congrats.

I recognize a few of those canyons. It's a beautiful place and sure as hell ain't flat!
 
Hopefully not only the montec broadheads did deed..... maybe the Rum
Hit spot too!!!!
Absolutely, as a matter of fact I am enjoying a delicious rum drink at the moment. ;)
 
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Congrats on your hunt!
 
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Ok. Gizmo's earlier report put Romania on my list- originally for bear but their libs have screwed that up- and now this report has put the Rockin' G on the list. I love this forum but you guys are tryin' to bankrupt a poor lawdawg.
 
Congrats and thanks for sharing your story. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
 
Looks like Gizmo keeps living up to his great reputation. Congrats on your wonderful trophy.
 

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