USA: West Texas Auodad x2

Carson

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My brother and I have been talking about hunting Auodad in west Texas for the last 12 years or so. We were finally able to make it happen this week. We drove down Friday/Saturday and got back yesterday.

We hunted an area between Fort Stockton and Marathon with an outfitter. The first day we drove around and glassed all day.
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We saw a couple lone ewes and one group of 40 or so mixed ewes and rams. The big group was on a different property though so we could only watch from a distance. We were glassing almost till dark and decided to head back for the day. We were driving in the buggy through where we had just glassed and I saw an auodad ram running up the hill away from us. I jumped out of the buggy and the ram was disappearing over the ridge. I had to shoot a couple times since he was running through brush, but he went down.
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He's an old ram. Both sides are really broomed. I measured him at 27.5 and 26 inches. I think he would have been right at 30 before he broomed. He's got a good amount of mass. His chaps are nice and long.

I didn't really want to shoot one from near the buggy, but having gone all day without seeing a shootable ram, I wasn't going to pass it up.

The next day we drove to a different property. We spotted a few ewes early in the morning. Then we got out of the buggy and started walking and glassing. We had only been doing that for 10 minutes or so when my brother spotted 2 rams only 250 yards below us. One ram was very long, but the other was more massive, with bigger body and longer chaps. My brother opted for that one. The rams had no idea we were there and they walked towards us. My brother shot when the ram was at about 220 yards away and it dropped instantly.

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We didn't put a tape on his ram, but I'm guessing it's around 32 inches and massive.


My rifle is a Seekins havak ph2 in 300wm. My brother's rifle is an Echols legend in 300wm.

We had a great trip hunting and spending time together. I'm really glad we went.

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Ccongrats. Both animals will make very good mounts.
 
Awesome, aoudad hunting has become very popular, when I worked the trans pecoes river area , they where considered varmits and shoot on sight
now they are a prized trophy , sure do love to hunt them
pm me the ranch if they offer DIY hunting
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What impressive animals! I hunted the same general area a few years ago. I think that area of Texas is beautiful and an underrated place for hunting. If you could make anything edible out of an Auodad, they’d be even more popular!
 
Congrats and thanks for sharing!
 
What impressive animals! I hunted the same general area a few years ago. I think that area of Texas is beautiful and an underrated place for hunting. If you could make anything edible out of an Auodad, they’d be even more popular!
Sausage, BBQ , tamales , tenderized backstrap fried or grilled, jerky meat
put the usable meat in a ice chest, cover it ice , open the drain and wet age by refilling with ice every day for 3-4 days
smoking a ham or shoulder, loin soak in pineapple or orange juice over night, put on some bbq rub , low and slow @ 225-240 for 5-6 hours ( @ 2 hours wrap in foil to prevent dryness)
 
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What did the outfitter charge for a hunt like that?
 
Love hunting aoudad. Just got back from marfa, TX.

Snowed 6 inches over night. March in Texas lol
 
Awesome, aoudad hunting has become very popular, when I worked the trans pecoes river area , they where considered varmits and shoot on sight
now they are a prized trophy. . .

About 25 years ago, I had the opportunity to hunt those at zero cost other then gas and food and they were considered varmints, I think the two that went shot between 20-30. I now I kick myself for not going as those hunts go for 5-6k.
 
It is big country out there for sure. Nice rams. Used to be able to hunt for those for free back in the day but they get good money for those sheep now. Those jokers are fun to hunt. Congrats!
 
Love hunting aoudad. Just got back from marfa, TX.

Snowed 6 inches over night. March in Texas lol
yeah that was weird weather for sure , but magical scenery
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Just booked my first aoudad hunt for next February down by Marfa. Hoping for better weather next year. I want to get away from the snow and cold.
 
As mentioned above, I grew up in West Texas and luckily knew many ranchers in the Trans Pecos who hated aoudad and wanted them all gone. We did our best, and I've probably killed 100 or so, but those days are gone. A trophy ram hunt in that area is a real spot and stalk hunter's dream in awesome country.

I tagged along with my buddy down between Balmorhea and Ft Davis on 400sq miles of private ranch that held zero livestock.....no cows, goats, sheep, nothing. That terrain is very unforgiving. He made an awesome 418 yd one shot kill with a 7mm08/140 Accubond combo on a 34.5" ram on day 4. Quite the adventure.
 
Great looking animals! Looks like you all had a great time!
 
Great looking trophies to everyone.

I found the Aoudad/barbary sheep more difficult to spot and hunt than the desert bighorn sheep. No white rump on the Aoudad like the desert bighorn sheep and the auodad blend in so well with the terrain.

Also, no drawing of tags in Texas for aoudad and year round hunting. I would like to hunt Auodad again soon.

Happy hunting, TheGrayRider.
 
I've done 2 aoudad hunts in West Texas and am hooked. I'd sooner do 10 aoudad hunts than 1 desert bighorn hunt!
 
I've done this twice before prices really started cloning
Climbing. 1
$1800 the first time in the terlingua area and $2700 the second time on the devils River. Anything less than 4k is a steal now usually only due to cancelations.

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