I'm posting this photo for one of my handgun hunting mentors. I'll let Mark fill us in on the details of the hunt.

VERY nice!! Congratulations, Mark! Beautiful auodad!

Thanks Darrell! and thanks Whitworth.

A west Texas, free-range aoudad hunt is a great hunt for a challenging animal; often overlooked and underrated. I booked this hunt with Wade Darby; http://www.crosshairconsulting.com and he has always steered me in the right direction. Wade organized this hunt with Mike McKinny who has a lot of contacts with ranchers in west Texas. Mike put me on a group of sheep the first morning. I took this ram with an H-S Precision in 270 WSM using Nosler 130 grain bullet. A cross-canyon shot at 240 yards claimed the mature ram. These free-range aoudad provide a great/challenging hunt for handgun hunters. I'm ready to go back only next time, when it's cooler and ideal for hunting mountains.

Congratulations Mark! Another fine handgunned trophy!

Now there's one for the wall. Good show!

elwood -- check your PMs.

Wow, beautful animal Mark. I have been looking into hunting one in the Texas Hill country next June. Now I know I am going. Congrats on a great hunt.

Great auodad!!

Thanks all for the kind words. Elwood, actually my 4th ram; I can't seem to get enough of the wonderful sheep hunting experience. The mountains and free-range rams are really challenging making the hunt special.

Mark, what part of Texas were you in? I have a tentative hunt scheduled for June at a ranch in the hill country.

We were near Comstock, by the Devils River. Vast rugged mountains. Some folks don't believe that Texas has mountains, this is simply not true. The area was ideal sheep country and I want to go back. Good luck on your upcoming hunt.

Mark,

Where is West Texas were you hunting? Transpecos area or Panhandle?

I just read the answer to my question.

Great ram, Mark!

Sweet!

Nice job Mark! That looks like a well placed shot on a beautiful animal.

Very cool

Beautiful ram, Mark.
Ken

Thank you for all of your kind words.

Nice Ram Mark! I was just reading that OR still has some free ranging feral goat herds, primarily mouflon but I've also heard that there are some Aoudad that escaped from the only exotic ranch we have here.

Congrats, Mark. That's a beautiful ram!

Mark, tell me this. In your experience, how close can one get to these sheep -- I know they're all different but let's look at the auodad for example. I always get the impression that folks end up taking fairly long shots at them. I wonder if you can get within revolver distance (let's call that 100 - 150 yards or thereabouts), or are they typically too spooky? Thanks!

Is that brake a Holland Gen 2 Radial?

Whitworth, Hunting free-range aoudad in rugged mountains is much different than sitting in a blind over a feeder. I believe you could get within 100-150 yards of these sheep but you may have to allow for extra hunting days. A worthy challenge that is doable. Sure would be great fun.

Ernie, yes that is the Holland brake.

Really? Come on Mark, I realize that -- LOL. I only hunt one species over feeders (and not frequently at that) and instead prefer spot and stalk and running behind a pack of hounds(!). I am not a member of the High Fence Hunt Club and am accustomed to working for my game -- LOL! I was wondering how good their senses are and how you have to hunt them as every animal species is unique in some way and you can get away with some behaviors some of the time. Do they see well? How is their sense of smell? Thanks for indulging me!

Whitworth, I was not assuming anything just wanted to draw the contrast regarding methods. The free-ranging aoudad have good eyesight and a good sense of smell. Normally, hunters do a lot of glassing, then once sheep are spotted, a game plan is made. I always like being above the sheep if possible. Stalking in the mountains is both challenging and fun. If the sheep spot you it's usually game over. This is a hunt I am sure you would enjoy especially with a revolver.

I know Mark, just funnin'! It sounds like a gas, and I would love the opportunity to try it!

Aoudad are like most other game animals. If you are hunting them they can very wary & hard to get to. If you are not, they may stand and look at you. I had a private shooting range on a ranch in an old caliche pit on the rim of the Palo Duro Canyon (second largest canyon in the US) a few years ago. One day four of us were there shooting our handguns. The rancher had set up a deer feeder nearby. An aoudad ram walked up into the pit and walked over to the feeder. We sat & watched him in amazement. He was less than 75 yds away and was unconcerned with us. Apparently, the feeder was empty. He butted it a couple of times and then casually walked away.

However, most of the time the sight of the aoudad was of them making tracks across a far ridge or down on the steep side of canyon.

We hunt the Y O Ranch every year. They have many aoudad and they are very very difficult to hunt due to the brush. The most common sighting of one there is a brown streak between the trees. The ranch periodically has to thin them because their hunters do not harvest enough of them. They thin them using a helicopter. In some years in the past aoudad ewes were "free." However, very few were taken.

Are they edible? Nice ram Mark.

I have eaten the meat at "game dinners." However, I would not be interested in butchering a mature ram. I do not personally know of anyone who has killed one and has eaten it. I am sure that some do.

Mark,

That is an excelent Ram, but something about that picture I find very nice. You are not sitting back from it, and it is still huge ;^) While I have never been to Texas, I have spent time in similar terrain in the high Rockies, and in southern NM. The rock "mount" in the picture, your rolled up sleeves from the heat. For folks who understand the type of terrain and critter, that picture speaks volumes.

Craig

Craig,

While I have never hunted exactly where Mark did, the mountains are likely a lot like the Organs. Desert mountain terrain -- steep and rough but not forested. Plenty of rocks, yucca and cactus to make up for it. LOL

congrats great ram.

W,

Yes, I am familiar with what I think they are like. We have a small mountain range here in NM called the Florida's. The stick up like a ship in the desert in southern NM. I have hunted javelina and quail around the base of the moutains, and always say to myself, one of these days I might try and do a barbary sheep hunt up in them. Perhaps some day, if I am feeling very "frisky".....

Craig

Bearbait, The Florida's also have ibex. I'd give my left................earlobe to draw that tag! Incredible animal that thrives in those spectacular mountains.

Yup,

Hidalgo County, I think. I went to school at NMSU. I am originally from NM. I am a Texas by choice. LOL If the Florida's are where I think that they are --- east of the Hwy from Deming to Columbus?

That's a nice ram!

Mark,

Pretty hard to draw in this state, with no prefernce point system. I know folks who have not drawn a deer or elk tag in 5 or 6 years. It is really just plain stupid. We have been computerized for a few years now, so there is really no good reason. And yes, I did put in for Ibex for a couple of years when I first got here, and actually hunted javelina down that way for quite a few years. The immigration situation really makes hunting down that way pretty "unfun". I had the neatest time with a bunch of nesting owls on my last javelina camping trip down that way, but camping alone is not terribly smart these days.

And W, yes those would be the mountains. Mostly east and a little south of Deming. Straight up from the valley floor, and rough and rugged. I am afraid my knees these days might keep them out of reach for me, but one can dream.

Craig

Good looking Ram Mark! Congrats. Funny, I was just reading one of your articles in Safari Magazine last night! did you shoot him resting on your backpack? lol

BBwheelgunner, Just received my copy today. Actually I did use my backpack as a rest