First I have to say, my friend talked me in to this hunt and didn't back down until I said yes. I'm not a rifle hunter. I've just about exclusively bowhunted for the past 20 years. I've killed a few hogs maybe, but not really rifle hunted at all. I shot a few does this year with the rifle just to prepare for this hunt and actually enjoyed it. Maybe it's the life cycle of a hunter, going from different weapons, to the experience matters more than the weapon. Either way, this was an exceptional hunt and my first real hunt with a rifle in quite a long time, especially a paid hunt.
One more note- I had looked at these hunts for almost two decades, since being in college dreaming of the day I could afford to go on hunts like this. Something I always wanted to do but never thought the day would come.
My wife and I went on a free range Aoudad hunt a few weeks ago. We hunted with the Sproul ranch out of Ft. Davis. The terrain was as mountainous as Parts of NE New Mexico. We had great lodging, food and hunting. And saw sheep every day. The ranch owner and his family were amazing people. We sure would like to spend more time with them in the future. We have non-hunting plans to go back to the lodge in June, and are planning a Mule deer hunt with them.
We scouted from UTV's, glassed for sheep and when conditions favorable, set up the stalk. We had a few good spot and stalks early on in our planned 4 1/2 day hunt.
On day 3, we spotted two lone rams out on this finger that decided to feed up toward our direction. We moved to the top of a ridge in their path. They only had two options- move up the mountain about 200yrds in front of me or move along this bench that dropped off several hundred feet to the bottom land- 10yrds below me and 40yrds away.
Sure enough they walked out at 40yrds. The ranch owner said “shoulder” and I took an off hand shot and shot through the ram’s front shoulders with my Savage Axis II 6.5CM with Hornady ELD match grade 140gr bullets. My wife and the owner's son were 150yrds away and watched, photo'd the entire closing scene.
He ran 20yrds, reared up and fell over dead.
The ram was 32" in length with 13" bases. Exceptional animal to me.
I’m definitely going back to hunt these animals again. I would definitely like to put another aoudad on my wall with this kind of hunting experience. Such a worthwhile experience to hunt wild animals in some rugged mountainous terrain.
One more note- I had looked at these hunts for almost two decades, since being in college dreaming of the day I could afford to go on hunts like this. Something I always wanted to do but never thought the day would come.
My wife and I went on a free range Aoudad hunt a few weeks ago. We hunted with the Sproul ranch out of Ft. Davis. The terrain was as mountainous as Parts of NE New Mexico. We had great lodging, food and hunting. And saw sheep every day. The ranch owner and his family were amazing people. We sure would like to spend more time with them in the future. We have non-hunting plans to go back to the lodge in June, and are planning a Mule deer hunt with them.
We scouted from UTV's, glassed for sheep and when conditions favorable, set up the stalk. We had a few good spot and stalks early on in our planned 4 1/2 day hunt.
On day 3, we spotted two lone rams out on this finger that decided to feed up toward our direction. We moved to the top of a ridge in their path. They only had two options- move up the mountain about 200yrds in front of me or move along this bench that dropped off several hundred feet to the bottom land- 10yrds below me and 40yrds away.
Sure enough they walked out at 40yrds. The ranch owner said “shoulder” and I took an off hand shot and shot through the ram’s front shoulders with my Savage Axis II 6.5CM with Hornady ELD match grade 140gr bullets. My wife and the owner's son were 150yrds away and watched, photo'd the entire closing scene.
He ran 20yrds, reared up and fell over dead.
The ram was 32" in length with 13" bases. Exceptional animal to me.
I’m definitely going back to hunt these animals again. I would definitely like to put another aoudad on my wall with this kind of hunting experience. Such a worthwhile experience to hunt wild animals in some rugged mountainous terrain.
Comment