Free range Davis Mountains Aoudad success!

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This will be multiple parts. Hoping I can post quick. Lots of pics!

It started by me speaking with Jessie King early this year about an Aoudad hunt on the Flying B Rancho Del Cielo south of Kent Tx in the Davis mountains. They were booked until 2023 and I was fine with it. Gave me time to save up. Was speaking with a buddy and they were booked for October 2021 and said they could fit me in. Hmm. Done! Deposit paid. And the anticipation built. I didn’t know what to expect. Free range sheep in the huge untouched mountains has been a dream of mine for a very long time. It was coming to reality. I’ll spare you the details but the last couple years has been a wild sad ride due to health issues with me having a tumor and my brother in law slowly dying of cancer on top of some other things. I decided it was past time to chase this dream.

A few months ago we got a call that the ranch owner wanted the ranch to himself in early October so he can chase antelope so we pushed our to mid September. 2 days after my birthday!

Another curveball. I was supposed to be there the 15th. We got word my brother in law took a turn for the worst. My wife booked a flight and headed to Maryland. So I pushed it back to Thursday the 16th. On Tuesday the 14th my buddy and his dad both tested positive for covid. Great. So I was flying solo.

My wife got back the 15th. I got packed. And I left Georgetown at 530 am. It’s time!

As I got closer I started rolling into the big mountains. You couldn’t have knocked the smile off my face my dream was here!

I rolled into one of the prettiest ranches I have ever seen. 40,000 acres of wild, rugged, mostly untouched country. It was super green and incredible grass and water over every inch of the ranch. I signed my liability real ease forms. We checked both of my rifles at 350 yards. And we headed to camp at 1 pm to unload and get to it.

Picture time! There will be lots. And I should have taken more. Breathtaking scenery. Camp is more of an African style bush camp. Super cool

Notice Mount Livermore and Sawtooth mountain just a few miles from us. Truly heaven on earth.

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[kurt68]

Congrats and awesome pics!

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[trophy8]

We are an incredible lunch the cook whipped us up. Beef stroganoff and Brussels sprouts! Spoiled.

We took off to start hunting between 1 and 2 pm. We glasses for a few hours and we’re headed to get on top of a mountain way around to find a big group Jessie has seen recently. We stopped to glass a big canyon and I picked up a group of 3-4 rams 2000+ yards out. They were moving away fast but Jessie figured he knew where they were headed. So off we went.

As we rounded a curve on top of the mountain near a water trough there were 4 sheep in the brush. We stopped immediately and started checking them out. One nice 32-33” ram that Jessie was excited about. I however didn’t feel that excitement. Good length. Not much mass. Looked young. And by God it was the first group we got close to! I passed. Jessie was pleased that I was willing to pass a good ram to let him grow. And off we went.

We wanted to look at that group I spotted and we headed that way. Parked and took off walking. We eventually crested a rise and boom. At 750 yards stood a tank of a ram. Covered in mud. Super heavy. Big chaps. Old mature and covered in battle scars. We estimated him at 32-34” but the minute I laid eyes on this sheep I knew it was game on.

This was happening fast!

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Wind was bad and he was in a big draw. We discussed and decided to back out. Swing way out and come at them from the back and top of a small hill in the canyon.

We started ascending the hill for the final few hundred yards. Wind switched again. ****! So we side hilled again. Wind switched AGAIN! We stopped and discussed. I gave my opinion. Let’s go straight at em. It’s day one. Nothing to lose. And that’s what we did.

Grass was very tall and brush was thick. We crested at 255 yards. Brush in the way. No shot.

We were in the open with nothing but downhill and small bushes and yucca between us. But the angle was killing us. We decided to try for a small dead tree that would put us at 200-225 and an open shot. We knelt down and started the final stalk.

After 20-30 yards the second ram which was longer but not as heavy or as cool and war beaten started getting nervous. We dropped and I set my sticks up.

I hate shooting off sticks. I wanted to get real steady. Took about 10 seconds and I told Jessie I’m good. Let’s kill him. The ram was fixing to get the business.

[Hogmauler]

T, y’all we’re definitely glamping! That was bad azz!

[DaveC]

Greatness!!
so far .....wait for it.......

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Settled in. Second ram trotted off. Waiting for mine to turn broadside

He turns facing left. Getting nervous. Think they got our wind. Jessie says send it. Safety off. Settled mid to high shoulder with my 6.5 PRC launching 140 accubonds. Steady. Trigger broke smooth. I recoiled back and heard the unmistakable sound of a bullet finding it’s mark. Jessie said something in exclamation. SHEEP DROPPED! I ran that bolt hard and fast and got ready for a follow up just in case. But it was not needed. He went straight down! And never got back up. Success! Didn’t go 20!

[Pedernal]

Settled in. Second ram trotted off. Waiting for mine to turn broadside

He turns facing left. Getting nervous. Think they got our wind. Jessie says send it. Safety off. Settled mid to high shoulder with my 6.5 PRC launching 140 accubonds. Steady. Trigger broke smooth. I recoiled back and heard the unmistakable sound of a bullet finding it’s mark. Jessie said something in exclamation. SHEEP DROPPED! I ran that bolt hard and fast and got ready for a follow up just in case. But it was not needed. He went straight down! And never got back up. Success! Didn’t go 20!

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Awesome! Big Congrats!

[trophy8]

Now I knew this sheep was the longest ram in the world. But I learned a very hard lesson years ago by getting caught up in the inches and score and let a 187” deer walk. That was a mistake I never intend to make again. If a mature trophy quality animal excites me then I’m sending it.

We over estimated his length. He was Broomed off on both sides. But he was super heavy. 12”+ bases and carries heavy mass all the way out. 30” sheep. Battle scars head to tail. HUGE body. Well over 300 lbs. covered in mud and old. Just a super cool old trophy sheep. I couldn’t be happier!

We caped him out after taking lots of pics. And eased our way to camp. All these years of dreaming and waiting and my hunt was done in less than 6 hours

We ate like kings. Drank a few beers. And went to bed.


Woke up the next morning and headed out as the sun came up to sight see and find some javelina. Didn’t take long and I drilled a javelina running through the brush!

We saw the big group we were looking for the day before. There was a stud ram in there. But I am very pleased with mine! I will happily do this again with Jessie and the Flying B.

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[texaswoods8]

Congrats !!!! sweet hunt. One day

[bowhunterhelm]

Awesome! I want to go.

[Artos]

Man, that is some kinda good look'n country!!

Nice work Matt...