Jornada ER Oryx Surprise Hunt
- Thread starter nontyp
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timberman56
Active member
very cool.. good luck
kiwi hunter
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Good luck.
BAKPAKR
Well-known member
Congrats!
fishing4sanity
Well-known member
Congratulations! They're a beautiful critter and dang good eating.
CPAjeff
Well-known member
Congrats! Looking forward to the recap.
Guy
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- Dec 5, 2018
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Outstanding! Congrats on your success.
Guy
Guy
prhunter
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Outstanding! Congrats!
gonhunting247
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- Dec 11, 2010
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Very cool, good work that is a good looking Oryx!
406LIFE
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- Aug 18, 2016
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I've not done Jornada, but I have done WSMR (and Namibia). I did a podcast with Gilbert Villegas, the biologist. It will be an entirely unique experience.
kiwi hunter
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- Jul 21, 2013
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Shot man
Alright here it goes:
Back in July I was notified that I was selected to participate in a population management Oryx hunt in New Mexico. I have been applying for oryx for years, and I really just hoped that I could draw sometime in my life. This wasn’t how I expected to draw, but I will take whatever I can get. This is more of an opportunity hunt. I was given 2 days to hunt the property along with 3 other hunters. The rules state that you must pursue any adult oryx that you have a chance at.
I was allowed to bring 3 guests. My friend Kyle tagged along and I also decided to bring my 2 oldest sons after talking to the property manager. We also decided to fly down to this hunt. This was my first time flying to a hunt and it was good to learn the process.
Back in July I was notified that I was selected to participate in a population management Oryx hunt in New Mexico. I have been applying for oryx for years, and I really just hoped that I could draw sometime in my life. This wasn’t how I expected to draw, but I will take whatever I can get. This is more of an opportunity hunt. I was given 2 days to hunt the property along with 3 other hunters. The rules state that you must pursue any adult oryx that you have a chance at.
I was allowed to bring 3 guests. My friend Kyle tagged along and I also decided to bring my 2 oldest sons after talking to the property manager. We also decided to fly down to this hunt. This was my first time flying to a hunt and it was good to learn the process.
Day1: We arrived in NM on Friday. Rented a truck from turo and headed out to some BLM land to check zero on the rifle. All was good so we prepped gear and got ready for an early morning.
Day 2: We arrived at the range by 6 AM for our safety brief. The 4 hunters were from CA, TX, KS, and OR. The briefing was short and sweet. Per the terms of this hunt, hunters are required to have an escort. 2 hunters were assigned to each escort. They do research on this property and there is also a slim chance of encountering unexploded ordinances from the missile range.
Day 2: We arrived at the range by 6 AM for our safety brief. The 4 hunters were from CA, TX, KS, and OR. The briefing was short and sweet. Per the terms of this hunt, hunters are required to have an escort. 2 hunters were assigned to each escort. They do research on this property and there is also a slim chance of encountering unexploded ordinances from the missile range.
Day 2 continued: The morning started fast. After driving into the hunting area the group from CA was sent down a road to the right by our escort and we were sent to the left. 10 minutes later a shot rang out and they had filled their oryx tag. After some quick glassing we were able to locate a herd as well and we began to stalk.
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Day 2 continued: The first stalk was a great first experience, but it didn’t work out. We were able to close the distance to 260 yards, but I just didn’t feel comfortable with the shot. There were too many sticks/brush obscuring the vitals.
We decided to go back to the truck and either get a different angle on this herd or possibly glass up some other animals. After driving down the road several more miles, we were able to glass a herd that was about 1.3 miles away. We dropped a pin on their approximate location and circled around above them.
We walked in from a location a little over a mile from the herd. The landscape looked very different than what I pictured when we were glassing them from the road. As we approached the location of the pin, we slowed down and began glassing every few steps as we walked. As I glassed I finally saw that unmistakable black and white masked looking at me through the mesquite brush.
After some crawling and maneuvering we got into position for a shot. The animals kept piling up and walking in and out of brush so I was just waiting for an open window. I found that window and fired. I heard the impact and racked another shell. I saw 2 oryx running away in my scope, but didn’t see the 3rd. We then realized that he had dropped immediately. We all know what that means, spine shot. In hindsight I rushed the shot and should’ve tried to stop the animal, or i should’ve been holding in front of his chest. He was walking to the right when I shot. It seems like these things are always moving. I was holding directly on his vitals and tracking him when I shot. Lessons learned. It was a poor shot and I was lucky that it spined him so that I could put a finishing shot on him.
Ultimately it all worked out and we had a great experience. We’re told this is a pretty big bull, but they are hard to field judge. Thanks for following along.
We decided to go back to the truck and either get a different angle on this herd or possibly glass up some other animals. After driving down the road several more miles, we were able to glass a herd that was about 1.3 miles away. We dropped a pin on their approximate location and circled around above them.
We walked in from a location a little over a mile from the herd. The landscape looked very different than what I pictured when we were glassing them from the road. As we approached the location of the pin, we slowed down and began glassing every few steps as we walked. As I glassed I finally saw that unmistakable black and white masked looking at me through the mesquite brush.
After some crawling and maneuvering we got into position for a shot. The animals kept piling up and walking in and out of brush so I was just waiting for an open window. I found that window and fired. I heard the impact and racked another shell. I saw 2 oryx running away in my scope, but didn’t see the 3rd. We then realized that he had dropped immediately. We all know what that means, spine shot. In hindsight I rushed the shot and should’ve tried to stop the animal, or i should’ve been holding in front of his chest. He was walking to the right when I shot. It seems like these things are always moving. I was holding directly on his vitals and tracking him when I shot. Lessons learned. It was a poor shot and I was lucky that it spined him so that I could put a finishing shot on him.
Ultimately it all worked out and we had a great experience. We’re told this is a pretty big bull, but they are hard to field judge. Thanks for following along.
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Sask hunter
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Congrats!
