NM Oryx 2024

[Brentc]

When NM keeps pulling your name to hunt Oryx, you keep hunting Oryx.

This was a population management hunt just outside of WSMR. With only one day to make it happen, I got to work quickly. We found a group in the distance early on, but they didn't want to play, so we pulled out to find more animals.

After gaining some elevation, I spotted up a large bull outside the hunt boundary. After a quick conversation with the Game Warden managing the hunt, I got the go ahead to make a run up the hill for the big bull.

We spent the next several minutes working angles through the terrain to get a shot, but it was evident this bull got old by staying away from people and vehicles. He joined a group of cows to make things more interesting with extra eyes and constant shuffling through tall brush, which made shot opportunities difficult.

We finally determined a pathway to cut the group off and hustled to get into position.

After watching the herd mill around for several minutes, my bull finally stepped out from behind cover to present me with a shot opportunity. It was a long shot, but well within my comfort range. I got a range, dialed him up, and sent a fatal round through his lungs. I found him piled up in a yucca 15 yards from where the bullet impacted him.

I was looking for a 37+" bull with heavy bases on this trip and I got him. He measured 38.5" with an 8" base on his best side.

 

[fulldraw]

Just out of curiosity, how many times have you been drawn for oryx and are you a resident? Congrats on a nice bull!

 

[Sask hunter]

Congrats!

 

[B&CTom]

You do what ya gotta do when they keep drawing your name! Sounds like a fun hunt, and you got yourself a dandy bull. Congratulations!

 

[Brentc]

Just out of curiosity, how many times have you been drawn for oryx and are you a resident? Congrats on a nice bull!

Not technically a resident. I've hunted oryx in New Mexico every year since 2019. New Mexico is generous with hunting opportunities on the Army range for active duty military guys.

 

[WNC2500]

@Brentc Love hunting the Oryx in NM. Congrats on the great bull.

 

[gonhunting247]

The colors on him are amazing! I had the opportunity to shoot an oryx back in April finally. It was a broken horn tag and I shot a nice mature bull, but his colors didn't show near as sharp as that guy. Congrats, he's a beautiful bull and big too!

 

[nontyp]

Heck of a bull! Congrats!

 

[redhaze]

Great hunt and fine animal. Congrats. Spent 2 days in the country west of WSMR and the Bosque coyote hunting a couple of weeks ago. Great looking country.

 

[JoMo]

Congrats! Looks like an awesome bull. I am getting antsy - I head out later in January for my first oryx hunt on range. Out of curiosity, how long of a shot was required? Since you’ve been multiple times, I’m interested to hear how they have played out. Shooting off of a tripod or similar?

My family is tagging along with me on the hunt, so I am trying to mentally prepare what may be possible with my 7 year old daughter on my side. Thanks!

 

[nontyp]

Congrats! Looks like an awesome bull. I am getting antsy - I head out later in January for my first oryx hunt on range. Out of curiosity, how long of a shot was required? Since you’ve been multiple times, I’m interested to hear how they have played out. Shooting off of a tripod or similar?

My family is tagging along with me on the hunt, so I am trying to mentally prepare what may be possible with my 7 year old daughter on my side. Thanks!

Having just returned from oryx hunting with my kids, I’ll chime in with my experience. Getting within 350 is doable, but getting a clear shot is the hard part. It looks like @Brentc shot his in some more terrain than I did. The area we hunted was pancake flat which made it harder. Id say my 7 yr old could’ve done 3-4 stalks per day.

 

[Brentc]

Congrats! Looks like an awesome bull. I am getting antsy - I head out later in January for my first oryx hunt on range. Out of curiosity, how long of a shot was required? Since you’ve been multiple times, I’m interested to hear how they have played out. Shooting off of a tripod or similar?

My family is tagging along with me on the hunt, so I am trying to mentally prepare what may be possible with my 7 year old daughter on my side. Thanks!

I've killed them everywhere between 40 and 650 yards, but I'd say the majority of your shots will be 250-350 yards. Get comfortable with standing shots from a tripod or shooting sticks. The brush is often too high to get get into a kneeling or prone position.

To locate them, get some elevation. There are high spots to climb, but for flat country, a ladder in the back of a truck is good for setting up a hasty glassing spot.

For judging, the small ones have similar body structure to adults. It's easy to get fooled by a young lone oryx or a group of several young oryx. Mature oryx have shiny black horns with several distinct rings that extend half way or more up the horn for a bull and 1/3 of the way for a long horned cow.

The cows are usually in groups of 5-10 of varying age. There is often a bull in the group too, but often times the biggest bulls will be alone guarding their territory.

If you find an area with several piles of scat aging from fresh to months old there is a bull claiming that as his territory. Find a high spot and try to glass him up.

Feel free to reach out by PM if you need more info.

 

[thoffman89]

Congratulations on a beautiful oryx. My uncle lives near White Sands and has hunted them a few times

 

[prhunter]

congrats on your harvest

 

[Brentc]

Here is a YouTube link to the kill shot.

 

[Brentc]

You do what ya gotta do when they keep drawing your name!

Yeah. It's a tough sword to fall on.

 

[BradA]

Congratulations I want to draw one so badly but as a nr it seems like it won’t ever happen. That’s an awesome oryx!