West Texas Aoudad Down

[rmyoung1]

Not near as many of them, so not as many tags given out. (I think 2-4 are generally issued by draw or raffle for the public to hunt) If we were to eradicate the aoudad, which are a lot more affordable to hunt, a lot less hunt opportunities for everyone. Seems like the aoudad are thriving better in the country than the bighorn anyway. Seems like it would make more sense to let the aoudad live in the country they thrive in, and let the bighorn go elsewhere to a place where they can thrive easier. Versus eradicate all the aoudad and attempt to restore the bighorn herd so a few lucky hunters can get a bighorn tag. Maybe not a correct standpoint but just my thoughts.

Why is the assumption that trigger-pulling opportunities are the highest goal?

 

[EYJONAS!]

Nice ram. You lost me though at leaving it.

 

[Whitetail_kid]

Why is the assumption that trigger-pulling opportunities are the highest goal?

It’s not. But not everyone will have the opportunity to take a bighorn and with these already being here, it seems to me to make more sense to let them live here have more affordable hunt opportunities for people. You get the full sheep hunting experience with the aoudad. Rugged Terrain, etc.

 

[Whitetail_kid]

Nice ram. You lost me though at leaving it.

Thanks: just always heard they were terrible to eat, from lots of hunting forum members and the guide also.

 

[Dsnow9]

Thanks: just always heard they were terrible to eat, from lots of hunting forum members and the guide also.

On this forum or rokslide?

 

[EYJONAS!]

Just put the shovel down.

 

[cgasner1]

Idk I finally got around to cutting mine up this weekend. The meat was tough as hell but will grind out into sausage. The animal amazed me again with how it was put together

 

[TX Trophy Hunter]

The full sheep hunting experience includes eating the sheep you killed. I’ve only shot 1 aoudad and it was an old ewe in the OTC unit of NM, but the meat was great. I know a lot of people that love the meat. What you have done is given the anti hunting community ammunition to use in their arguments. It is our responsibility as hunters to call out unethical behavior and maybe you didn’t have bad intentions, but the whole culture of what you are describing is not in line with what ethical hunting is.

 

[Whitetail_kid]

On this forum or rokslide?

This forum, Rokslide, LRH, THF

 

[bigsky2]

Thanks: just always heard they were terrible to eat, from lots of hunting forum members and the guide also.

I think that’s just a cop out so they don’t have to do the work to take the meat. I went with some guys to TX last year and they didn’t take the meat because of what they had heard from guides. It kind of put a sour taste in my mouth the whole hunt after that. I was the only guy who still hadn’t killed one the last day so I went out while the other guys stayed back at camp packing things up. Everyone was kind of in a hurry to hit the road so there was a little pressure on me to not hunt too long, but when I killed my ram a few miles in there was no way I was leaving the meat so they all got to wait for me while I packed it out.

 

[perma]

I thinks that’s just a cop out so they don’t have to do the work to take the meat. I went with some guys to TX last year and they didn’t take the meat because of what they had heard from guides. It kind of put a sour taste in my mouth the whole hunt after that. I was the only guy who still hadn’t killed one the last day so I went out while the other guys stayed back at camp packing things up. Everyone was kind of in a hurry to hit the road so there was a little pressure on me to not hunt too long, but when I killed my ram a few miles in there was no way I was leaving the meat so they all got to wait for me while I packed it out.

I'm surprised a guide would even allow meat to stay behind like that.

 

[bigsky2]

I'm surprised a guide would even allow meat to stay behind like that.

I’ve only been hunting in TX once so my experience is very limited, but I think there’s some pretty shady outfits down there. It’s also TX, rules and regs don’t apply for a lot of species.

 

[Whitetail_kid]

I'm surprised a guide would even allow meat to stay behind like that.

They’re considered about like a feral hog in Texas. Our guide said on the ranches where they are attempting to help restore the bighorn herd, they come in from a helicopter and shoot down every aoudad on the ranch. They’re not prized and considered not good eating as is. That’s just what most people do with them.

 

[perma]

They’re considered about like a feral hog in Texas. Our guide said on the ranches where they are attempting to help restore the bighorn herd, they come in from a helicopter and shoot down every aoudad on the ranch. They’re not prized and considered not good eating as is. That’s just what most people do with them.

I don't think it matters the opinion of someone else's tongue on how meat tastes, it matters if you like it. People say pronghorn is not good meat, but if you haven't tried it, how would you ever know? There's ways to make meat tender, you just have to be creative.

 

[cgasner1]

They’re considered about like a feral hog in Texas. Our guide said on the ranches where they are attempting to help restore the bighorn herd, they come in from a helicopter and shoot down every aoudad on the ranch. They’re not prized and considered not good eating as is. That’s just what most people do with them.

I highly doubt they are shooting a animal that’s worth 8k from a helicopter and leaving them lay

 

[littlebighorn]

Wouldn't it be great if desert sheep were as hardy as Aoudad and they were as plentiful?
That would hunting opportunity I would support and participate in!

 

[jabber]

I highly doubt they are shooting a animal that’s worth 8k from a helicopter and leaving them lay

I know for a fact that this is done with the aoudad where they are trying to protect the bighorn sheep herds.

 

[Khunter]

Didn’t eat this one. They say the better tasting ones are the younger ones. The older rams (10+) are supposedly like shoe leather.

You are very young and as with all hunters have things to learn. Of course your texas guide told you it should be wasted. That does not absolve you from being a responsible hunter and doing research to know damn well many folks eat them regardless of animal age. I bet you know NM requires a hunter to bring the meat out. How does that jibe with just letting it rot on your Texas hunt?

My Texas aoudad guide told me all manner of BS to justify leaving the meat in the field… “just leave it, no good etc.”. Told him to pound sand and start helping get meat out, NOW. Shot perhaps an older aoudad than you did and it was good eating. Not great but sure as heck not something to leave in a ditch while carrying out horns and cape.

As you are early in your hunting career, hope you start delivering more for yourself instead of listening to guides with incentive to take the lazy route out of doing work.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I highly doubt they are shooting a animal that’s worth 8k from a helicopter and leaving them lay

They don't have a problem eradicating mountain goats in NPs for the sheep to thrive. Auodad wouldn't stand a chance if they wanted to have sheep rebound or become more established in a specific area.

 

[cgasner1]

I know for a fact that this is done with the aoudad where they are trying to protect the bighorn sheep herds.

I’m sure it is just not on ranches in west Texas with a market for audad