NMPaul
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I want to thank Sean and Dustin who I met through this site for helping me get an off range oryx this year.
I met these guys last year during a Mobility impaired elk hunt. They were helping an old guy that was missing a leg and had never hunted elk fulfill a dream. I was lucky enough to have a fairly remote water hole that I knew about on public land that we set up a blind on. Sean sat with him and helped him score on his first bull elk. It was a great night for all of us.
Sean and Dustin both called me and offered what I consider to be their honey holes for off range oryx. This is right up there with honey holes for public land barbary sheep. There are so few of them, that you need to protect them with your life.
I know it has been discussed on here about people asking for help for a unit and the downsides to it. I can tell you from first hand experience that most of the time it works out for the best. More times than not, I have met good people and have enjoyed helping other hunters out. In this case I was on the receiving end and I am very appreciative.
This was my June off range hunt. I must have come down the hill 10 times hitting areas that I have seen oryx off range in the past. Most times I found tracks, but, most of my spots they go back on the range. Last week I did hike into an area and jump an oryx, I chose to try to set up my bog pod instead of taking an off hand shot and my window of opportunity closed before I could get a shot.
Sean told me of a spot and gave me specific directions to an area where there was fresh sign on the other side of the range. I got over there saw super fresh sign, but, never found them.
He then called me and offered to meet me at one of his favorite spots he had been seeing oryx. We took him up on his offer and met him early in the am. We had not hiked 400 yards and Sean spots an oryx. I try to make the stalk in and get busted by another oryx. Here is where I screwed up. The oryx we were looking at was a really nice one and this one had one broken horn. I hesitated for 2-3 seconds considering going after the better one.
This one had me nailed and I knew as soon as it took off it would alert the others even though they were several hundred yards away.
I set up my sticks, and was ready to pull the trigger and he bolted. I had blown it again. I watched him make a long circle towards the others. he finally stopped 300+ yards out and I took a bad rushed shot off the bog pod. I had been moving through cover trying to get a visual.
Now I felt really bad. I had missed an oryx in Seans honey hole and he had a tag that started in less than a week. We scouted around for the next few hours and were about a mile from the truck and were walking on the road and talking on the way back to the truck.
Oryx exploded in the cover to our right. I was unprepared and by the time I could get the gun up the were gone.
Super bummed now.
We got after them and I came over the top of a hill and I saw an oryx break and run. She stopped and I had the gun up on the sticks. Zach was saying "Dad he has no horns at all" This time I did not hesitate or even think twice. I got my shot and took it. I knew it was a hit, but, not sure how good.
Sean found a tiny pin prick of blood, but, there were so many oryx tracks we could not sort them out. We all went different directions I came over a rise and saw her out about 100 yards under a tree. I took an off hand shot and she went about 40 yards and piled up.
My first shot was a sorry gut shot, but, my second shot was text book.
This is my 3rd oryx and I am as proud of her as the first 2 (a 36" bull and a 33" cow.
The generosity by Sean for his time, gas and showing me a secret spot is even more special to me.
There are some great folks on this site.
Final B&C measurements are 2 1/8 on one side and 12 4/8 on the other.
I met these guys last year during a Mobility impaired elk hunt. They were helping an old guy that was missing a leg and had never hunted elk fulfill a dream. I was lucky enough to have a fairly remote water hole that I knew about on public land that we set up a blind on. Sean sat with him and helped him score on his first bull elk. It was a great night for all of us.
Sean and Dustin both called me and offered what I consider to be their honey holes for off range oryx. This is right up there with honey holes for public land barbary sheep. There are so few of them, that you need to protect them with your life.
I know it has been discussed on here about people asking for help for a unit and the downsides to it. I can tell you from first hand experience that most of the time it works out for the best. More times than not, I have met good people and have enjoyed helping other hunters out. In this case I was on the receiving end and I am very appreciative.
This was my June off range hunt. I must have come down the hill 10 times hitting areas that I have seen oryx off range in the past. Most times I found tracks, but, most of my spots they go back on the range. Last week I did hike into an area and jump an oryx, I chose to try to set up my bog pod instead of taking an off hand shot and my window of opportunity closed before I could get a shot.
Sean told me of a spot and gave me specific directions to an area where there was fresh sign on the other side of the range. I got over there saw super fresh sign, but, never found them.
He then called me and offered to meet me at one of his favorite spots he had been seeing oryx. We took him up on his offer and met him early in the am. We had not hiked 400 yards and Sean spots an oryx. I try to make the stalk in and get busted by another oryx. Here is where I screwed up. The oryx we were looking at was a really nice one and this one had one broken horn. I hesitated for 2-3 seconds considering going after the better one.
This one had me nailed and I knew as soon as it took off it would alert the others even though they were several hundred yards away.
I set up my sticks, and was ready to pull the trigger and he bolted. I had blown it again. I watched him make a long circle towards the others. he finally stopped 300+ yards out and I took a bad rushed shot off the bog pod. I had been moving through cover trying to get a visual.
Now I felt really bad. I had missed an oryx in Seans honey hole and he had a tag that started in less than a week. We scouted around for the next few hours and were about a mile from the truck and were walking on the road and talking on the way back to the truck.
Oryx exploded in the cover to our right. I was unprepared and by the time I could get the gun up the were gone.
Super bummed now.
We got after them and I came over the top of a hill and I saw an oryx break and run. She stopped and I had the gun up on the sticks. Zach was saying "Dad he has no horns at all" This time I did not hesitate or even think twice. I got my shot and took it. I knew it was a hit, but, not sure how good.
Sean found a tiny pin prick of blood, but, there were so many oryx tracks we could not sort them out. We all went different directions I came over a rise and saw her out about 100 yards under a tree. I took an off hand shot and she went about 40 yards and piled up.
My first shot was a sorry gut shot, but, my second shot was text book.
This is my 3rd oryx and I am as proud of her as the first 2 (a 36" bull and a 33" cow.
The generosity by Sean for his time, gas and showing me a secret spot is even more special to me.
There are some great folks on this site.
Final B&C measurements are 2 1/8 on one side and 12 4/8 on the other.
.
