(Sorry for the late post. Its been busy)
As my dad?s Oryx hunt came to an end last January I noticed that were leaving the missile range with long faces. We had no idea when we would be back to hunt the ?desert lobster? on range again. When we got back to town the recruiting began. We told everyone we knew that hunted to put in for this tag and to invite us. We even told people that didn't hunt to put in for this tag.
Our friend Chris Furr was the lucky one to draw this tag and on his first time putting in. Chris drew an O.I.L October tag for Rhodes Canyon. Chris works with my dad and they would talk about the hunt a lot prior to the trip. They went out and sighted in the 7 MM Remington Mag with 160 g.r Barnes TSX bullets. The hunt took place in the month of October. It felt weird hunting Oryx rather than elk that time of year.
The opening day briefing was scheduled at 11:00 am on Friday. As we were waiting in the long line of trucks to get into the range there was a lot of jets in the air along with the occasional booms in the distance. Based on our past experiences, once we heard those booms, this meant no hunting the rest of the day. Fortunately, at the breifing we learned that in fact we would be hunting the remainder of the day . The weather was hot and dry with temperatures reaching the low 90s. This made it extra difficult to stand and bake under the sun while at the briefing.
We got in the truck, turned on the AC full blast and began to make our way down the road to where my dad had killed his Oryx in January. On the way there we spotted a group of about 6 Oryx. In that group there were 2 good shooters. One of them had horns that flared out and was pushing the 40? mark. We pulled over and started to make a game-plan on them when this lifted white Ford pick-up pulled over right in front of us. The driver grabbed his rifle and immediately went on a stalk. This took place right after the briefing where they had just told us to hunt ethically. After a few choice ?words?, we went on to look for some more. Some guys just don't get it.
Not long after we spotted 3 Oryx in the thick creosote brush. Chris and my dad went for a stalk while Chris? wife Kathryn and I stayed in the truck. I drove the truck up the road so we would be out of sight. The stalk was a bust and we got back in the truck to find some more. We found a high place to glass when we saw an Oryx right on the road we were just on. A truck was making its way up to the Oryx and stoppped just yards from it. The Oryx crossed the road and the truck continued to drive by it.
It looked like a good bull with 2 long horns. Why did they not shoot it? We all had a question mark in our heads. We drove to where the bull was last seen and quickly located him. He was bedded down 150 yards off the road just looking at us. I put the spotting scope on him and saw that he was wounded. He had a wound in the front of both shoulders. We decided to pass on him because we did not think the meat was good and Chris did not want to harvest his Once in a lifetime Oryx like this on the first day. We got on the phone and tried to call the hunt officials when some other hunters came by. We waved them down and asked if they wanted this Oryx. They happily put their tag on it. It was a 35? bull. It was a beautiful bull and we almost regret passing up on him. We were happy that the bull would not suffer and not go to waste.
We went on to locate some more. The mirage from the hot sun made it hard to glass in the distance. We found some more but they would not give us a break. It got dark so we headed back to the gate to check out. Day 1 was over and we were ready for day 2.
Another sleepless night went by as the morning of day 2 arrived. Again as we arrived at the gate we were accompanied by a long line of trucks. They slowly let us in one by one. We all drove down the main road until we went our separate ways. We looked for a high place to glass and we found 4 Oryx. They were a far way off so we took the road that was closest to them. My dad and Chris went for a stalk while Kathryn and I stayed and watched with the spotting scope. Of the 4 Oryx there was a nice bull. Not long into the stalk Chris and my dad got busted. The eye sight of an Oryx is incredible.
As it got later into the morning we got onto a huge dirt hill to glass. Five minutes into glassing we potted a huge bedded bull or what would have been a huge bull. He was busted about half way but he had massive bases. The body mass on this bull was incredibly huge. My dad and Chris left Kathryn and me I spot while they took another road to get a little closer for the stalk. When they drove off the bull looked right at the big dust cloud they left behind. The bull stood up and walked 200-300 yards and bedded down again. This time I noticed that he was in a closed area. He knew that he was safe there. No lie, he pretty much looked at the closed area sign as he walked into the closed area. You could tell that he had played this game before on other hunters.
That evening we had a hard time turning up any Oryx. We glassed and glassed and could not find a single one. We finally spotted some way out in the distance but they were too far out to even think about a stalk. Day 2 was now over and we were starting to wonder if it was ever going to happen. Chris made a decision that any Oryx would do now.
It was hard to get up the morning of Day 3. We were physically and mentally exhausted. We knew that this was our last day and we needed to give it our maximum effort. We arrived at the gate to a shorter line of trucks and they quickly let us through. As it started to get light we started to glass. At this point, we were all sick of glassing through our binoculars. We quickly spotted 2 good lone Oryx. They were a good way out and my dad and Chris started to make their stalk through the thick creosote brush.
Not long into the stalk I saw Chris get on his gun and fire. They were nowhere near to the 2 original Oryx we spotted. That shot was quickly followed by another. As my dad and Chris were stalking the 2 original Oryx they ran into a lone cow in the thick brush. The cow was 126 yards away from them when Chris shot. The cow dropped in her tracks. Knowing that Oryx usually get right back up when they are knocked off their feet, Chris fired once more as the Oryx picked up her head. About a half an hour went by when a black truck drove by on a road near the downed Oryx. The Oryx picked up its head again, which was quickly brought back down with a third shot. The Oryx was still alive. The chest and stomach was still rising up and down. It is amazing how strong these animals are. About another hour went by and Chris decided to just shoot another shot. The fourth shot did the trick. Chris had now just harvested his O.I.L Oryx.
The cow Oryx taped out right at 36 3/8? and 36?. This was great because we were willing to shoot any Oryx on the last day due to our limited opportunities. It was a harder hunt than usual. Out of the 5 on-range hunts we have been on (2 Stallion 3 Rhodes) this was the hardest by far. For some reason we did not see as many Oryx as we did on my dad?s hunt this past Jan. Anyway this was still a great hunt to be apart of. We were sad as we left the gate, but then again we were very relieved to be successful.
Special Thanks goes out to Chris and Kathryn for inviting my dad and me to be a part of this hunt.
I hope we get back on there soon. This stuff is way too much fun. Let the recruiting begin.
Chris and his Trophy
Chris and Kathryn
Chris, me, and my dad
The crew
One of the 3 bullet recoveries
ElkSniper
As my dad?s Oryx hunt came to an end last January I noticed that were leaving the missile range with long faces. We had no idea when we would be back to hunt the ?desert lobster? on range again. When we got back to town the recruiting began. We told everyone we knew that hunted to put in for this tag and to invite us. We even told people that didn't hunt to put in for this tag.
Our friend Chris Furr was the lucky one to draw this tag and on his first time putting in. Chris drew an O.I.L October tag for Rhodes Canyon. Chris works with my dad and they would talk about the hunt a lot prior to the trip. They went out and sighted in the 7 MM Remington Mag with 160 g.r Barnes TSX bullets. The hunt took place in the month of October. It felt weird hunting Oryx rather than elk that time of year.
The opening day briefing was scheduled at 11:00 am on Friday. As we were waiting in the long line of trucks to get into the range there was a lot of jets in the air along with the occasional booms in the distance. Based on our past experiences, once we heard those booms, this meant no hunting the rest of the day. Fortunately, at the breifing we learned that in fact we would be hunting the remainder of the day . The weather was hot and dry with temperatures reaching the low 90s. This made it extra difficult to stand and bake under the sun while at the briefing.
We got in the truck, turned on the AC full blast and began to make our way down the road to where my dad had killed his Oryx in January. On the way there we spotted a group of about 6 Oryx. In that group there were 2 good shooters. One of them had horns that flared out and was pushing the 40? mark. We pulled over and started to make a game-plan on them when this lifted white Ford pick-up pulled over right in front of us. The driver grabbed his rifle and immediately went on a stalk. This took place right after the briefing where they had just told us to hunt ethically. After a few choice ?words?, we went on to look for some more. Some guys just don't get it.
Not long after we spotted 3 Oryx in the thick creosote brush. Chris and my dad went for a stalk while Chris? wife Kathryn and I stayed in the truck. I drove the truck up the road so we would be out of sight. The stalk was a bust and we got back in the truck to find some more. We found a high place to glass when we saw an Oryx right on the road we were just on. A truck was making its way up to the Oryx and stoppped just yards from it. The Oryx crossed the road and the truck continued to drive by it.
It looked like a good bull with 2 long horns. Why did they not shoot it? We all had a question mark in our heads. We drove to where the bull was last seen and quickly located him. He was bedded down 150 yards off the road just looking at us. I put the spotting scope on him and saw that he was wounded. He had a wound in the front of both shoulders. We decided to pass on him because we did not think the meat was good and Chris did not want to harvest his Once in a lifetime Oryx like this on the first day. We got on the phone and tried to call the hunt officials when some other hunters came by. We waved them down and asked if they wanted this Oryx. They happily put their tag on it. It was a 35? bull. It was a beautiful bull and we almost regret passing up on him. We were happy that the bull would not suffer and not go to waste.
We went on to locate some more. The mirage from the hot sun made it hard to glass in the distance. We found some more but they would not give us a break. It got dark so we headed back to the gate to check out. Day 1 was over and we were ready for day 2.
Another sleepless night went by as the morning of day 2 arrived. Again as we arrived at the gate we were accompanied by a long line of trucks. They slowly let us in one by one. We all drove down the main road until we went our separate ways. We looked for a high place to glass and we found 4 Oryx. They were a far way off so we took the road that was closest to them. My dad and Chris went for a stalk while Kathryn and I stayed and watched with the spotting scope. Of the 4 Oryx there was a nice bull. Not long into the stalk Chris and my dad got busted. The eye sight of an Oryx is incredible.
As it got later into the morning we got onto a huge dirt hill to glass. Five minutes into glassing we potted a huge bedded bull or what would have been a huge bull. He was busted about half way but he had massive bases. The body mass on this bull was incredibly huge. My dad and Chris left Kathryn and me I spot while they took another road to get a little closer for the stalk. When they drove off the bull looked right at the big dust cloud they left behind. The bull stood up and walked 200-300 yards and bedded down again. This time I noticed that he was in a closed area. He knew that he was safe there. No lie, he pretty much looked at the closed area sign as he walked into the closed area. You could tell that he had played this game before on other hunters.
That evening we had a hard time turning up any Oryx. We glassed and glassed and could not find a single one. We finally spotted some way out in the distance but they were too far out to even think about a stalk. Day 2 was now over and we were starting to wonder if it was ever going to happen. Chris made a decision that any Oryx would do now.
It was hard to get up the morning of Day 3. We were physically and mentally exhausted. We knew that this was our last day and we needed to give it our maximum effort. We arrived at the gate to a shorter line of trucks and they quickly let us through. As it started to get light we started to glass. At this point, we were all sick of glassing through our binoculars. We quickly spotted 2 good lone Oryx. They were a good way out and my dad and Chris started to make their stalk through the thick creosote brush.
Not long into the stalk I saw Chris get on his gun and fire. They were nowhere near to the 2 original Oryx we spotted. That shot was quickly followed by another. As my dad and Chris were stalking the 2 original Oryx they ran into a lone cow in the thick brush. The cow was 126 yards away from them when Chris shot. The cow dropped in her tracks. Knowing that Oryx usually get right back up when they are knocked off their feet, Chris fired once more as the Oryx picked up her head. About a half an hour went by when a black truck drove by on a road near the downed Oryx. The Oryx picked up its head again, which was quickly brought back down with a third shot. The Oryx was still alive. The chest and stomach was still rising up and down. It is amazing how strong these animals are. About another hour went by and Chris decided to just shoot another shot. The fourth shot did the trick. Chris had now just harvested his O.I.L Oryx.
The cow Oryx taped out right at 36 3/8? and 36?. This was great because we were willing to shoot any Oryx on the last day due to our limited opportunities. It was a harder hunt than usual. Out of the 5 on-range hunts we have been on (2 Stallion 3 Rhodes) this was the hardest by far. For some reason we did not see as many Oryx as we did on my dad?s hunt this past Jan. Anyway this was still a great hunt to be apart of. We were sad as we left the gate, but then again we were very relieved to be successful.
Special Thanks goes out to Chris and Kathryn for inviting my dad and me to be a part of this hunt.
I hope we get back on there soon. This stuff is way too much fun. Let the recruiting begin.
Chris and his Trophy
Chris and Kathryn
Chris, me, and my dad
The crew
One of the 3 bullet recoveries
ElkSniper
![IMG_6842(2)[1].jpg](/xf/data/xfmg/thumbnail/20/20277-688aadbffbb3890c9272ef30e321beea.jpg?1639069947)
