"ORYX" Guide or DIY

[DIG]

For any of you who have hunted ORYX, I would like your opinions. I drew a Jan. Rhodes canyon tag. I will be taking two of my sons with me who are experienced, patient glassers. I have my third guest spot available. Would you, if you were me, hire a guide for the third guest? I'm concerned about being able to judge oryx and getting a good one is important to me. I also have some health issues with my heart and having a forth person to help retrieve an animal would be a plus. If you would hire a guide, who would you recommend and do you have any contact info? I have to have my background check information in by July 1st so any of your opinions would be apreciated. Thanks in advance.

John

Oh, one other question that would help me decide is: What should I expect to pay for a guide if I decide to use one?

 

[mozey]

pm sent

 

[DIG]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-21-14 AT 03:53PM (MST)[p]Thanks Mozey, that's exactly the kind of input I was hoping to get. I'm new to the forum and didn't know how to reply to the PM so I'm posting here. I appreciate you taking the time to message me. Thanks

John

 

[BuzzH]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-21-14 AT 04:12PM (MST)[p]DIY...my buddy and I did that hunt about 3 months ago. Absolutely no need for a guide.

IMO, they arent really easy to judge, simply because they arent something you see every day. Pay attention to body size, and know how tall they are at the shoulder. The Biologist will send you a boat load of information/photos, etc. that help for judging.

They also dont stand out like a person would think. Be careful on your stalks, they have good eye sight and once spooked they haul the mail.

I wouldnt pass a bull that I thought was 34+ or a cow 36+...just judging by what I saw the 2.5 days I spent there hunting in March.

I saw 2 that were this size out of maybe 150ish oryx.

The biologist taped mine at 38.5 on both horns. I actually had 39 on the long horn...

 

[elkfanatic]

From what I have heard and seen, Antler Addiction Outfitters has great guides. Not sure if they can take people thay didn't book with them before the draw. However, the owner has the number 1 oryx in SCI with a bow off of either Rhodes or McGregor. Either way they do consistantly harvest at least two top oryx of the hunts each year.

 

[bombero]

Pm sent

 

[live4muleys]

If you have the means and you are truely worried about getting a good sized one then I would get a guide. In the heat of the moment they are hard to judge and it is a once in a lifetime so you want to get the correct animal.

 

[Oryxrus]

DIG,

Don't panic if you don't finalize your outfitter by July 1st. As long as the outfitter is approved by WSMR you can add him anytime before the hunt. The problem will be is if the outfitter isn't approved. I would confirm with the outfitter he is approved prior to signing a contract to make sure he will be allowed on range.

You still need to turn in your background check information for yourself and son's by July 1. All approved outfitters will have already submitted their information and background checks for their guides so they can be added to your guest list once you make that decision.

Hope this helps....

 

[505sniper]

Pm sent

 

[Bruinbrewin]

If you have the means, hire an outfitter. If it matters to you that someone else plays a heavy hand in harvesting your animal them go DIY. A lot of folks score while going DIY but keep in mind it is once in a lifetime. It is a 2 day hunt (at least it was some 10 years ago when I went) and I signed out at 5 pm the end of day 2 and there I was harvest number 56 and mine was a broken horn shot at 425 yds. So it is not like they are right along side the road (unless you are very lucky cause it does happen at times). Back when I went you could have no cameras or camera phones so we packed mine a mile and a half in the whole so we could get pictures outside the gates. Sure glad I had 2 friends with me. I missed one at about 200 yards on day 1 with a handgun (Thompson contender .308) in pouring rain and got mine the next day late morning with the 7MM mag. Best of luck on your hunt!!!
THX
BB