Oryx hunting

[DanBucks]

I was wondering what Oryx tastes like? Anyone who has gotten one willing to comment? Also, which part of the WSMR is best to put in for? Any info appreciated.
Thanks, DanBucks.

 

[luckless]

Oryx is great meat. In fact, I would say it is my favorite game meat. The southern portion of the range is said to be better this year, but any area is good...

DC

 

[NMHUNTNUTTG]

I will say oryx is my favorite. It is not gamey tasting at all, is lean and is so easy to prepare. My wife even ate it and she does not like even elk that much.Bad thing is , I already drew my once in a lifetime hunt , so now hoping to draw a DEP hunt.

 

[jasjacks]

its the best game meat ever the rodes hunt is real good

 

[luckless]

NUTT,
Talk to me in Feb and I'll see how many people I'm on the hook to "sponsor" on the WSMR badge hunts...

DC

 

[lchcguide]

Great meat. Been on Rhodes Canyon, and Stallion. Both were phenomenal but I enjoyed Stallion more.

 

[mozey]

Oryx is probably the best tasting game meat I've ever had. I hunted Rhodes this past April. Be careful not to hold out too long in search of the big one--I was one of only a few who did not harvest an animal, but it wasn't for lack of opportunity. Afterwards I regretted that I had passed on so many for two-day once-in-a-lifetime hunt.

Also make sure you hold your crosshairs right on the shoulder. Based on the way they're built, anything behind the shoulder is a gut shot, and they probably won't be going down.

 

[NMPaul]

My 10 yr old has a depredation hunt on ft Bliss this Wed.

Wish him luck.

 

[vinihunt]

Dan..

Rhodes and Stallion are your best choice! Will go again in March. can't wait to see the beautiful oryx!!

NMPAUL...good luck to your son! keep us post!!

vinihunt

 

[huntswnm]

Luckless, sent you a PM
Jeff

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, weapon in one hand, calls in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

 

[balz]

Dan Bucks sent you a pm

 

[DanBucks]

Thank you for all the input guys.
I guess I have a couple more questions, is it smart to put two people on an application or is it best to apply solo?
Also, what caliber/bullet weight works good and what range shot is the typical situation? Thanks again! I hope to draw a tag sometime, going to apply next Feb.

DanBucks

 

[diamondj]

it really dosen't matter if you put in solo or with a buddy as far as draw odds unless you happen to be drawn with only one tag left. I twould probably be more fun if you had a buddy with a tag also rather then by yourself that way it can cut down on gas and hotel prices. As far as caliber I use a 300 win mag with winchester accubond 180gr with great results. Killed both of mine with one shot (one on and one off range)Really you just need to put the bullet where it counts. If you have any more questions you can e-mail me at [email protected]

 

[m1fan]

Dan,

I took mine with a 7mm RM with 160 gr. TSXs. Bullet was not recovered as it went clean through. I am not sure of your situation but... I would go different apps. If one hunter draws and the other one does not, the unlucky one can tag along and learn for when it is his/her turn. You can bring someone with you. Good luck on your hunt.

 

[gilamonster8]

Taste great and less filling. They tough critters on there feet but a 7 mag will do it. heres my uncles he shot with a 7mm ultra mag

 

[BIGBULL48]

The most mild game meat you'll find, I'd hunt them exclusively if they let them spread of WSM Range, (that will never happen). I filled my once in lifetime tag about 10 years ago.
Things may be differant now, but before on once in life hunts, only one applicant per form was permitted.

 

[1FastGambler]

Best meat on the planet...period. I have only hunted on the Stallion range, but it doesn't really matter what range you get as long as you get a tag!

7mm Rem mag, 66.5g RL-22, 160g Sierra game king SPBT, 424 yards dropped her in her tracks.



"WIndage & Elevation Pilgrim, Windage & Elevation"

 

[mozey]

That's cool. Where did the bullet strike? Broadside shot?

 

[ktc]

Another great Oryx. 1Fast, can you tell us horn length and base mass? Just curious, my assault on Oryx starts this January with an application! I decided I need an Oryx.

Nice job!

 

[1FastGambler]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-18-07 AT 08:07PM (MST)[p]>That's cool. Where did the
>bullet strike? Broadside shot?
>

Facing me quartering to the left. Shot placement was 1/3 the way up (base of the neck) and just to the right off center in the chest.


"WIndage & Elevation Pilgrim, Windage & Elevation"

 

[1FastGambler]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-18-07 AT 08:05PM (MST)[p]>Another great Oryx. 1Fast, can you
>tell us horn length and
>base mass? Just curious, my
>assault on Oryx starts this
>January with an application! I
>decided I need an Oryx.
>
>
>Nice job!

34 1/4 left, 34 5/8 right... about average. No clue on the bases, didn't measure.
I had to take the first shot I had beacuse my buddy was having severe stomach pains...turned out his appendix had ruptured slightly and he had it taken out when we got back. He is one tough hombre! I knew he was in pain, but had no idea how bad it really was!

Here are the results that David Black sent me...
August 18-19, 2007 Stallion Range Center (SRC) Oryx Hunt Summary
# %
Permits 110
Hunters 108 98%
Denied Entry 0 0%
Violations 0 0%
Kills 82 76%
Adults 69 84%
Adult Bulls 29 42%
Adult Cows 40 58%
Reported Pregnant 15 38%
Subadults 13 16%
All Bulls 36 44%
All Cows 46 56%
Non-Typical 25 31%

Average of LHL Average of RHL Average of LBC Average of RBC Average of SCORE
Adult Cows 34.454 33.746 6.069 6.0625 80.34
Adult Bulls 33.585 33.438 7.233 7.3274 81.215
Adult Oryx 34.087 33.625 6.5711 6.6046 80.706
Top Bull 37 37.75 7.5 7.75 90
Top Cow 37.25 38.5 6.25 6.25 88.25

Additional Notes:

?X One WSMR access fee collected
?X Two no shows
?X Twenty-six no harvests
?X An eight year old boy harvested an oryx on Day 2.
?X Nineteen non-resident hunters (12 harvested an oryx, one no show)
?X Four out of six guided hunters harvested an oryx
?X Thirteen out of fifteen broken horn hunters harvested an oryx
?X All five veteran hunters harvested an oryx
?X 54 out of 108 hunters harvested on Day 1 of the scheduled 2-day hunt.
?X A project block was set on Range Road 22 blocking hunter traffic on both days of hunt. This caused no conflicts with the hunt or Range project.
?X No major conflicts were reported during the hunts. Thirteen hunters who did not harvest an oryx exited the Range by 2:00 p.m. on Day 2. Most hunters reported having an opportunity to harvest an oryx.



"WIndage & Elevation Pilgrim, Windage & Elevation"

 

[DanBucks]

OK, I'm getting pumped up over this hunt now! A few more questions if you don't mind;

I noticed in the responses that one posted picture was a bull and one was a cow, but they looked the same to me. How do you tell them apart (come on now, from a distance guy's)?

Also, someone said they bagged one off range. I thought all the hunts were on WSMR?

Also, what's the typical distance for a shot. I know it depends on terrain, etc, but generally speaking, how hard is it to get close to them. Are they real skiddish?

Thanks, DanBucks

 

[30inchbuck]

It is tough to tell the bulls and cows apart. Bulls are larger animals - also the bulls will have more knots on the horns as they go up - cows will be smoother.

When NM brought them in - it was put into law to not allow them off the range - but the oryx do not like to follow the law. So some have made there way off the range. There are draw hunts and LO hunts that go on year round for off range - Ted Turners place the Armendaris Ranch is one that have LO tags for sale.

They are getting more and more like wild animals - several years ago when hunting pressure was low - because of tags avaliable they did not seem to mind the vehicals as much. However today they tend to run and stalking in most places is not going to occur - only grass about 6" high. They will tend to stay 500 to 600 yards away from you.

Take friends and radios - use other hunters, firends and vehicals to your advantage. I shot mine at 500+ yards - others I have been with. 150 yards, 150 yards, 250 yards, 200 yards, 40 yards. So practice some distance. Just make sure you take the shots you are comfortable with. Bring some shooting sticks that you can use while standing, and practice with them.

This will be my 6th time on Stallion in Jan. - daughter drew this year. - while she is here for Christmas gonna to alot of shooting - she is in college.

 

[nmtaxi]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-19-07 AT 09:35AM (MST)[p]Dan, they have off range hunts to keep the herd from spreading out off the missile range. These hunts are a month long, and are not once in a lifetime. I killed my bull of range.

If you look at enough oryx, you will see that the cows have thinner horns, and typically will flare out at the ends. Bulls have heavier horns, that are typically straight at the end, and the rings on the horns are much more pronouned on the bulls. At the bottom of a bulls horns. The bulls sharpen their horns, and it keeps them from getting as long as the cows, typically.

Here is a big cow that I mounted for vinihunt's wife. This one is heavey for a cow, but notice the flare on the tips of the horns:

Here is another cow. This is a 36" cow, but very thin.

Here is a bull I mounted. The horns still have a slight flare, but not as pronounced. The bulls are also bigger through the shoulders and neck area

 

[1FastGambler]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-19-07 AT 10:51AM (MST)[p]>OK, I'm getting pumped up over
>this hunt now! A few
>more questions if you don't
>mind;
>
>I noticed in the responses that
>one posted picture was a
>bull and one was a
>cow, but they looked the
>same to me. How do
>you tell them apart (come
>on now, from a distance
>guy's)?
>
>Also, someone said they bagged one
>off range. I thought all
>the hunts were on WSMR?
>
>
>Also, what's the typical distance for
>a shot. I know it
>depends on terrain, etc, but
>generally speaking, how hard is
>it to get close to
>them. Are they real skiddish?
>
>
> Thanks, DanBucks

NMTaxi explained it very well. From experience I agree that they are extremely difficult to stalk, they can cover several miles in the blink of an eye and if you think that's bad, wait til you see them run! It can be done however, twice I had made stalks inside of 250 Yds of small herds and had other hunters drive by and mess us up before I had a shot on any of the bigger bulls. Definitely harder to stalk than Elk or Muleys. The terrain makes it more difficult, plus they have excellent vision like Antelope.

The best shooting sticks in my opinion is the Stoney point Expedition tripod. http://www.stoneypoint.com/products/tp_convertapod_expedition_tripod.html
Very solid and easy to carry. On the Stallion Range if you are on a two track road, they will allow you to shoot from the road as long as both feet are on the ground. This will allow you to use the truck as a shooting bench. Not sure if this holds true on all of WSMR or not.

Good luck!




"WIndage & Elevation Pilgrim, Windage & Elevation"

 

[ASUCoues]

excellent thread!

what are the best ways to field judge them?

I am thinking about painting a couple of 36 inch broom sticks black and sticking them on a saw horse at 300 yards.

 

[nmmuley]

Here are a few pics of the oryx I took this August on Stallion. Spotted him from about 1000 yds away standing under a small tree in some shade. Was able to close the distance to exactly 100 yds after a 1.5 hr stalk. The rest is history. Measured just under 34" and had 7.75" bases. I apolgize for the quality of these field pics, but getting a field dressed oryx off the range to take some pics in 95 degrees is not an easy task. They really should consider allowing cameras on the range for these hunts.

 

[ktc]

Very nice!

Coulds someone tell me what a dressed out Oryx weighs? Kind of an average? Are they between a deer and elk? 250 pounds?

 

[nmmuley]

I would say that 250-275 is probably a pretty good estimate for a field dressed adult oryx. The hanging weight of mine at the processors was 190lbs. This was the front and rear quarters,backstraps, and neck meat only (no head, rib cage, or hide).

 

[ktc]

Thanks nmmuley. I have wondered how big these guys are. Sounds like great eating and a great hunt. I hope to draw soon.

 

[5yearcoueshunter]

I think that the dressed out weight varies quite a bit. A friend of mine killed a nice 35 inch bull that only field dressed at 175lbs. I killed an old bull with only 30 inch horns that we estimated to field dress at about 450. I've also seen quite a few that would go in the 250 - 300 range.

 

[DanBucks]

Thanks balz, I sent you a PM back.
DB

 

[sportsman01]

First off Oryx is phenomenal meat! I've had older mature animals and some younger sub adult animals and all meat has been great. Out of the 5-6 hunts I've been a part of, most mature oryx will field dress at 300-400 lbs. I've seen a few large bulls go over that but for the most part they'll be in that area.

Also someone else mentioned to hold directly in the middle of the shoulder which is correct. The black stripe on the lower part of the shoulder marks the vitals. Hold an inch above that and you are directly in line with the heart and other vitals. If you shoot these animals behind the shoulder you will have some walking to do. Very tough animals. They are sure awesome animals. i see them almost every day here at WSMR. Truely a fine animal to hunt!