Oryx Population Rumors

[nmelktrout]

Rumor has it that one of the big reasons behind the reduction in oryx tag numbers this coming year is due to biologist(s) noting a significant but unreported winter kill resulting from last year's deep freeze. Combined with a heavy-handed management philosophy and whispers coming from somewhere on range, I think it's about time to let the herds rebound... Gilbert, your thoughts?

For what it's worth the big cow I shot this past spring had severely frostbit ears.

www.streamflies.com

 

[JACOB2006]

It's about time we hunted our a@& off last year off range and saw very few and very little sign, and that was over a thousand miles in the truck and a lot of boot leather!!!

 

[smarba]

Regarding harder to find off range; that is the goal of G&F. Not saying I agree with it, as I personally feel that oryx are a noble species and having the ability to hunt them free range in the states is a good thing.

But the current goal of G&F is to have no oryx outside the missile range.

At every hunt I've been with friends 'on range' it has been announced that they feel the on-range numbers exceed carrying capacity, so again, it is the G&F goal that the numbers go down.

 

[nmelktrout]

smarba, the off range tag numbers increased in line with the usual management philosophy. They want to kill them all off range but could care less about the complete over grazing by cattle...go figure. But there's something else going on behind the fences that has resulted in reduced tag numbers.

I'm fortunate enough to go on quite a few oryx hunts so this post is more of a poke to see if I can turn up more info on what I've been hearing was a significant winterkill this past winter and to see if the reduction in tag numbers is because of it or some sudden swing in the pendulum of on range herd management...

-Cody

www.streamflies.com

 

[Oryxrus]

I answered your question on the "ORYX -TAG SOUP" Post since they were all similar questions...

Sorry for the delay, I've been really busy....

 

[Bullbreath]

This is the sad plight of rare potential trophy animals. Whether it is here or Africa, they push it to its limit until it has been exploited. I have not checked in a while but for a few years they were doing 30 tags a month offsite. Making money off wild animals or having a quality hunt available for years, pick one.

 

[treedagain]

+1 bullbreath