Oryx Tag Soup

songdog · Nov 25, 2008

Have any of you folks ever drawn an oryx tag and came home empty handed after the hunt? What was some or your likes and dislikes about your oryx hunting experience?

The thought of dishing out $1600+ just for a oryx tag on a 2 day hunt is awefully risky in my opinion... It would be interesting to hear some of the bad or unusual stories of what happened to some unsuccessful oryx hunters.

RabidRattleSnake1 · Nov 25, 2008

If you have the money and are lucky enough to get the tag do it. Some of the most fun hunts I have ever been on. Be careful which hunts you do put in for though. In my opinion stick to one of the hunts in the northern part of the base and you will have fun.

BigBullHunter79 · Nov 25, 2008

I've been on alot of oryx hunt's on range, I have been lucky enough to draw out two tags and have been successful on both hunts. It took me longer to get where I was hunting then to tag out and both were great animals!!! I have taken out a lot of hunters who have also been successful even passing on some animals that were good size! I have even taken a gentleman from Pittsburg who probably dish out a big sum of money, and took a nice 37 1/8" bull on the first day. So I would have no problems dishing out that kind of money and I don't have any bad or unusual stories to tell!!! Most people who get tags think that it is going to be an easy hunt, mostly out of staters who think its just driving around until you see something and then get off and shoot. It takes a lot of glassing and know the area you have drawn its just like every other hunt you go on you have to do your homework!! I know you can't make scouting trips but there are other ways of going information about the areas!!!

What area did you draw?

ktc · Nov 25, 2008

Dude that sucks! Ouch! Look at it this way, would you want it guaranteed? Probably not. I doubt that helps much.

I am a wanna-be Oryx slayer and those stories put the fear in a guy!

stevie · Nov 25, 2008

I have a sugggestion for non-residents wanting to hunt oryx. If you can afford $2500 for a NM oryx (tag plus travel etc.), bank the money, save some more over the next several years and go to Namibia. That way you can shoot an oryx, plus a kudu, springbok, zebra and a hartebeest or impala. You can figure on $5500 for a 7-10 day hunt with 5 nice trophies.

1Bigbull · Nov 25, 2008

The new mexico oryx hunt on range is as close as you will get to a gauranteed hunt.

mozey · Nov 25, 2008

Man,

I hate to even admit this, but yes, I ate tag soup on my OIL oryx hunt on Rhodes Canyon. I was probably a little too picky the first day, then ended up wounding one at last shooting light and ended up tracking for about six hours the next day. G&F finally told me that that was a good enough effort, and I could resume hunting. Saw a couple others that I'd passed on, and started getting lazy. Drove to a new spot, left my gun in the cab while I stood on the tailgate to look over a mound of dirt. Wouldn't you know it, about 200 yards out stood the oryx of my dreams. Jumped off the tailgate, ran around to the cab, grabbed and loaded my rifle in about 15 or 20 seconds, but when I stood back on the tailgate, that thing had disappeared. Had a chance at one other as the sun was going down, but never could close the distance to less than about 500 yards, which is beyond my abilities. Sucks big time.

If I had to do it again, I would probably shoot at the first 30-incher. The meat is excellent, and they are truly unique and beautiful mounts. Two years later, I still have regrets about it.

For an out-of-stater, I'd recommend either hiring a guide or going with a local who has got the routine down.

WapitiBob · Nov 25, 2008

I'm going to hire NMPaul if I ever get a tag.

luckless · Nov 25, 2008

I'd hire Paul for anything and I've never even physically talked to the man!!! I have been on three successful hunts, all were actually easy, but tag soup is more common than you'd think. I personally know three...

DC

archery1088 · Nov 25, 2008

Well i myself have drawn an out of state tag and had the time of my life with 3 of my greatest friends . I did tag out ,but if you are worried about the money then you shouldn't be thinking about getting a tag in my opinion.

leftturnabq · Nov 26, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Nov-26-08 AT 08:57AM (MST)[p]There's never a guarantee when hunting.

However, if you know how to glass and can shoot, there's really no reason to eat tag soup on either the Rhodes Canyon or the Stallion Range hunts...unless you are being extremely selective. The hunts have gotten harder than they once were due to the increase in hunting pressure, but it's still not an extremely difficult hunt.

I tagged 36" bulls on the opening days of both my Once-in-a-Lifetime Rhodes Canyon hunt and my month long Off-Range hunt.

Edit: Oh yeah, oryx are excellent eating too.

jims · Nov 29, 2008

I've been on a couple oryx hunts. The first was many years ago and the other more recent. There are a lot more tags offered today than long ago (both on and off-range). I noticed the quality and number of oryx has dramatically decreased plus there were a lot more broken oryx on the recent hunt.

No one has mentioned that weather can REALLY impact these hunts. If it is cold and windy the oryx can hide out in the tall brush and be very tough to find! If you are being picky there is a good chance you may go home empty...especially if the conditions are tough! My buddy was holding out for a 38+" bull on his hunt and ate his tag. The average orxy going through the gate was relatively small on his hunt 28 to 33" and I've heard this is the norm on most hunts.

I would say if you are looking for an oryx you will likely have no problem shooting one, but if you are looking for a super oryx you may want to save up and go to Africa! There are still some great oryx available. You may get lucky and get a 38"+ but you better be willing to eat your tag! It is very similar to antelope hunting..spot and stalk.

trophytruck1 · Dec 2, 2008

As said above, If you draw out, if you can glass, and not pass up your first good opportunity, you should be able to kill an oryx. My dad and I killed ours on our first day of our hunt on the Stallion in 2003, mine was a 38 1/2 in bull w/ 8 inch bases, and dad's was a cow with 37 1/2 in horns.

We just did our homework on the animal, took our time, glassed alot of country, made our stalks, and killed on of these beatuful animals.

TT

kysersosay · Dec 3, 2008

there are several similar discussions in other recent threads on here worth reading. It's a great hunt and a fun hunt with a high success rate, but in reality it is not close to a guaranteed hunt. The numbers (of unsucessful hunters) are a little misleading as many who draw these tags are actually the spouses and neighbors and parents (and grandparents) of folks that are remotely interested in hunting, but it's not at all unheard of that a competant hunter can go home empty handed.

Of course it's worth the effort, and the money if you have it. If you draw the tag, bring good glass, practice much with your rifle, and listen closely to the briefing they give you. I've worked as a hunt official on dozens of these hunts and successfully "guided" near a hundred Oryx hunters in the process- I just mention that to preface the following. My personal opinion is that many people screw themselves by passing up way too many oportunites at great animals trying to find a record-book bull, which most wouldn't recognize if they saw it. I also recomend against hiking off into the creosote trying to close ground on a group of animals that have already seen you- good way to waste most of a day. Get high and watch what's going on, watch the other hunters moving Oryx around and get ahead of them. Most importantly, put your bullet where it needs to go, and keep sending bullets until the deed is done, as I've seen almost as many Oryx wounded and lost as I've seen killed clean.

My two cents.

PAblackbear · Dec 4, 2008

My plan if I get a Oryx tag is to bribe Paul, not hire. haha. Paul is a great guy and a top notch "guide", he seems to pick everything out when he is glassing.

habitat · Dec 8, 2008

It's one of the most enjoyable hunts I have ever been on and just wish I wouldn't have drawn my OIL first but it was the first year I applied so hopefully the wife or a friend will draw so I can go back