NMboltripper
Active Member
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LAST EDITED ON Oct-02-10 AT 03:10PM (MST)[p]Had a very fortunate Oryx hunt!
They estimated the success rate at 60%. Very tough hunt. We had 38 total hunters and 21 tagged out. I had my hunting buddy Tony with me, so my odds were very good.
This hunt was on White Sands Missile Range so there were tons of rules and regs to follow and go over. There were 3 check-points and a half-hour briefing before being released to go Oryx hunting. We took off at 0630 after getting up at 0300. We saw a couple of small ones right after dawn and decided to let the young ones go. We headed for the foothills of Red Canyon. Very few animals on this hunt. We decided to glass a bit near the foothills. Tony spotted one 500 yards off, but so did 2 other hunting parties and the chase was on. We decided to see where the other hunters pushed this guy and like most Oryx, he just disappeared.
We found some more roughly 1.5 miles away and decided to put a stalk on. We walked in 2 miles or so and thought we were all alone and a truck pulls up and screws up the whole stalk. So we hunker down for awhile to see if anything moves. Nothing. We hike back out and decide to change our plan. Now it's 1500 and animals are starting to move again. I spot something out of the side of my eye. I thought it was another truck, but it was a porta-potty that had blown off a cliff. Remember this is an active bombing range that has bizarre stuff strewn about. Tony again spots an Oryx standing right by the porta-potty. I laze him at 621 yards and get set up. While getting set-up this Oryx moves a little and I didn't see it. I send the round and miss 2 feet in front of him. Gone.
We drive on and the only music on the radio station is some Christian Rock. Well I like Jesus and we come to a T in the road. I choose right (imagine that). We drive up in some more rough country and I yell for Tony to STOP!!. There's a face staring at me. I jump out and drill him at 80 yards off hand. I used a 338 Lapua Magnum and it dropped him on the spot! Many hunters have had their trophies run off because they weren't using "enough" gun. Not me. I had a cannon. And I shoot it very well.
We tagged out at 1535 and then the fun began. We (Tony) worked very quickly and we had him packed in by 1700. We checked out at the gate and it measured 30 inches. No trophy, but a great animal in my book.
Overall a very hard, but satisfying hunt, with or without an animal. This time I was fortunate and we have delicious Oryx meat for the Holidays.
They estimated the success rate at 60%. Very tough hunt. We had 38 total hunters and 21 tagged out. I had my hunting buddy Tony with me, so my odds were very good.
This hunt was on White Sands Missile Range so there were tons of rules and regs to follow and go over. There were 3 check-points and a half-hour briefing before being released to go Oryx hunting. We took off at 0630 after getting up at 0300. We saw a couple of small ones right after dawn and decided to let the young ones go. We headed for the foothills of Red Canyon. Very few animals on this hunt. We decided to glass a bit near the foothills. Tony spotted one 500 yards off, but so did 2 other hunting parties and the chase was on. We decided to see where the other hunters pushed this guy and like most Oryx, he just disappeared.
We found some more roughly 1.5 miles away and decided to put a stalk on. We walked in 2 miles or so and thought we were all alone and a truck pulls up and screws up the whole stalk. So we hunker down for awhile to see if anything moves. Nothing. We hike back out and decide to change our plan. Now it's 1500 and animals are starting to move again. I spot something out of the side of my eye. I thought it was another truck, but it was a porta-potty that had blown off a cliff. Remember this is an active bombing range that has bizarre stuff strewn about. Tony again spots an Oryx standing right by the porta-potty. I laze him at 621 yards and get set up. While getting set-up this Oryx moves a little and I didn't see it. I send the round and miss 2 feet in front of him. Gone.
We drive on and the only music on the radio station is some Christian Rock. Well I like Jesus and we come to a T in the road. I choose right (imagine that). We drive up in some more rough country and I yell for Tony to STOP!!. There's a face staring at me. I jump out and drill him at 80 yards off hand. I used a 338 Lapua Magnum and it dropped him on the spot! Many hunters have had their trophies run off because they weren't using "enough" gun. Not me. I had a cannon. And I shoot it very well.
We tagged out at 1535 and then the fun began. We (Tony) worked very quickly and we had him packed in by 1700. We checked out at the gate and it measured 30 inches. No trophy, but a great animal in my book.
Overall a very hard, but satisfying hunt, with or without an animal. This time I was fortunate and we have delicious Oryx meat for the Holidays.
