Aoudad hunts

[Buffalobwana]

Kinda sad really that it's gotten that expensive. Still cheap compared to a $60k desert bighorn hunt but…..

Axis are also way expensive. $4,000 for an axis buck is way more than I'm willing to do.

Axis, Fallow, Blackbuck, Aoudad. All got a bit pricey!

 

[Ldigio21]

Might be some cancellation hunts or high fence hunt deals out there if you start calling around. Otherwise ya unfortunately prices on free range aoudad hunts have doubled. In January 2020 my free range aoudad hunt cost me $2750. Same hunt with the same outfitter today is $4950. Great hunt but no longer willing to pay that when for just a bit more I can go to Africa or South America or something.

Hunts have become ridiculous. 1988 my Dall sheep hunt $6000 , now $40K; 1998 Stone sheep hunt and took a great ram and a book billy $17,000 now $79,000 just for the sheep. Great hunts with great animals, more than I could afford all those years ago, and way more than I will spend now. Was just at the sheep show and unless you draw you need to be a master of the universe. Washington governors tag went for $270K and ColoradoI $600K !! have applied in the draw for sheep in 10 states since 1988 and never pulled a tag.
Have to win the Powerball to hunt these days

 

[txaggie1]

Pricey is relative, go buy a ranch and stock it with animals, feed them and how much would you have to charge to return on that investment. As far as lottery tags or limited run scenarios yep supply and demand you better have deep pockets plenty have shown they can pay dearly for it. Not defending it, it just is what it is. Feed prices, peoples wages these guys aren't guiding you at $5/hour so yes years ago i bought an axis and a blackbuck hunt for what an axis or a blackbuck would cost me today, it is what it is. Life's short - i have a long list of animals I like to hunt the wife doesn't' want to go to africa so we are going to pay premiums for the list of animals we have.

I will second the earlier comment in December about Josh with Premier Hunts, hunted with him for 9 years now from pronghorn in the panhandle, hill country exotics and i've been to that ranch in far west texas he has hunting rights two twice. You will get more than you pay for it's worth the drive to just go see all the animals on that place. My wife and I have taken, blue wildebeast, eland, tahr and audad all free range and mouflan, gemsbuck and waterbuck under a large section of high fence. The ranch is predominantly low fence and they have prob 40 plus diff species cruising around on that place. I try and find an excuse to go back annually.

 

[Buffalobwana]

Have to win the Powerball to hunt these days

* to hunt sheep in North America. Yes. Either draw a tag, or be a Rothschild descendent.

I remember in 2001 there was a discounted cancellation Dall Sheep for $2000. Can you imagine that?

In the 2000-2010 range Dagestan Tur was still $3500. That is one hunt I kick myself for not doing.

I sold a costal Brown Bear cancellation hunt for $7500. And the guy took a giant Bear. I should have bought that hunt.

But, Im going to harp on looking outside the box again. Asia has gotten a bit pricey, but you can still buy a good Ibex for less than a Dall hunt. Marco Polo haven't gotten too insane, yet.

Go hunt Chamois or Mouflon in Europe. Those are still affordable, and, it's a mountain hunt.

Hunting is hunting. Our choices are to broaden our horizons, look overseas or stay home. I'm looking everywhere.

 

[Ldigio21]

* to hunt sheep in North America. Yes. Either draw a tag, or be a Rothschild descendent.

I remember in 2001 there was a discounted cancellation Dall Sheep for $2000. Can you imagine that?

In the 2000-2010 range Dagestan Tur was still $3500. That is one hunt I kick myself for not doing.

I sold a costal Brown Bear cancellation hunt for $7500. And the guy took a giant Bear. I should have bought that hunt.

But, Im going to harp on looking outside the box again. Asia has gotten a bit pricey, but you can still buy a good Ibex for less than a Dall hunt. Marco Polo haven't gotten too insane, yet.

Go hunt Chamois or Mouflon in Europe. Those are still affordable, and, it's a mountain hunt.

Hunting is hunting. Our choices are to broaden our horizons, look overseas or stay home. I'm looking everywhere.

Spain has God knows how many species of sheep. Looks cool but never checked the prices. Do you know a good free range ibex hunt in the states?

 

[Buffalobwana]

Spain has God knows how many species of sheep. Looks cool but never checked the prices. Do you know a good free range ibex hunt in the states?

I don't know of any, but there are guys in TX with huge ranches who released Ibex and they just stuck around. I don't know exactly where or if they even offer hunts for them.

As for Spain, they have an export VAT of 18% or so that kind of kills my desire to hunt there.

They have 4 species of Ibex (3 really with one being very similar to another). If you budget 3 days each, you could take all in 9 days. Go somewhere else and hunt Mouflon in the hills, and throw a nice Stag in on top of it all and that would be about the cost of a Dall Sheep.

I hunted Mouflon in Czech Republic in 2022. We actually hunted a reclaimed coal mine. Those sheep came down from the mountains and love the hills in the mines.

It was a bizarre experience hunting in an open coal mine. But I had a great hunt.

Shot a couple Roe Deer and a nice broomed off Mouflon. Stayed for a local annual party they have at the end of harvest.

The experience of hunting a new place is something you never forget. The animals are cool as anything and the people, food and culture are a big part of it.

 

[Ldigio21]

I don't know of any, but there are guys in TX with huge ranches who released Ibex and they just stuck around. I don't know exactly where or if they even offer hunts for them.

As for Spain, they have an export VAT of 18% or so that kind of kills my desire to hunt there.

They have 4 species of Ibex (3 really with one being very similar to another). If you budget 3 days each, you could take all in 9 days. Go somewhere else and hunt Mouflon in the hills, and throw a nice Stag in on top of it all and that would be about the cost of a Dall Sheep.

I hunted Mouflon in Czech Republic in 2022. We actually hunted a reclaimed coal mine. Those sheep came down from the mountains and love the hills in the mines.

It was a bizarre experience hunting in an open coal mine. But I had a great hunt.

Shot a couple Roe Deer and a nice broomed off Mouflon. Stayed for a local annual party they have at the end of harvest.

The experience of hunting a new place is something you never forget. The animals are cool as anything and the people, food and culture are a big part of it.View attachment 540319View attachment 540320View attachment 540321View attachment 540322View attachment 540323

Great ram.

 

[txaggie1]

Great ram.

ya that guy prob broke off 3-4 inches, pretty sheep

 

[TRG65]

Thread jack here…
I've got a potential trip to El Paso area this coming March. I will be driving my 4x4 truck and equipped to camp. I'm looking to mix in a hunt but don't want to break the bank. Any ideas on a 3+ day or so Audad opportunity? Prices I'm seeing advertised are in the $4K - $5K plus range, that would be a no-go for me.

NM has over the counter tags. While the area bordering El Paso are draw areas, an hour north in area 34 is over the counter for Barbary. Very low population, and DIY, but less than $4K.

 

[JuddL]

I've not hunted auodad but I'm sure I will at some point…I have been on multiple axis hunts with Mulie Mike's guys. They are always a good time and work their tail off to put you on animals.

I inquired about the different ranches he had and their comments were you can find a big one on all of them, it just depended on the type of hunt you wanted. So I paraphrased it and asked…you mean how much torture you want to put yourself through? They laughed and agreed.

westtexashunt.com

 

[middleofnowhere]

NM has over the counter tags. While the area bordering El Paso are draw areas, an hour north in area 34 is over the counter for Barbary. Very low population, and DIY, but less than $4K.

Thank you for this information. This may give me an excuse to do some hunting (camping and hiking) for some days. The cost last year for an over the counter tag was $360 for a non-res, so definitely in my price range.

 

[Buckys]

Axis, Fallow, Blackbuck, Aoudad. All got a bit pricey!

I imagine the guides needed an inflationary raise and feed bills are pretty big.
I actually had an opportunity to shoot a cow elk ... my 125# of red meat ony cost me about $10/#.
I got the opportunity because the landowner needed to cull to get their feed bill under control.
But it was a private property that is not in the business of selling hunts.

 

[Elkeater]

I imagine the guides needed an inflationary raise and feed bills are pretty big.
I actually had an opportunity to shoot a cow elk ... my 125# of red meat ony cost me about $10/#.
I got the opportunity because the landowner needed to cull to get their feed bill under control.
But it was a private property that is not in the business of selling hunts.

There is certainly a reason the cost is going up. Guide costs, feed, lease prices all feed the beast. I suspect we are a long way from a ceiling on prices too. Lots of people dropping huge money on critters.

 

[Rcritch]

Thank you for this information. This may give me an excuse to do some hunting (camping and hiking) for some days. The cost last year for an over the counter tag was $360 for a non-res, so definitely in my price range.

This year the over the counter NM Barbary Sheep tag is $373 plus the required "Game License" (small game), which is another $65. But that's still reasonable, compared to the $1623 they charge for Ibex & Oryx.