My son will be a senior in high school next year and I told him I would take him on a hunt. He is so busy in school with sports the only time that I can for sure will be during Christmas break. I have a ranch that we hunt whitetail, hogs, coyotes, turkey, dove, ducks here at home.

I will let him choose what he wants to hunt, but I would like to give him some options that may be in our price range. I would be OK with the hunt being $3500 or less with lodging included.

He is really active so I am also thinking he might like an audad or something similar which we could spot and stalk hunt in west texas. I don't know if that's in our price range though.

An Aoudad hunt would be a great hunt in the winter as would a big summer time Axis buck. You could make both happen for that price as well. I wouldn't try hunting in the trans Pecos area during the summer but you could hunt the Axis while he's out of school. Good Luck with your choice!!

A Nilgai Bull hunt would be a great option and in your price range. All free range, spot and stalk, very exciting animal to hunt, and success rate is phenomenal. Would love to help.
www.piercetrophyhunts.com
piercetrophyhunts@ yahoo.com

X2 for aoudad hunt!

I have looked at hunts for quite some time at hunts. I think your number one hunt for an Aoudad in West Texas with the scenery and hike would be a hunt with Mulie Mike. You can look up Aoudad hunts on here and quite a few would be his. MulieMike just posted on here of recent hunts and the scenery looks awesome. In your price range. Look in this section and outfitters section.
Good Luck!

I have a friend who also guides for Gemsbok in that price range 3500 on a west Texas ranch 20,000 acres. Great hunt also!!

How comfortable is he shooting at 200 yards?

Aoudad would be a great hunt

The Gemsbok hunt sounds like the ticket. Kill something you can enjoy eating.

He is a great shot we have a 850 yard range on our ranch.

Gemsbok beautiful animal on wall and table

If he likes working for it, the aoudad hunt is the way to go. You can still find them for $3500 in far west texas but prices are definitely on the rise. $3500 is on the cheap side these days.

Your requirement of Christmas break may be an issue. Check out the nilgai for that time frame. Nilgai are a blast to chase and you could probably shoot a bull and a cow for that price.

I have talked to several ranchers and guides in west texas that have good luck aoudad hunting that time of the year (nothing like september/october rut hunting) but still good hunting
i guess maybe the aoudad are hitting feeders with the temperatures getting low and winter coming on

I've only them once and it was during the rut in October. When I did it, the outfitters were recommending late Sept and October. I'm not saying you can't get one in December but it seemed like October was the prime time where I hunted. I have heard they are more apt to come to feed when it's really cold.