Anyone ever hunted free range aoudad?

Free range aoudad....is the only way to hunt them getting a guide? Any public land options that are available? Seems kinda pricey to pay for a guided hunt to just shoot horns. A lot of ppl say the meat isn't edible.....

Meat can be fine. I just cooked the tenders off a 29" ram that one of my hunters killed and convinced him and our taxidermist that the meat can be great.

I don't know if Parks and Wildlife lets the public hunt aoudads on state land.

Trophy fees are not "paying for a guide" per say though, you are paying for the right to "tresspass" on private property to hunt an asset that is worth that much to the landowner.

Aoudads are awesome trophies that are worth every penny IMO and evidently they've got your interest piqued. Mulie Mike on here offers great and reasonably priced "free range" hunts. The quotes are because aoudads really are free range anywhere they are. They can flat foot an 8' fence, and if they want they can just rip through them or squeeze under them.

If you have aoudads they are there because they want to be there.

For the cheapest option you could apply for the draw hunts in New Mexico. But then, you'd have to go to New Mexico... and how bad would that suck!!!?

Good luck, and trust me, taxidermist's best secret is how good aoudad meat is. It's like telling the dumb yankee non hunter that tenders are poison glands. Amazing that people actually believe that feces.

I'm pretty sure there are some draw hunts. There are also self guided hunts that save some money. Mulie Mike has some available.
They are a blast to hunt but you need a few things. First a good set of legs to cover ground. A four wheeler to move around on, most ranches that have them are too rough for a truck and you need to glass a lot of country. A great set of binoculars and a spitting scope if possible. Last a good long range rifle that has real knock down power. Plan on 200 yard shots at a minimum.
As far as the meat, I don't know. They stink so bad I couldn't imagine they would be very good and old mature goat is definitely tough as a boot. I have a friend that cooked some and said if wasn't edible.

+1 on this

that is good to know

I just have lone wild aoudad visiting my lease in Eastland,,, was a pleasant surprise
he spent 45 min at my feeder ,
he was there Dec 4, then again Dec 5 .... I'll be chasing after the white coat instead of white tails

I have been on some tough spot and stalk hunts so the challenge of the hunt is a plus if anything. I love that stuff. As far as the meat goes... I have been told geese, antelope, duck, and wild hog is all to gamey and not good eating. I say those ppl either don't know how to cook or have eaten to much farm raised meat for their own good.

I think you sold me....

Mulie Mike is the man to talk with! And I ate the back straps. Wish I had more!

My stepdad shot a ewe in 99' and we ate it. I think around 2004 I finally got the taste outta my mouth

If you put it in a crock pot or something it would probably be ok but we bbq'd it, fried it, etc and it was super tough

Don't blame the animal for tasting bad blame the cook and processor.

I have tasted w/t that would gag a maggot

One taste of properly prepared aoudad will have you throwing white tail in the garbage. Unless you're as dense as txtrophy85...

Here is one we took in the past few days awesome hunt one of my favorites! I have had aoudad that was good and bad. There is a lot that goes into an aoudad hunt and it always helps to have an extra guy or 2 when you have to pack one out of a place like we did. I think for the price its is one of the best hunts you could do compare it to any sheep or goat hunt in the world. Aoudad are very cheap in my opinion for the trophy you get.

X2

That's how I feel about wild game in general. It's like most ppl want it to loose all the wild flavor and taste like store bought meat....I don't get it

I have a herd roaming my lease off the Palo Duro Canyon up in the panhandle. Them things can cover a lot of rugged ground in a hurry. Good binos and a very healthy pair of legs to get within shooting range is a must. Ive shot 2 ewe and they both tasted great, even just throwing meat on the grill without seasoning. One of my lease partners shot a 30'' ram and he said the backstrap was better than any whitetail he's ever ate.

One aoudad done right will have you feeding dogs and inlaws your white tails.

The pursuit of a free range aoudad is the best hunting in Texas. With its glassing, stalking, and climbing, it's the closest thing to a true sheep hunt that most Texans will ever experience.

With apologies to deer and pig hunters, you haven't hunted until you've climbed a sheep mountain. A free-range aoudad is a trophy you will have EARNED.

To quote NBA great, Bill Russell, "Don't come in here with any of that weak stuff!"

Thats exactly what I Love about hunting Elk and Mule Deer out west. It's as tired and as satisfied as I've ever been. Baker

could not have said it any better myself

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