Palo Duro Exotic Aoudad Hunt Information

This year I was lucky enough to draw a Aoudad Hunt at Palo Duro Canyon. Prior to the hunt I tried to do as much research as possible to make good hunting decisions when the day came. I struggled to find any real information except how hard the hunt was (which I already knew - I live 80 miles south of the canyon and have hunted Aoudad several times previously). So I am going to post all of the information I gathered this year in the hopes that it will help someone else down the road. Good luck if you draw this hunt, it is an incredible experience!

I don't want to bore everyone with the exact details of our hunt, but I might have some helpful information for you. We hunted compartment 5 this year (and come to find out so did several of the other hunters without permission). The hike down to the bottom of 5 is pretty tough no matter which way you decide to drop in.It is about a 550-600ft elevation descend. I found this year that it is easier to drop in on an old dozer cut through compartment 1 and walk the river into 5 as opposed to using the old washed out ranch road in compartment 4. There is a large rock slide about 3/4 of a mile down the road in 4 that makes passing more difficult. If you choose this road to drop in, follow the blue markers (t-shirt ribbons wrapped on trees) to get around the lake close to the bottom. GO EARLY and take plenty of water with you. Our days began about 27-30 degrees and peaked about 75-80 degrees daily.

Most of the shots this year were VERY long distance shots. I know of three that were 872 965 and 1000 yard shots. 6.5 Creedmoor seems to be the gun of choice for this hunt, or at least that's what most that I spoke with were using, including all three in my group.

I hope this information will serve some use for those of you entering for it or those who are lucky enough to draw for it. We stayed in the bunkhouse and it was absolutely awesome!! The apartments are also incredible. Quite possibly the nicest hunt cabin anywhere around!

Below is the hunt map for all compartments. There is a slanted shaded zone that used to be a "no shoot" zone. However that "no shoot" zone no longer exists. If you take the angled line of the SW border of five and continue that line to compartment 2, that is the new compartment 5 border. That new border line includes the mesa shown on the map below into compartment 5.



I also have a .pdf of each of the compartments I would be glad to email to anyone who could use them. I also have links to the hunt zone for google earth and would share those on request.

Here is the harvest total information listed by compartments for the last several years.

Compartment 1
2014 - Aoudad 1 --- Pigs 1
2015 - Aoudad 0 --- Pigs 3
2016 - Aoudad 5 --- Pigs 5
2017 - Aoudad 0 --- Pigs 6
2018 - Aoudad 9 --- Pigs 6

Compartment 2
2013 - Aoudad 2 --- Pigs 10 --- Elk 1 (4x4)
2014 - Aoudad 4 --- Pigs 1
2015 - Aoudad 0 --- Pigs 0
2016 - Aoudad 2 --- Pigs 0
2017 - Aoudad 0 --- Pigs 0
2018 - Aoudad 0 --- Pigs 4

Compartment 3
2013 - Aoudad 0 --- Pigs 1
2014 - Aoudad 1 --- Pigs 5
2015 - Aoudad 2 --- Pigs 0
2016 - Aoudad 3 --- Pigs 7
2017 - Aoudad 4 --- Pigs 0
2018 - Aoudad 4 --- Pigs 0

Compartment 4
2013 - Aoudad 4 --- Pigs 0
2014 - Aoudad 6 --- Pigs 0
2015 - Aoudad 3 --- Pigs 0
2016 - Aoudad 4 --- Pigs 0
2017 - Aoudad 5 --- Pigs 0
2018 - Aoudad 0 --- Pigs 0

Compartment 5
2013 - Aoudad 10 --- Pigs 0
2014 - Aoudad 2 --- Pigs 0
2015 - Aoudad 0 --- Pigs 0
2016 - Aoudad 2 --- Pigs 5
2017 - Aoudad 5 --- Pigs 0
2018 - Aoudad 23 --- Pigs 0

GOOD LUCK!!

Way cool need to make for future reference, thank you

Like I told several people who inquired about our hunt there, it is a real sheep hunt and the difficulties should not be ignored. It was fun, challenging, and I will do it again if we can ever get drawn again! Compartment 5 is the bomb!!!

Thanks for the info Corey J. I am marking this thread in case I ever get drawn for this hunt. Since you were in compartment 5, it looks like your party was very successful.

Thank you for this. I'm going to start putting in for this again next year along with other similar hunts in hopes to get some practice for this type hunt before I go west.

Are the tags issued through the TPWD draw system?

As much as I like a 6.5 CM or 260, it seems anemic for a 1,000 yard shot on an Auodad.

Yes it does.

Wonder if there is any correlation between the length of the shot taken and most people carrying the most popular fad of long range caliber? I'm sure some people were just seeing how far they could shoot.

I would imagine there’s a strong correlation. In fact, that was my first thought.

Corey J. 36 Aoudad this year is a huge jump from years past! Any pic's you'd care to share? How many did you tag?

I manage the hunting operation on the ranch immediately south and west of these units. You drove through it to get to the Canon Ceta gate. Did you see any quality mule deer bucks on the park side of the property during your hunt? PM me if you have time for a phone call.

I would hesitate to shoot a aoudad at 300 yards with a .260 or 6.5 creedmoor let alone 600 or better

How many were shot and not recovered?

I have been putting in on this hunt as well as the Caprocks. I appreciate the info given and will continue applying.

I did not post this to spark a debate over who's caliber size is the "correct" size or to debate over the distance of shots be correlated to "who can shoot the furthest" or the current fads in calibers. I simply posted this to provide information about a hunt that has very little available information online to assist hunters in making good choices if you are lucky enough to draw this hunt.
I did not pull the trigger once this year. As I stated in the first paragraph, I have hunted Aoudad several times before and harvested in Caprock Canyons in previous years. I did not go on this hunt to increase the number of Aoudad in my repertoire, I went to enjoy the fellowship of my friends (one of which had never hunted Aoudad before) and maybe find him that one that we all look for. We gave permission for a father and his young son to hunt our compartment on the last day and they both harvested 26" and 28" rams. We saw three really nice Rams on top of the mesa on day one but they were not in our comfort zone so we passed on them. We were the third hunt in three weeks and the sheep were pretty scattered.
Again, I am willing to share any information that I have including all of my maps and where we saw sheep and helpful information I have along to anyone interested.

I put in for that hunt last year. Looks like a fun hunt

Good job Corey

Awesome info. I hunted for aoudad after I shot my mule deer on the youth hunt in 2016. Didn't see any and didn't hunt Sunday because of getting stuck in the mud...which is the day the other guys we were hunting with killed 2 aoudad. Been putting name in the draw since then.

It's the Internet, even morons have access to it. Once again thanks for sharing.

Somebody’s in quite a mood today.

Good information.

At the risk of getting my head chopped off, I’ll say that 6.5 Creedmoor is too light too - especially at those distances.

I’ll also say that I will never be convinced that 800+ yard shots are ever necessary. On anything. No one is that poor a hunter. Those shots are taken because the shooter just wants to take them.

I will convey the general comments of several of the Park employees during the orientation. They are an over-prolific exotic, and they don't want them there in the Park at all. They suggested taking a ram for a trophy, or a couple young ones for backstraps and tenderloins.

1: It's a really hard hunt as it is, and they're a LOT of work to get out.
2: They really aren't that good of table fare anyway.
3: Coyotes gotta eat too!

I would like the maps and would like to contact you in the future if I ever get drawn for the hunt!!!

Took my ram at 253 in '17 in compartment 4. My buddy shot two more. Almost got one at 1150yds, but the wind won. Its a western style hunt. Glass, hike, kill. Then hike out heavy. They eat good.

I would put it right up there with wilderness muley or elk hunting. Be in shape, it no country for big bodies.

Mark

I never sign up for these audad hunts because I have no desire to keep the meat or haul some animal out 2 miles that I plan on feeding to the buzzards. If we could feed the coyotes this and other hunts would look much more inviting

Aoudad can see for quite a long ways. They can see you at distances twice that far.

But it doesent mean you have to take those shots.


And yes I would consider a 6.5 creedmoor to be a tad light. That’s one game animal where it’s not a bad idea to shoot a magnum, although a .270 or .280 is enough.

You need to anchor them or they will run a long way

I have never understood this sentiment. I shot a ewe in Palo Duro and she was excellent table fare. And even if you want to be wasteful, the hunt officials tell you during orientation you are under no obligation to keep any portion of the animal.

I'm not a chef and not a very good cook. I don't even care for deer meat. I dont like fish either but I'm a fishing guide. It's not a sentiment it's just I am more interested in the horns and the excitement of the hunt and beauty of the land and could care less about eating it.

Thank you for the info about what the rangers allow. I am assuming they will think the same about devils river also. Looks like I will be signing up for a few more hunts.

Maybe a young ewe is good but an old ram is not the best eating.

And even if you left it there it doesent go to waste coyotes amd buzzards eat it just the same as if it died of old age

My 6yr old aoudad ram tasted fine. I only packed the backstraps and tenderloins out though (pd canyon)

tag

Anyone been on this hunt before that can help me out with recommendations. My brother and I got drawn for the first hunt period Jan 7-9. Trying to plan as much as possible and understand the requirements for safety as well as the best chance to be successful. The harvest statistics kind of seem all over the place and wondering if it has to do with weather or if some locations really are better than others.

Please PM me if you can help me out.

Congrats I think or I hate you (just kidding on the hate). Either way good luck I've been putting in on that hunt for years and will continue.

Corey, PM headed your way. Thanks.

ttt

Wondering if there is anyone out there with information on this hunt, currently? I drew this hunt trying to do some research and this thread is the best information I’ve found available.

Pm sent

only 3 hunting compartments this year i was told by hunt manager. They are moving all 24 to the 3 parts to try to bring success numbers up ???

Corey, Get info I would like to receive any and everything you gathered for this hunt. Been putting in for years, but still haven't been drawn.

Buy, borrow, or rent the best optics you can (zeiss or Swarovski). Its a western style spot and stalk hunt. Glass'em up, and go kill'em.

Get in good shape.