Why do folks love hunting exotics?

Have never understood the appeal for hunting exotics. How does a native Texan as myself even begin to try and think exotic hunting is cool? Curious how some of y'all got interested in exotics? I hear axis meat is awesome and that to me is maybe the best reason for the attraction.

Meat is way better than WT IOurHO. Year round hunting. Most of this type of hunting is in the Hill Country, and that is a very scenic area so that's a reason for me as well. Hint of hunting back overseas (night hunts, spotlighting, no "limits"). Safari style.

Another Hunting experience!

Antlers, Horns or Hide

Meat comes in a variety of packages

Addict to Addict

Never thought of this perspective! I can see that being awesome.

Hunting axis deer is much more of a challenge than white tails IMO. U have to beat or not just 1 set of eyes ears and nose. But a herd full. The axis meat blows whitetail out of the water IMO. Even the big bruiser Axis I just took had great meat for an old mature buck still tender and delicious.
The year round hunting can't be beat either. Also night time summer hunts are great for exotics cool temps and watching everything else that lives at night come out in the moon light u can't see that in a traditional whitetail hunt. I hunt the Hillcountry low fence ranch. And I just never no what could walk out. Fallow,axis,blackbuck,stag,elk just to name a few all free range the Tx hill country. I'm a born and raised Texan and started hunting exotics 10 years ago and will never stop there just to tasty...
U should really give it a try. U won't be disappointed.

I am feeling convinced lol

i agree with the above opinions. with the exception of some animals, most of them are way harder to hunt that native animals. and with year round seasons, you can keep your hunting skills honed up all year long. you want a kick in the pants hunt, go hunt nilgai! that is the hardest funnest hunt ive ever been on!

The love of the animals.
90% of what we cook is wild game. My wife prefers axis over whitetail.
And last is the mounts look pretty good on the wall.

+2

AA, you should try a hunt for a big axis - then you will know. Especially LF free range.

Different strokes for different folks - but hunting is about experience. Warm weather hunting is a different experience.

One of the strangest and coolest hunting experiences I had was a TPWD draw hunt on Matagorda Island. It certainly was different sitting in a blind among the sand dunes, looking at the ocean.

Get out there and try new things, it might surprise you.

I am an axis nut. To me, the is something very regal about a big axis buck walking out of the brush.

One thing I really like about exotic hunting is the diversity. I hunt for several reasons and personal goals. A major part for me is the hunting and taking different species, to me its a challenge to put in enough time, effort, energy, and money to collect the different species (especially since I'm 900 miles from Texas). I am about finished with most of the common exotics and am looking to going after the super exotics, as well as a few native North American species and hopefully an Africa trip soon. I appreciate the differences in the various species and get a good bit of fulfillment getting to cross hunts for different species off my bucket list.

Year round hunting

A chance to hunt with the kids when they are out of school- When my 9yo takes a picture of a scimitar to school or a picture of her blackbuck hanging in her room, how cool is that? Her classmates went to Hurricane Harbor, she trekked 10 miles after Axis on a 5000 acre ranch for 3 days with her Dad.

Variety of choices in price and challenge.

Variety is the spice of life. I don't understand why anyone wouldn't want to hunt different animals.

I never thought about it until 15 years ago when I bought a place in edwards county. I shot an axis and loved the meat. The years went buy and I just loved the variety. The axis meat is the best tasting meat I have had.

Thrill of the hunt...kinda like women...like to taste all varietys

exotics are fun to hunt.

on a good, fair chase ranch, game like axis and aoudad are a hoot to hunt

Agree with most of this. I love hunting exotics and Axis most of all. They are truly a challenge to take when they know you are after them. They are great eating and make a beautiful wall pedestal mount.
I started hunting exotics because of the rut I'd gotten in hunting whitetails and a desire for something else. For me to kill the kind of whitetail that I want to hunt it was going to cost me 5-6K plus and I guess I'm just not willing to lay out that kind of green for one hunt when I can spend the same amount and go on 2 or possibly 3 hunts. I'm not trying to act like a guy that's taken some monster whitetails because I haven't, my biggest buck ever is a perfectly symmetrical 140 class 10 point. I've hunted whitetails for over 40 years and to be honest I have no desire to ever shoot another 120 to 150 class buck so when my health kept me from hunting elk out west I started looking for something else because I still love hunting and I wasn't ready to give up the sport. Sorry for the rambling but I just got back in from working offshore and I dead tired. Later taters, Baker

I want to bow hunt some axis now lol Consistent responses across the board. Well I would like to try it, but since we do not run exotics at our HF place or have them on our LF place I will have to be patient and maybe one day be able to justify spending the money to go on a hunt.

Very simply, whitetails are boring, but I still hunt them. I also hunt predators, all birds, and anything else that's available. I guess its variety for me.

love pred hunting. Quick action

Try the scimitar oryx, it's even better!