# Oryx



## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

I recieved a call from the ole' man a minute ago. He called to inform me that he drew a New Mexico Oryx tag!! his first year applying as a resident! :shock: Anyway, he was giggling like a little kid..

The only bummer is, I wont be able to hunt with him because the dates are during the elk hunt, which I just drew a tag for through the expo.. A lucky year for our family for sure!  

Pretty cool animals. Anyone here ever take an Oryx?


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

I've hunted and harvested Oryx. Much more fun than I had ever anticipated. Which hunt did he draw, Roads?


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## toymanator (Dec 29, 2010)

We can now add that to the list of animals I want on my wall. I didn't know what an Oryx was so I had to check them out on Google. It looks like a war painted antelope on steroids! Congratulations to your dad!


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Tree- he drew the Stallion Range.

I told him that one would look great on the wall and he says he wont because he cant afford it :? . I told him I'd give him the money if that's the case. Dang penny-pincher!


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## svmoose (Feb 28, 2008)

sawsman, that is a fun hunt. I went with my Dad and a friend of his when they drew the Stallion Range. Seriously one of the funnest hunts I have ever been on. It took us almost a day to figure them out very well, then the second day is the last day. PM me and I can tell you a bit about what we learned.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Congrats to your father !!

What will he use to harvest that beast ?


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

I'll be talking with ya svmoose. 8) 

Thanks .45

He drew a rifle tag. He has a 7mm Mag and a 25.06. I dont know which one he'll use. He's a good shot so I guess either one will do the trick.


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## duckhunter1096 (Sep 25, 2007)

LUCKY MAN!!! Congrats to your dad!

I had a good friend who went to NM for an Oryx hunt 3 or 4 years ago. He was kind enough to give me a package of steaks. Tell ya what, it was downright delicious! Just that one package made me want to go get a whole freezer full... But the price tag scared me off.


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

That's pretty cool sawsman! It's a darn shame you can't go hunting with him, but I'm sure he will have a great time nonetheless. I'm sure you will too chasing that big ol' stinky!


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## bullsnot (Aug 10, 2010)

Didn't you draw an expo elk tag as well? You're on a roll this year. Mind if I have a sip of that water you're drinkin?


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## Bergy (Apr 3, 2008)

Congrats to our Dad! I put in for the NM oryx tag this year. I got the dreaded UN :evil: I would love to draw that tag. They are a very cool looking animal.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

The New Mexico ibex hunt would be fun too...Oryx, Ibex who'd a thunk it in the US?


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## sigboy66 (Nov 8, 2010)

Dang you can hunt these in New Mexico. Crap I am going to the Northern Cape in South Africa to hunt one of these (and a few other types of Antelope). I had no idea you could hunt Gemsbok one state away.


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## MadHunter (Nov 17, 2009)

Gongrats to your dad sawsman! You need to let us know what you find out about the hunt and the animal. I have benn applying for Ibex in NM for several years and want to hit the Ibex after I get that goat.

From a friend of a friend that did the Ibex, he says you should take a second pair of boots cus you will rip them up. He also recommends getting in the best shape of your life and to consider a guide very heavily. I am sure the Ibex is not as tough since it's a plains animal.

Good luck to your dad!


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## Bergy (Apr 3, 2008)

Sigboy, Africa sounds like a dream, good luck on your hunt. Yes you can hunt them in New Mexico if you are "REALLY" lucky. If you draw its a Once in a Lifetime trophy hunt on the White Sands Missle range. Its not cheap! $1610 for the tag and $20 just to apply. Im hoping to do Africa and New Mexico one day.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

bullsnot said:


> Didn't you draw an expo elk tag as well? You're on a roll this year. Mind if I have a sip of that water you're drinkin?


Yeah, a lucky year for sure! I was actually invited to hunt some private property for deer as well this year. All I have to do is draw a tag and I'm in.

If I knew it was the blessed water, I'd share it with everyone bullsnot. I hope to be washing some oryx steaks down with it as well. :EAT:

Thanks for all the congrats everyone! Best of luck to everyone in the draws.


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## sigboy66 (Nov 8, 2010)

Bergy,

Plains game in africa is not as expensive as you might think. For the price of one trophy mule deer hunt here in the states. You can go to africa and shoot 8 trophy animals. I have a hard time with shelling out that kind of money for one animal. This is once in a life time for me, I just put a little money aside each month. 5 years later got enough to go.

Sig


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## duckhunter1096 (Sep 25, 2007)

The problem with the plains animals hunts in Africa is... You don't get to bring the meat home. Purely a trophy hunt. At least with hunting them in NM, you get to bring the meat home. While trophies are nice, the antlers (horns) & capes sure don't taste all that great.


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## sigboy66 (Nov 8, 2010)

Duckhunter, You only get to eat the meat there. But the sport of hunting is not all about the meat, it is a great side benefit, but not the main reason for it. I got a freezer full of Moose that I am enjoying now (I drew a Utah OIL tag last year). Think about it. What the average deer hunter puts in each ear for a couple of dozen pounds of venison? Is it cost effective? If it was all about the meat just take the money you would spend on your deer tags, rifle, ammo, hunting equipment, gas, food, and time off from work and go to the grocery store.

I probably spent $800 bucks on a turkey gun, calls, shells equipment to go turkey hunting the first year I drew on LE turkey. I called a few close, but they would not break cover (they did not like my decoys). I did not get a turkey but when I heard my first gobble in response to my yelps and clucks, the adrenaline hit me. I was hooked. I did not get a turkey but had one of the best times hunting I ever had. As a joke my brother spent 12 bucks on a turkey for me for my birthday. And said you know you can get these at the grocery store for a lot less than the price of the permit. It’s not all about the meat.

Say you see a 2 bucks in the woods on the general deer season. One is a 2 point the other is a 28" 4 point. Which one are you going to shoot? Hunting is more about the activity. Bonding with family and friends. The thrill of the hunt. Being out in the woods. Being on an adventure. The thrill of the chance you might actually bag the big one. If you were to draw an OIL tag on the animal of your choice. Would you shoot the first animal you came across the first day or are you going to hold out for a bigger one? Are you going to want to mount your OIL trophy if it is an especially big one? Are you going to do a lot of pre-season scouting, that adds to the cost.

I am going to Africa because I love to hunt. Let's face it, it is the Super Bowl of hunting. For the price of one Guided hunt here in the states for one animal, you can go to Africa and hunt 8 or more animals the size of elk, deer, and pronghorn. It would be nice to bring home the meat of the Oryx and Warthog I am going to hunt. I will get to try it while I am there. Now that I know that I can put in for Oryx in NM I will do that. But honestly, am I going to draw out before I am too old to hunt it? I got lucky on the moose tag.

I like elk meat. That’s why I put in every year for Cow Elk. That hunt is about the meat. I hunt close to home and don’t bother to camp for it. The families of the guides, trackers and skinners, and the families they sell the meat to will enjoy what I have bagged more than me. Everywhere in Africa where hunting has been banned, poaching has all but about wiped out some game species. Take away hunting over there you take away jobs. Most of the poachers are doing so feed their families or get money due to lack of jobs. Most poaching was stopped by finding the poachers and giving them jobs as guides, trackers skinners. In countries where hunting is allowed game species thrive, poaching is down, and more people have jobs.

This will be a trophy hunt? Yes. I wish I could bring most of the meat back, but that is not possible. I am going cause I love to hunt, I love the adventure. I watched way to many Tarzan movies as a kid. I don’t need to shoot the biggest trophy I can find or make the record books. My goal for the moose hunt was anything over 40" and I got a 43" one. He will look amazing on my wall, but he will not make it into the record books, and I don’t care. I passed on some smaller bulls that would have most likely have been better to eat. This is a bucket list item for me. I have saved for years for this hunt. I cannot afford do this every year, maybe once a decade. But we make time for what we love.


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