I was planning on applying for Oryx in New Mexico this year but reading the regs it looks like you need a guide to hunt the White Sands Missile Range. Is this correct? It sounds like the off range hunting is pretty tough since they get hunted most of the year. Can a non resident still have a good DIY hunt without tons of scouting?
New Mexico Oryx Question
- Thread starter bigsky2
- Start date
bobbydean
Well-known member
You do not need a guide to hunt oryx. Apply on range and hunt. A guide would help deciding trophy or also ran.
There is a hunt that WSMR employees will take hunters out. They are in high demand and I do not have a clue how to contact them.
Off range works for locals. Hard to come in out of state and have success. Unless, you contact a rancher and pay trespass fee ( almost like a guided hunt).
Do not ignore the Mac Gregor range hunt. It is closer to El Paso. It is a military property. Oryx are there, but harder to find. It is truly a hunt.
There is a hunt that WSMR employees will take hunters out. They are in high demand and I do not have a clue how to contact them.
Off range works for locals. Hard to come in out of state and have success. Unless, you contact a rancher and pay trespass fee ( almost like a guided hunt).
Do not ignore the Mac Gregor range hunt. It is closer to El Paso. It is a military property. Oryx are there, but harder to find. It is truly a hunt.
MtnRambler
Active member
I was lucky enough to draw a WSMR tag about seven years ago. As BobbyDean said (at least it was true at the time I hunted), no guide was needed.
My tag was a for a two day hunt on the Stallion Range. There was no possibility of getting on the range to scout pre-season. I felt a lot of pressure due to such a short season, and found it really hard to relax on the hunt. Despite being relatively flat terrain, there was still enough topography to get high enough to glass a lot of country. I saw plenty of Oryx, but blew a few stalks. On the second day managed to harvest a really nice (and tasty) broken horn male.
In short, having a guide may take some pressure off on such a short hunt if you draw the WSMR. However, there is plenty of opportunity for a DIYer who hunts hard. I can’t speak to a hunt outside of the Stallion Range.
My tag was a for a two day hunt on the Stallion Range. There was no possibility of getting on the range to scout pre-season. I felt a lot of pressure due to such a short season, and found it really hard to relax on the hunt. Despite being relatively flat terrain, there was still enough topography to get high enough to glass a lot of country. I saw plenty of Oryx, but blew a few stalks. On the second day managed to harvest a really nice (and tasty) broken horn male.
In short, having a guide may take some pressure off on such a short hunt if you draw the WSMR. However, there is plenty of opportunity for a DIYer who hunts hard. I can’t speak to a hunt outside of the Stallion Range.
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BuzzH
Well-known member
This is almost exactly what I thought about the hunt too. It was fun, but very high pressure as you have at best, 2.5 days. My buddy shot his the first half day, and I didn't get mine until the morning of the last day. If that hunt were even 4 full days, it would be so much more fun to actually get a chance to look them over a bit more. There will also be an additional fee and a background check required to get on the range.
I personally wouldn't hire a guide, just be sure to make hay when you find the one you want in a place you can stalk them. Also, when you bump them, they aren't going to just run a half mile and calm down, at least not in my experience of hunting them for a couple days.
Have fun and good luck drawing.
sbhooper
Well-known member
The biggest problem with Oryx, is drawing the permit. I think that overall, they are a bit more difficult to hunt, than when I hunted them years ago. They are a fun animal to hunt, if you can draw a permit. I killed three of them over the years that I lived in Alamogordo and they cost me $41 and a bit of gas!
bobbydean
Well-known member
I think I have been on seven orxy hunts. 3 were my own and others were with brother or nephew. I agree that drawing the tag is the hardest. I use to draw every 7 to 8 years. I now on 10 or 11 without drawing. Even if you reduce my odds, I would encourage people to apply. Very cost prohibitive, but cheaper than Africa
2 days are usually enough time. See a decent one and shoot it. My brother did just that and going out saw the biggest bull trotting in front of us 100 yards away.
My brother has had bad luck with big bulls. Early 70's you had to hunt with a military employee, he knocked down a huge bull. The military guy would not let him finish the kill. The herd was still there and 3 other hunters were waiting for their chance. Bull got up and left. Spent 1 day tracking to no avail.
One of his hunts was on Rhodes canyon ( by far the best hunt), he again knocked down an awesome bull. He got up. We trailed for miles and in the sand, it is not that difficult. Damn bull was smart and went into one of the no hunting zones. I think it is because of unfired ordinance.
My brother has killed two bulls bigger than my 39" cow. I have killed a huge body bull with broken horns and the biggest bases that year. but was not worth mounting.
2 days are usually enough time. See a decent one and shoot it. My brother did just that and going out saw the biggest bull trotting in front of us 100 yards away.
My brother has had bad luck with big bulls. Early 70's you had to hunt with a military employee, he knocked down a huge bull. The military guy would not let him finish the kill. The herd was still there and 3 other hunters were waiting for their chance. Bull got up and left. Spent 1 day tracking to no avail.
One of his hunts was on Rhodes canyon ( by far the best hunt), he again knocked down an awesome bull. He got up. We trailed for miles and in the sand, it is not that difficult. Damn bull was smart and went into one of the no hunting zones. I think it is because of unfired ordinance.
My brother has killed two bulls bigger than my 39" cow. I have killed a huge body bull with broken horns and the biggest bases that year. but was not worth mounting.
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I got to experience it 3 times as my dad had the tag and two friends had the tag. 2008/2011/2013 Lots of pressure. My dad killed a a 37.5 in bull very heavy. The 2008 hunt the winds picked up day two and there were dirt devils and it got violent out there and my buddy killed a 36 inch cow just as the storm blew in. I gotta figure out how to post pics as the picture of my dad with that Oryx is my favorite hunting picture. The meat is absolutely awesome
kimbersig
Active member
its easier to draw the permit if you apply under the guided pool. but you can apply in the regular NR pool and go DIY. I have killed one on range and 2 off range. I can tell you that off range is a tough hunt that can take a lot of time to be successful
I killed just this January. The Rhoades has a little more terrain than the Stallion which makes stalking a little easier. I did use a guide to get into the guided pool and improve my odds. A big asset the guide brought was an ATV in the back of his truck, you are allowed to drive off road to retrieve downed game. You would not need a guide to do this hunt, but depending on how far you are driving, may be worth it for the improved odds and having an ATV ready. You have to be OFF the range by dark, so if you had to pack one on your back, that would cut your hunting time down a lot if you couldn't drive to get the animal.
There is an immense amount of pressure on a 2 day OIL tag. I shot the first good bull we saw and he tapes out right at 29 inches. We all field judged him 10-20% bigger on the hoof, he had a short face, which is one of the major ways to judge them. In fairness, we had a front blow thru the first afternoon and were dealing with 40+ mph gusts and a literal sandstorm. Regardless, he has very cool look to his rings and will make a good looking shoulder mount and is a good representative even if he is not 10 inches bigger.
The hunt is a blast and I will be putting in for Broke horn hunts every year for the forseeable future. The Non Res tag is super expensive, but if you don't pay a guide, its a bargain compared to anywhere else you could hunt Gemsbok.
Everyone I heard from said they are the best eating. I think they are good but I would still put elk and axis deer in front of them. I think they are better than a nilgai though.
There is an immense amount of pressure on a 2 day OIL tag. I shot the first good bull we saw and he tapes out right at 29 inches. We all field judged him 10-20% bigger on the hoof, he had a short face, which is one of the major ways to judge them. In fairness, we had a front blow thru the first afternoon and were dealing with 40+ mph gusts and a literal sandstorm. Regardless, he has very cool look to his rings and will make a good looking shoulder mount and is a good representative even if he is not 10 inches bigger.
The hunt is a blast and I will be putting in for Broke horn hunts every year for the forseeable future. The Non Res tag is super expensive, but if you don't pay a guide, its a bargain compared to anywhere else you could hunt Gemsbok.
Everyone I heard from said they are the best eating. I think they are good but I would still put elk and axis deer in front of them. I think they are better than a nilgai though.
Brentc
Well-known member
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I picked one up on the Texas side of the McGregor range in November. Since I'm active duty, I put in for all of the military only McGregor hunts. The odds are really quite good to get tags and they're not OIL for Oryx. The off range options are really good if you have time to dedicate.
silasd
Active member
And sometimes they shut the range down for training/testing but you don't get extra time - which adds to the pressure.
