WSMR Oryx Hunt Over Too Soon

[406LIFE]

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind. This hunt was over too quick, but when an opportunity presents itself it's best not to quibble. Another species crossed of my life list that I have wanted for quite some time. I hear it's the king of all.qild game meat. I'll find out shortly.

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[Letthemgrow]

I've been on that hunt a couple of times.
You did great!
Congratulations.

 

[jrabq]

That's a good one, congrats !

 

[bobbydean]

Nice cow. I have always been torn on shooting the first one you see. Generally rationalize that it is too small or a broken horn.

My brother shot a small bull one year about noon. On the ride out there was the biggest bull I have ever seen trotting 200 yards out.

 

[EYJONAS!]

That's a pretty solid 2 week adventure congrats!

 

[noharleyyet]

An enviable Autumn 406...congratulatons!

 

[OntarioHunter]

A very fine specimen, especially for such a young cow (note the total lack of compression rings at base of horns). I actually like the spread although some PHs consider it "defective". My South African gemsbuck hunt took longer ... but not much. After quickly taking a very fine springbuck first thing in the morning, the landowner asked if I'd be willing to help get rid of a nuisance bull gemsbuck that had escaped five years earlier onto domestic sheep/goat range. He was a very fine breeding bull ... still with tag in the ear (so hunters won't shoot it). But once they get through the fence there's really nothing for it but to shoot them. Gemsbuck, like pronghorn, can't jump a fence, even a four footer. The big concern is he would tear a hole in the fence trying to get back to cows and the whole bunch would get out. That was a concern five years ago. Apparently the old boy was happy enough to be alone and gobble up sheep range. Seven of us (myself, PH, our tracker, landowner, and three ranch hands) spent the rest of the morning and most of afternoon pushing that bull around in the thick stuff. He was there but none of us ever saw him. Finally gave up. My PH said he had been chasing that bull with clients every year. Enough of that! He would come back after lodge closed for season and shoot the SOB himself. As we left and on the highway I remembered Glen said something earlier about a couple of cows that escaped on another section of the property. What about those? Too late to look for kudu. For some reason he thought I preferred a bull. Why? Cows have longer horns and these are just wasting range if not with the herds (wasting pasture is critical in the drought). Another client got one of them two months earlier so the single lonely cow would be a good candidate for tearing up fences. Sure, may as well get rid of her as long as we're there. The landowner was headed out to meet us and just as our tracker closed the gate I spotted her white face looking at us from an acacia thicket not 100 yards away. We parked the truck and started the stalk. No way could she leave without presenting a shot. But somehow she did. Simply dematerialized. We hiked to the back of the property while the landowner climbed to the top of a hill to look for the gemsbuck. He called on the radio to tell us she was on the run ... straight for us. Glen got me set up on the sticks. We anticipated she would cross a big opening to our left because a helluva washout was behind us and gemsbuck don't negotiate that stuff well. Yep, here she comes over the hill and straight into the acacia thicket in front. I got off the sticks and shot her almost point blank as she galloped out of the brush charging straight for us. A fifteen yard shot into the chest. Then broadside into right shoulder as she flew past at twelve yards. Both shots hit her in the heart. Ordinarily I probably wouldn't do the double tap but gemsbuck are dangerous. She has almost two inches of compression rings. Very old and almost certainly past being any use for herd management. Good to get rid of her.

Sorry for hijacking your thread. Forgive me for having a bit of fun reliving it. What will you be doing with your trophy? They make an interesting shoulder mount. Unfortunately my cow had torn up her face. Not sure if she got into the fence or a leopard. Anyway, I barely have room for one African shoulder mount and already decided it would be kudu.

 

[fallfreak]

Congrats on a great animal.

 

[mdeerjunkie]

Congratulations! Looks like a fun hunt.

 

[fulldraw]

Congrats on your oryx! I have been trying to draw a tag for years with no luck yet.

 

[bobbydean]

Curious, looks at least 38" or 39". What did she measure?
Very symmetrical.

 

[406LIFE]

Curious, looks at least 38" or 39". What did she measure?
Very symmetrical.

35". I put her next to another that measured 39, backed away a couple for steps.and couldn't tell the difference at all. I am flat out tickled to have gotten her.

 

[targetpanic]

Congratulations!!I absolutley love the color of their faces...need to start putting in for this hunt.

 

[jacknifejc]

Congratulations