Finally happened...oryx on the ground

[Hntbambi]

The December off range oryx hunt was no shooting fish in the barrel hunt. As others have said, many miles, and lots of time afield will yield the success. I got into them on the 12th of December. I had a close encounter with no horns, broken horn, and handlebar horns as we suprised each other at 20 yards. It was like "holy crap oryx!" from me and "holy crap hunter!" from them. I did not have a shot I liked so I passed on them.

On the 16th, I found one all alone and decided to take a long range shot. I took a shot at 700 yards. I missed. Just under him.

On the 23rd I found a pair of oryx and these had decent horns. I had a clean standing broadside shot at 375 yards and what should have been a slam dunk was a miss. I went to the range to verify and the scope was indeed off about 7" at 100 yards. I cleanly missed at 375. While I was at the range, I brought the Oehler 35P along and found my guestimate was a little off for the 338 Lapua. I adjusted my Shooter program and tried a shot at the range and was on target with the new setting. Oh well.

With the upcoming weather forecast I did not want to hunt the later part of this week. Today, I got to my hunting spot and saw this guy looking at me.

The distance was close enough and I sent a 180 gr Core-Lokt through his shoulder and heart from my Rem 700 300 Wby.

After I got him to the truck, and started field dressing him, I see his buddy looking bummed.

At least I know there is one left.

 

[trebark]

Nice. Are they good eating? how far was the shot? wind conditions? Why switch from the Lapua to the Weatherby?

 

[Hntbambi]

The shot was not far at all. It was just under 200 yards. Wind was calm. Why the switch? The area I have been hunting is sand dunes. I cut a track and start following it. Last week, my hunt went just over 5 miles. Carrying the Lapua that far gets old real quick. I also may have a very close encounter with them, like my first sighting (20 yards). The Lapua was not the best gun for a running shot at close range. I carried the Lapua until this week.

My Wby is my custom built gun, shoots sub MOA even with factory ammo, handles like a dream. And, most importantly, I have a lot of confidence with it. This is the last few days of the hunt. It's crunch time and I grabbed old faithful.

I have had oryx on a coupe occasions, and it is very good eating. I will find out tonight how this one tastes.

 

[jeff 300]

Very nice!!!! I got to go on a hunt this year at white sands to help a friend on his hunt. Very hard hunting he walked 22 miles in two day. We would get up high and spot them then i would walk him in on them with 2 way radios. He got a 38" cow the biggest one killed out of 68 hunters and his wife got a smaller one the last day last hour of the hunt. But it was only a two day hunt looks like you had a lot more time to hunt.

they said it was great eating

Good job

 

[trebark]

How much do they weigh? they look pretty big.

 

[sambo3006]

Glad it came together for you! Sounds like you put in a lot of time and miles for that one.

 

[Hntbambi]

How much do they weigh? they look pretty big.

Live weight was between 350 and 400 pounds. He is a big critter. Here he is on my game cart.

And here is a 205 pound Prince William County buck from Virginia:

 

[BriggsRi]

Outstanding!

 

[silvertip-co]

pretty dang cool. congrats. and be sure to let us know how it tastes. boy what a trophy, and you didnt have to go to afreaka to get it.

 

[gunaddict]

Great job!

 

[Hntbambi]

Thanks guys. These critters are outstanding table fare. I just had a backstrap for dinner tonight and it tastes more like beef than any wild game. Some steak dust cooked on the gas grill to medium rare and it's chow time. I will be putting in for another tag!

One thing that helps is my oryx is an adolescent so it was just under 2 years old. The meat is super tender and juicy. I did the butchering myself, so I know the meat was cool from the ride home to being packaged in vacuum bags and frozen.

Very good eats!

 

[RDM416]

Congratulations! and thanks for sharing your story with us. I have been wanting to go after one of those rascals for years, just so darn hard for non residents to draw a tag down there in NM.

A buddy that hunts with me at our elk camp in NM told me they are really good eating..... sounds like he was tellin the truth!