Public land hunts for Aodad in New Mexico

[wildcat westerner]

Hello, I am retired to New Mexico and would welcome any serious, factual information on hunting Aodad or Oryx on public lands in New Mexico, which is current. Obviously, I am interested in learning the best areas to draw to and will be attempting to locate any and all information to make informed attempts to draw quality tags for these animals, unique to America.

Thank You,

Gene S.

 

[Plinker147]

Hello, I am retired to New Mexico and would welcome any serious, factual information on hunting Aodad or Oryx on public lands in New Mexico, which is current. Obviously, I am interested in learning the best areas to draw to and will be attempting to locate any and all information to make informed attempts to draw quality tags for these animals, unique to America.

Thank You,

Gene S.[/QUO[/QUOTE

For factual info call the game and fish office. Call Las Cruces office for Oryx and Roswell office for Barbary sheep

 

[Plinker147]

For factual info Call game and fish offices. For oryx call las Cruces, for Barbary sheep call Roswell

 

[wildcat westerner]

That,s a good start pinker 147.

Thanks

 

[WildWestNM]

It's all the luck of the draw. There are some "tips" on the NM Game and Fish website to increase your chances of drawing a tag but, alas, I've never drawn for either. You can buy an over the counter license/tag for certain units for Barbary Sheep... I think those are deprivation hunts and have restrictions on size, sex, and what not. The south central units are usually what I hear are the best chances. Good luck.

 

[wildcat westerner]

WildwestNM,

Thanks for all this info, which I am keeping notes of.

Gene s.

 

[Plinker147]

A little more general info. All the main range Oryx hunts are good, one isn't better than the other. Just apply and hope you get drawn. Off range Oryx are found pretty much all around the borders of WSMR at times. Its very feast and famine. You can hunt for 10 days and not see an Oryx then a herd will come off range and you can find 20 head in a day. That's why they are month long hunts. There really arnt any "honey holes" just lots of hunting, the successful hunters usually spend lots of days hunting. These hunts are still hard to draw ( It's been 10 years since I've drawn an off-range), but not as hard as the main range.

Barbary sheep there is 2 main hunts areas that are both draw in South east part of state. Both of these are good areas but you will have to hunt hard in rough country to kill a quality sheep. Just to kill a sheep isn't that hard but big rams are few and far between. There is an over the counter sheep tag that is year round outside of the South east part of state in areas with very low sheep populations. Most are on private but some on public. These areas you will have to hunt a lot just to find a sheep. There are better places than others but a guy has to keep some secrets haha. These are places the Game and fish doesn't want sheep expanding into for the most part.

There is also private land over the counter licenses are available for both species. Only a couple good ranches with good Oryx populations and the hunts are expensive. Barbary sheep there are a good number of good ranches in the Hondo Valley but they are also pricey.

NM draws is a true lottery, no bonus or preference points, just apply and hope.

 

[wildcat westerner]

Pinker 147,

You've given me more solid info in on message than my living for years here has provided.Lord, I could see spending ten days searching for a desert ram, but the idea of taking that same amount of time and seeing nothing at all when hunting another species begs the question as to the value of my time. I think I shall concentrate on the main hunts and live with the impossible odds. These SE hunts for Barberry sheep seem intriguing to me. I have been told by a serious hunter for Antelope that area 31 and 33 are very good for truly quality Antelope. This person drives across two states to hunt there. it would seem as if a Barberry Sheep hunt could also be an excuse for serious Antelope scouting in that area.
Thanks so very much for this precise data and practical knowledge about these hunting opportunities.

Gene S.