Hunting at The Hackberry Ranch: December 2006

Alek and I got up early Saturday to hunt. He wasn't feeling well, so he went back to bed. I went to hunt the Wood Blind in hopes of seeing a nice White Tail. About 5 minutes after the feeder went off there were 6 Aoudad, 6 Axis bucks, and 3 white tail at the feeder. The Axis were in the process of growing their antlers with one very large male that was literally twice the size of the rest. There were 2 white tail doe and 1 small buck. However, 2 of the Aoudad were very large. I didn't want to shoot because Alek really wanted an Aoudad.

After about 30 minutes all the animals left the feeder. The Axis and White tail moved off pretty quickly, but the Aoudad continued slowly grazing for another 30 minutes as they moved back up the hill to the right of the feeder. At this time a nice White Tail buck came in to the feeder area, but never got inside the fence. He nibbled on some remaining corn and a cedar tree. It was a nice 8 point - the exact same one I had shot at and missed 2 weeks prior. Nope. Wait and come back Sunday morning with Alek for the Aoudad.

I eventually made my way back up to my truck - which was parked on the cliche pit on the road going up the hill. I ran across another herd of Aoudad - this time 4 very young ones. I glassed down towards the mailbox gate - another herd of Axis, nine this time. I also glassed the cleared ridge leading to the spring - a third herd of Axis, a third herd of Aoudad, and a group of White Tail were feeding on the grass. Wow - lots of animals. It was 8:30 AM by this time.

We were definitely going to come back Sunday morning, but Alek and I decided to go Saturday night as well. This time we parked near the South Gate and walked to the blind. We go into position around 4 o'clock. Around 4:15 a small 8 point Buck came in, fed on some cedar, and then bedded down next to the feeder. Good sign. The feeder went off and we had several White Tail bucks and does underneath it quickly, but we also heard the Aoudad. They were back! You can hear them walking - they are very loud when walking on rocks and make a distinctive sound unlike any other animal.

We waited patiently. All the Aoudad came in, including the largest one from the morning. Instead of using his .243, Alek wanted to us my .308. He took aim. It took some time to get a clear shot as there were animals in front and behind of the Aoudad. I told him to aim in the center of the diamond that his shoulder made. The Aoudad's organs are further forward than a deer or antelope - with the heart low and forward of the shoulders.

Alek shot. I saw the Aoudad take the bullet. You could also hear the "thud" - he stumbled, jumped out, and moved off to his right. The other animals broke, but most of them stayed in sight. Had a large White Tail been there we could have easily gotten off a second shot.

We got out of the blind and walked towards the feeder. The animals moved off. No sign of the Aoudad - we couldn't see him down anywhere nor any blood. I survyed two areas I thought he may have went to - let's save these for last and give him time to slow down and stiffen up before we press him I thought to myself.

We started looking elsewhere - where we heard noises and saw the other animals go. This area has some very deep and rough solid rock tubes/cuts made by the water. We looked in these. No Aoudad.

We checked the last two areas. 45 minutes had gone by and the sun was behind the hill. I sent Alek up into a clearing to look and I climbed down into a very deep and very thick cut in the rocks. There was the Aoudad. He started to move, but his back legs didn't work. He was pulling himself with his front legs. I popped off a round into his rear before he disappeared. I quickly caught up to him, he had only gone about 20 feet into a deeper, lower area. He wasn't moving, but still alive. Alek's first shot hit him in the shoulder, deflected and went out his rear left hip/spine - taking out the legs. My second shot went into his rear and gut. I put a final round into his chest. He was dead.

We came back with my friend Bob and the kids to recover the Aoudad. We took pictures where he lay and then dragged him back up out of the ravine - oh boy was this hard.

Alek now has the biggest Aoudad out of group - beating out Bill, Landon, and me.

Way to go Alek!