Another Oryx hunt

[Kevin]

I wanted to share pictures from our family outing this weekend and brag a little on my wife. She had hunted elk twice before unsuccessfully due to terrible weather (blizzards and temps in the single digits), and inexperience on both our parts. Those of you that have introduced kids or adults to hunting know that experience (or the lack thereof) goes a long ways in success. She didn't grow up in a hunting family and only became interested in hunting after we had two daughters. Even though it wasn't mandatory, she completed a hunter ed program and started putting in for hunts. We hunt birds together and practice shooting together while teaching the kids the basics of firearm safety and shooting skills. In the 7 years since she became a hunter she has become a good shot, picked up some tracking and stalking skills and we have enoyed our time together. Fast forward to this years hunt.

 

My wife drew a December offrange oryx tag this year, her first opportunity to hunt them and only the third hunt she has drawn. We had been out a time or two for quick hunts and had not been able to hunt them effectively with the two rugrats trailing behind but decided late Sunday afternoon to give it a shot since the area I like to hunt is less than an hour drive from the house. I have had 2 offrange tags and found an area that oryx frequent and most other hunters tend to avoid. I figured we'd check it out since we only had a few hours before dark and were planning on spending the last week and a half of the hunt hunting since we were both off work. So, a Sunday drive turned into my wifes first successfull hunt!

 

An hour after we left the house we found a fresh set of tracks crossing a road and with kids in tow began tracking what I figured for a bull through the mesquite dunes. Within 200 yards we found where he had been bedded and knew we were right behind him. I asked my wife to be ready for a quick shot because when we found him he may be aware of our presence since it was pretty obvious we had just got him up. We snuck up (as much as you can sneak with a 6 and 9 year old) to a high dune where I peaked over and glassed the bull up 150 yards from us. He was watching his back trail but hadn't seen us yet. All that was visible was his ears and horns so we eased around the dune and tried to get set up on him. In the process he moved out in a typical oryx escape run looking like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. My wife shouldered her rifle and I whistled to try to stop him. I worked as he stopped to check out the noise. BOOM!, without hesitation Kate sqeezed off. I heard the bullet thud but he was off to the races and out of sight amongst the dunes and into the setting sun. We watched, her through her scope and the girls and I with our binoculars, but couldn't see much through the glare. Finally I spotted him about 400 yards out standing on a dune with his head hanging. Shortly he bedded and we snuck in to 30 yards before we could see him. Kate, although completely overtaken with the "fever", finished him off. The caping and pack job lasted late into the night but the kids were troopers and slept in after a long exciting night.

 

He measures 33 1/2" and is going on the wall. I've taken 3 oryx but never with the kids along and this one, by far, made the best memories!

[Coues Sniper]

Now that's cool. Congrats to your wife on a great trophy, and with the kids no less.

[Browning'sCustomMeat]

Simply amazing and congratulations to your wife on the Oryx. I think it is great that your whole family is out there together, that itself is outstanding.

 

-Jeremy-

[tjhunt2]

That picture saids it all. Family hunting together is the greatest thing going. Congratulations to your wife and thanks for sharing your story and pictures with us here.

 

TJ

[CouesWhitetail]

Awesome!! Love seeing the whole family out there!! Congratulations and thanks for taking the time to post the story and photos!!

 

Amanda

 

[crazyaboutcoues]

Great story Kevin...Sometimes it's hard to take the whole family but it's well worth it in the end. Congratulations to your wife...time for some great tasting meat.

 

Merry Christmas

[hunter4life]

Congratulations, that is a great experience!! I had a depredation hunt on the Jornada Experimental Range and following a fresh track was a fun way to hunt them out in the flat mesquite/sand country.

[SO I HUNT]

Great story and congrats to the wife. Your family will remember this hunt forever.

[huntswnm]

Great job!! Nice to get the family out on those occasions. My wife had a very similar experience back in March when she took her first big game animal, an Oryx, on a badge hunt. She too was unsuccesful on previous deer and elk hunts but man what an animal to call your first. Those Oryx are amazing.

 

Jeff

[Coues Archer]

Thats tight. Great job.