Aoudad question

[Dr. Evil]

I am going after an Aoudad this weekend and I'm not too familiar with them. What do you look for to be sure to harvest a mature one? Size, color, horn length, body thickness.....what? Do females have horns also?

Thanks

[Scout]

There is something about shot placement too but I can't recall.

From Terry's Tree Stand Xbox

[ace340cs]

Yes, females and males have horns,,, can't tell the diffrence,, only thing is that one has a sac hanging and the other does not... they have a nice brownish color with brown horns.. good luck

[ColinR]

A big mature male wiill have long chaps that willl almost touch the ground. Vs a ewe will just have short chaps. Also a big male's horns will just about or in some cases will touch his shoulders. That was the 2 things I looked for when hunting them. I will never forget seeing the one I shot come running in and his chaps flopping with each step he took.

[J-J Matt]

Yes, they both have chaps, but it's very easy to tell the difference between a mature ram and a ewe. The big boys will be almost double the body size of even a big ewe and the horns will as well. Look for the smallest amount of hair between the horns of a big male. Anything under 3/4" of hair between the bases and you are looking a good mass. Horns should hook back and almost touch the shoulders. Also, like said above the chaps on a good male will be alot longer and thicker than a female.

[J-J Matt]

As far as shot placement, you need to shoot them alittle farther forward than you would a deer. If you are bowhunting, wait for a good quartering away shot and stick it tight behind the shoulder. If you are rifle hunting, wait for a broadside and hit them in the shoulder right up from the front leg, middle of body. Big rams can take a good punch, so I would shoot a big gun with a solid bullet, and for broadheads, I would go with a fixed blade or a very strong mech. like a jachammer.

[elkbowhunter]

Have fun!! Aoudad are good and tasty. Shot this one last year. Tough getting up on em....great hunt!.....

[J-J Matt]

Have fun!! Aoudad are good and tasty. Shot this one last year. Tough getting up on em....great hunt!.....

That's a nice one and I agree they are a tough bowhunt, but I have to say you are crazy about the "good and tasty" part.

[elkbowhunter]

haha....yes sir...I love aoudad meat. Make mostly burger and sausage. Ive heard people say the same thing about Moose. To me I have never tasted anything better than the Moose I have shot. Its Chevy and Fords. I dont tell most folks what they are eating and man.....they just love it!! Wild game has flavor unlike a lot of beef in the stores. Sometimes I eat a steak from a store and its just bland...yuk!! You just have to be careful and not gut shoot or bust the pee bag. You soak meat in that stuff and it will reek!! I LOVE IT!!

[J-J Matt]

I heard you there. I liked moose, but I tried aoudad a couple different ways and after it stunk up my kitchen, I gave up on it. I can leave one lay on our place and the coyotes wouldn't even eat it.

[West Texican]

Best thing about aoudads is hunting them in the blessed country where they live.

[J-J Matt]

Best thing about aoudads is hunting them in the blessed country where they live.

I know what you mean there. I shot two in Palo Duro Canyon up here a few years ago, but nothing huge. I have killed a ton of them on our high fence place in Clarendon, but I'm ready for a big free range ram. I have a hunt booked for October of this year on a ranch outside of Valentine. A buddy of mine hunts with a group on that ranch every year and out of 3 or 4 of them, someone always brings home a 32"er.

[elkbowhunter]

I heard you there. I liked moose, but I tried aoudad a couple different ways and after it stunk up my kitchen, I gave up on it. I can leave one lay on our place and the coyotes wouldn't even eat it.

Hmm interesting. My Auodad was super tasty!! No one complained when scarfing down the sausage and burger....Matter of fact having a Auodad burger today for lunch!! mmmm

[J-J Matt]

Hmm interesting. My Auodad was super tasty!! No one complained when scarfing down the sausage and burger....Matter of fact having a Auodad burger today for lunch!! mmmm

All I ever took from one of them was the backstrap. I'm sure it would be fine if you ground it up for burger. I figured if the backstrap wasn't good, then I wasn't going to mess with anything else. I think anything is okay ground up with a bunch of spices in sausage. I marinated the heck out of a backstrap over night, then slow cooked it in the oven and it was terrible, tried it on the grill too. Medium rare was awful.

[Roosterpt1]

Big ram front right , mature ewe(female) in the middle , you ram back left