Free Roaming Aoudad Sheep Hunting

Aoudad Sheep also known as Barbary Sheep were first introduced in 1948 to the desert mountains of West Texas and Southern New Mexico. This new home was so much like their native arid Atlas Mountains of North Africa that the animals flourished and are now considered native game in Texas.

Aoudad Sheep are one of the most challenging sheep species to hunt anywhere in the world. They live in some of the roughest driest country imaginable. Bluffs and ledges in steep walled canyons are their home. They are very nomadic by nature and have the ability to obtain their water needs from dew and dry vegetation. They do not rely on dependable water sources to survive. This has greatly expanded their territory and they now occupy most mountainous West Texas Counties from Del Rio to the Texas Panhandle

This hunt is not for the faint of heart and being in good physical heath and condition is a must . The nearest town is over 1-½ hours away so no medical emergencies please.
The ranch is rough as hell (hence the name Devil's River Ranch).
The remote location of the ranch is an experience in it self.
There are virtual no roads on the ranch and the use of 4 x 4 Polaris Rangers are used to take us to edge of remote canyons to glass for sheep. Most of the day will be spent using spot and stalk tactics with binoculars and spotting scopes to locate herds which can number 15 to more than 100 animals.

Once we have spotted a potential trophy a plan is made.
First is the animal accessible and can we get there and back in a day. After the game plan is made the final approach must be made from above. Aoudad have an uncanny sense of approaching danger so this stalk is mentally and physically challenging.
With your heart ready to explode from the climb we look across the canyon to see your ram heading up the opposite canyon wall.
There is no time to think at 300 yards he is slipping away you drop down and shoot. This is sheep hunting at its finest.

We average over 90% success on mature rams with 28 inch horns or better. Most of our sheep average 30 to 34 inches and we currently have several entries in SCI and Record of Exotics including a massive 38 ½ inch Ram. Our hunts are primarily conducted October through March any other time the Hell aspect becomes really apparent.