A Hunt For Free-Ranging Aoudad (And An Aoudad Recipe)

In 1996 the Texas Wildlife Association (TWA) teamed up with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and formed the Texas Youth Hunting Program (TYHP). Primarily established to counter the declining numbers of youth hunters, the noble efforts put forth by these organizations have made it possible for countless children to experience hunting in the great outdoors of the Lone Star State. To date, over 77,000 Texans have been provided educational opportunities, including opportunities to hunt a variety of game and experience the great outdoors.

The TYHP offers an assortment of wildlife for kids to hunt. Everything from whitetail deer and mule deer to pronghorns and our topic of discussion, the aoudad is available for ambitious youth hunters to pursue. Generous landowner and organization participation gives young hunters unique opportunities to hunt on ranches and in areas that otherwise would be much more expensive or even restricted to access. I have been fortunate to assist with a spot and stalk mule deer doe hunt in years past and it’s by far one of my favorite hunts of the year.

My daughter, Katy and I were fortunate to participate in a great youth aoudad hunt along the beautiful Devil’s River this past May. The TYHP, in coordination with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) brought in three young hunters (Katy, Isaiah, and Nathan) to assist in managing the numbers of the thriving aoudad herds found along the river and rugged limestone canyons in the Trans-Pecos Region of Texas.

Aoudad are not native to the southwestern United States. The African Barbary Sheep (aka aoudad) were brought in by ranchers many decades ago to serve as an additional animal to hunt for adventure-seeking outdoorsman. They thrive in the west Texas, so much so that taking old, mature rams is simply not enough to keep growing numbers in check. The robust sheep have to be managed to ensure herd health and habitat protection. This youth hunt allowed for kids to take any aoudad they saw with no restriction on numbers. All meat was packed out and prepared for consumption. Don’t let anyone tell you aoudad are not fit to eat, there is nothing wrong with the meat as long as you cook it until tender.

This unique hunt took place on the Dolan Falls Preserve, named for the impressive waterfalls on the Devils River that happen to be the highest-volume falls in Texas.
TPWD Biologist Austin Stolte and his team of accomplished volunteers did an excellent job, as always, hosting the hunt. Austin provided good rifle instruction to the kids on the first afternoon, making sure their guns were properly sighted in and discussing long-range shooting out to two and three hundred yards, common ranges for the open, western country and aoudad sheep.

The shooters were able to apply their training on steel targets at those ranges. Employees of TPWD and TNC guided the kids during the three days of hunting and all of the hunters were accompanied by a parent, in this case all dads.

Mornings and afternoons were spent driving slowly along the ranch roads on UTVs, stopping often and glassing carefully with binoculars for any sign of aoudads along the canyon slopes. Once aoudads were spotted, stalks were carefully planned and effected. Some were successful, some were not. That’s hunting! At times we’d park and walk the canyons just below the skyline, glassing as new country came into view. Mid-day breaks were perfect for a refreshing swim in the cool water of the Devils as a remedy for the early summer heat! Some of the guys took any available opportunity between hunts to do a little fishing. Hunting free-range aoudad is an excellent way of teaching young hunters patience and honest hunting skills. Aoudad are challenging to hunt. Not only are they very wary, they prefer open terrain, steep cliffs, and rocky outcroppings and are extremely hard to get close to. They are truly one of my favorite animals to hunt. With determination, persistence, and a little sweat, all of the hunters put their rifle instruction to good use and harvested aoudads, helping to manage the herds and provide good meat to be shared and exciting stories to be told around the supper table back home.

One of our many aoudad encounters occurred after we hiked deep into a canyon to explore some ancient cave art. A herd of aoudads were feeding on browse in the rocky crevasse and enjoying the cool shade of some shallow caves around the bend and two hundred yards from the overhang containing the crude drawings. Isaiah was first to score a ram after carefully maneuvering around the rock wall and taking a solid rest. A melee of running sheep ensued but surprisingly a shaded ram stayed put, offering Katy a perfect broad-side shot which she did not pass up.
Katy and Nathan pulled off another double after we put a long stalk on a large group of sheep on a canyon’s edge. Katy and Austin slipped up to a juniper less than 100 yards from the sheep. After her shot Nathan made a difficult shot on a distant aoudad.

These organizations and generous land owners are to be commended for promoting hunting and wildlife conservation by providing these unique opportunities for our youth.
The TYHP hunts are a fantastic way of spending quality time with your children. Participants learn principles behind hunting, concepts on game management, and camaraderie that can only be found around the fire of a hunting camp. At the same time, you will meet other fine folks with shared interests, all while experiencing unique hunting opportunities in some of the most beautiful country the great state of Texas has to offer.

To participate, volunteer, or donate, go to https://tyhp.org.

Shane Jahn

2-3 pounds of trimmed aoudad meat
1 package of dry Ranch Dressing Mix
1 package of dry Au Jus Mix
1 stick of butter
1 jar of Pepperoncini peppers
Cover meat with dry mixes, peppers, and the juice. Place a stick of butter on top and cook on low in a crock pot for 24 hours.
Add a little beef broth if needed.
Serve with mashed potatoes or on flour or corn tortillas with fresh salsa and cilantro for delicious tacos.