Best of the West Aoudad Hunt - MDT Mention

From the peaks of the Davis Mountains, hunting YouTube Channel Best of the West Arms shot a cool video of a recent Aoudad hunt. This short hunting documentary begins with the host, Renee Ybarra of Ybarra Outfitters, explaining the hunt location and available animals, including free range aoudad muflon, elk, and mule deer. Aoudads were introduced to West Texas in the late 1940s, and their numbers have flourished in the area ever since.

The hunting crew opts to “spot and shoot” aoudad utilizing an off-road capable four-wheel drive vehicle in the harsh terrain. Herds are spotted and analyzed to determine if a suitable target is present. On day one of their hunt, some large rams were spotted, but they were able to bed themselves in cedar trees and cliffs atop the mountains and escaped the hunting party. After a regroup, the party went out around 3:00 PM to catch aoudad descending the mountain.

Aoudad thrive in rough country.

Large groups of aoudad were spotted, but acquiring the right target in these constantly mobile groups proved challenging. Footage of a group of aoudad coupled with audio recordings of Rene spotting for Jared captured the difficulty of target acquisition.

The spotting and shooting dynamic between Jared and Rene seems to develop. Jared takes his first big (31”) aoudad with a 6mm Creedmoor MDT HNT26 Chassis equipped rifle. Jared says he built this rifle for weight reduction and functionality, notably the length of pull and cheek riser adjustability, which provide him with more options than a traditional hunting rifle stock. Rene spoke on his experiences shooting aoudad with different cartridges, saying regardless of caliber choice, aoudad are tough animals and commonly do not go down in one shot. Jared opted for 6mm Creedmoor as its light recoil enabled him to take follow-up shots immediately as necessary for the duration of this aoudad hunt.

Wrapping up, Jared bagged a couple of large aoudads, each with just one well-placed shot, which is a testament to the importance of shot placement. Jared also harvested a Javelina at 860 yards, demonstrating both his skill and the quality of his gear.

More: Long-range Hunting and Shot Placement

Aoudad hunting requires a lot of walking and glassing so a lightweight, accurate rifle is a plus.

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• MeatEater: Dialing in your Kit for 2023
• Staying Mentally Strong in the Backcountry
• Fitness for Backcountry Hunting
• How Shooting Matches Makes You a Better Hunter
• Tips For A Successful Antelope Hunt
• Analysis: Long-Range Hunting
• Why The Triple Pull CKYE-POD is a Guides Best Friend
• Hunting In Inclement Weather
• Sheep Hunting in Kyrgyzstan
• Are You Ready for Your Hunt?
• The Ethical Shot
• Tag Your Hunting Truck
• How To Hunt Stone Sheep In British Columbia
• Long-range Hunting and Shot Placement

Check out the Best of the West YouTube Channel!