Aoudad meat/trophy in Texas question

[ORfish]

Any help here would be appreciated. I was considering a Texas Aoudad hunt, but had a fundamental question- what happens to the animal? When I look at all the outfitter webpages, no one mentions meat care in the field/processing/freezing etc. There are some that mention taxidermy. Most photos are either the whole animal after the kill or a head sticking out of a backpack. Are the Texas hunt all primarily trophy hunts for horns and cape? Is the carcass processed for meat, or left for vultures? Thank you in advance for anyone who has experience in these hunts (guide or client).

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Any help here would be appreciated. I was considering a Texas Aoudad hunt, but had a fundamental question- what happens to the animal? When I look at all the outfitter webpages, no one mentions meat care in the field/processing/freezing etc. There are some that mention taxidermy. Most photos are either the whole animal after the kill or a head sticking out of a backpack. Are the Texas hunt all primarily trophy hunts for horns and cape? Is the carcass processed for meat, or left for vultures? Thank you in advance for anyone who has experience in these hunts (guide or client).

The hunter typically has the choice to keep the skull, hide, and meat. But always read the details in the hunting contract.

What will vary is the amount of help provided by the guide. Assuming it is a low fence hunt...
* They should help you quarter the animal and pack it out. It is typically then up to the hunter to get it processed; the guide/outfitter can provide recommendations but it may not always be the best choice. Typically the hunter is responsible for bringing cooler(s) and ice to cool the meat/cape so that the hunter can transport it for processing.
* The guide typically will cape the animal for you (assuming you want a shoulder mount) while breaking the animal down in the field. See previous bullet point about coolers.
* The guide may or may not remove the skull for you. Some will do it for free, some will do it for a fee, and some won't do it.
* The guide/outfitter should be able to provide recommendations for taxidermy. But like processing, it may not be the best option.

Things can change if it is a high fence hunt. Depending on the outfit they may nickel and dime you to death for everything.

If you are new to hunting, let the outfitter know as well as the guide. Have the guide show you how to field dress an animal (assuming you do not know how). Have the guide show you how to cape an animal (assuming you do not know how). Have the guide show you how to remove the skull from the hide (assuming you do not know how).

 

[Northpark]

Most Aoudad hunts seem to be trophy oriented. However most will let you take the meat if you want it. No legal requirement to eat exotics in Texas. I took the meat off mine and it was pretty good eating. Steaks were tough but the ground was great for burgers, tacos, chili etc.

 

[ORfish]

Thank you! We've field dressed plenty (Elk/deer/goat/sheep/pig) but trying to figure out if these are primarily treated as trophy hunts or trying to get as much meat off the animal as possible.

 

[kevlar88]

There are no laws for wonton waste on exotic animals in Texas. You can pile them up and the vultures, yotes and pigs will have them cleaned up in short order. We eat them, but not a lot of people do. The meat is very mild and not gamey at all, it can be extremely tough with the older animals so we generally do 100% sausage and no steaks. Even with the sausage make sure that it is ground fine. Bon appetit!

 

[diamond10x]

You don’t have to keep the meat but if you don’t you’re wasting some great meat. 50%< of people will say it’s gross and or too tough. I’ve never had one that wasn’t excellent table fare, and I’ve only had mature rams. If you come to TX to hunt, shoot as many as you can, we need them gone from bighorn habitat.

 

[Cactus kid]

Meat is NEVER left for the vultures. The vultures would never touch it. They have higher standards.

Aoudad leaves a lot to be desired to the table. I've eaten some ewes that were pretty good made into barbacoa tacos. Rams not so much.

If you are serious about meat for the table, book a nilgai or axis hunt. Those are fantastic. If you are hunting aoudad know that no one shoots them because they are delicious.

 

[Mojave]

Did this exact hunt in 2020 in West Texas.

Almost all the meat was donated to the coyotes as soon as we got the cape off of it.

What I took was border line unedible.

Think of the worst mutton you have ever had, that is what old ram aoudad taste like.

 

[Iddogguy]

I've been researching a hunt also. I wondered the same thing about the meat. The most inedible meat I've harvested was Mt. Goat it was terrible!!!!

 

[FLATHEAD]

Take the meat. Very mild taste but can be tough.
Pressure cook it or marinate it in the fridge for 3 days.
Grind it for chili or tacos. Also makes some great jerky.

 

[realunlucky]

I turned all mine into breakfast sausage and no one has complained.

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[S-3 ranch]

Most Aoudad hunts seem to be trophy oriented. However most will let you take the meat if you want it. No legal requirement to eat exotics in Texas. I took the meat off mine and it was pretty good eating. Steaks were tough but the ground was great for burgers, tacos, chili etc.

Their not bad , tough though. Take the backstrap and hams
ruin the front shoulders breaking them down they are 300+ lbs and tough too

 

[Shane]

There are people who claim to like aoudad, and I believe them that they do. Taste buds are obviously different person to person. I've killed several and eaten aoudad lots of times. I've eaten big old rams, ewes, and young lambs. I've had it chicken fried, ground, sausage, jerky.....it's all nasty. It was all handled and prepared by me and others who know how to handle and prepare wild game. It is tough as boot leather and has a strong and bad mutton flavor. Lambs are edible if you're hungry and not as tough as mature animals. But they still taste like aoudad. If you like how it tastes and can chew it or grind it into submission, then it's all good. But I don't see how anybody can think it tastes good. It's nasty.

I'm sure any outfitter will let you keep the meat if you want it. But they won't require you to. Most people don't like it.

 

[DonV]

Ask to be sure but most likely hunter gets the meat. FYI I really liked the taste and it was not to tough.

 

[BUCKELK]

There are people who claim to like aoudad, and I believe them that they do. Taste buds are obviously different person to person. I've killed several and eaten aoudad lots of times. I've eaten big old rams, ewes, and young lambs. I've had it chicken fried, ground, sausage, jerky.....it's all nasty. It was all handled and prepared by me and others who know how to handle and prepare wild game. It is tough as boot leather and has a strong and bad mutton flavor. Lambs are edible if you're hungry and not as tough as mature animals. But they still taste like aoudad. If you like how it tastes and can chew it or grind it into submission, then it's all good. But I don't see how anybody can think it tastes good. It's nasty.

I'm sure any outfitter will let you keep the meat if you want it. But they won't require you to. Most people don't like it.

I agree with this guy!

 

[DonV]

Interesting, I have only had mine and remember it being great. But my memory is not what it used to be!

 

[Short Track]

I went through this discussion & argument with the guide service. I wanted the meat. 4 guides and the outfitter told me I was crazy as I cut out puss pockets. They couldn't even tell me where the nearest butcher was as they never processed sheep meat. I cut off some meat, put some in a cooler, but most went to the coyotes.

If you do it it's more of a trophy hunt. If you want the meat, be prepared to handle it yourself.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Did this exact hunt in 2020 in West Texas.

Almost all the meat was donated to the coyotes as soon as we got the cape off of it.

What I took was border line unedible.

Think of the worst mutton you have ever had, that is what old ram aoudad taste like.

Yep. Coyotes, buzzards and worms gotta eat too.


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[ThePecosBilly]

As a native Texan I’ve been lucky enough to harvest several free range Aoudad on spot and stalks for myself as well as help friends on their hunts. We always and I mean always quarter them out on the side of the mountain (2000ft elevated hills). I’ve done the gutless method where we quarter one side and flip over for the rest then bag and hike back to utv. I’ve clean them in 40 degree weather to as hot as 102 degrees F around 8 o’clock at night in July. It is some of my families favorite wild game meat. My wife is not outdoorsy. She is the type of woman that prefers elk, axis, and oryx meat (best of the best) over whitetail. I can confirm Aoudad is our first meat selection to go in the freezer every year; she loves it. In all honesty I’m of the opinion good wild game meat comes down to the cleaning, care, and butchering capabilities of the outdoorsmen. It absolutely blows my mind when people claim Aoudad is rancid.

Another thing to keep in mind is if you do harvest one on a spot and stalk mid day it’s likely you are close to a bedding area. I always make it a point to make the leftover organs and skin very accessible to varmints so as not to disrupt their range any more than I have. I will take a knife and slice the cavity open before leaving so the varmints get on it and clean it up quickly.

 

[Short Track]

Nothing goes to waste. the vultures, and other birds of prey eat every last bit of meat.