Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 30/06 and west Texas Aoudad

My boy and I, along with 2 of my buddies, are headed to West Texas in October to chase big Aoudad rams. My boys Weatherby rifle really likes the Remington 165gr PSP Core-lokt ammo. Any reason to not let him use that on a big Aoudad? I’m shooting a Win70 in 30/06 and planning on using Hornady 150gr American Whitetail ammo because it likes it so well. I’m a believer in shooting what works and what we are confident in but then again I’m not sure how tough these Rams are either. Can’t wait to get out there and see some different country! Plus it’ll be 1st time hunting out of state with my 16yr old son. Going to be a fun trip!

No. They are no more "tough" than any other animal.

Sounds like a fun trip. Looking forward to pics. Good luck!

Those loads will work just fine.

I’ve killed several with a bow, 30-06 be fine.

Did the west Texas audad thing a couple years ago.

Big, open, rugged, dry, quiet country. I loved it.

Practice for long shots and know your limits.

Good glass and durable boots are recommended.

Oh, and don't forget chapstick, thank me later.

Those loads will be fine if put in the right place. I witnessed a very large 32" ram killed last year with a .223 and a 55 grain FMJ. Not a round or load I would recommend but the guy placed it perfectly in the high shoulder and the ram was down within 20 yards. We were hunting feral pigs and the Aoudad was a target of opportunity. I did not know he was using FMJ bullets until after he killed the varmint.

I did that hunt and my shot was around 350 yards in the hills. It all depends on whether you can shoot that far, accurately with a .30-06. You may be lucky and get a closer shot.

Your .30-06 and 150s or 165s will work just fine.
This one was taken with a .30-06 and plain jane 150 gr Hornady loaded down to .308 levels. He went 10 feet...





This one was taken with a piddly little 6.8spc and a 90 gr. bullet...





Shot a couple more with a .275 Rigby.....your '06 will work...

Sheep, like Axis, are quite tenacious once you poke them. I have seen devastating entry/exit wounds and still see them run further than I would like, even with the bullet performing admirably. The biggest Doo-dads will max at near 300 lbs.


So, your suggested shootin iron’s will do the job well.

I would also suggest a canteen of water each might come in handy.

L.W.

Been on a total of one Aoudad hunt. Took a 300 Win magnum and practiced at the longest ranges I could and felt comfortable at 400 yds. First morning I was climbing a steep ridge and had to stop and catch my breathe. A big ram poked his head over the edge to see what was breathing so hard. Shot him through the neck at about 50 yds. A muzzle loader would have worked just as well.

The shooter knows what he's doing! Nice!

One of my hunting buddies had a successful aoudad hunt last year taking one at several hundred yards with a 7mm Rem Mag. JGRaider, who posted the previous comment here, shared an excellent post about a west Texas aoudad hunt earlier this year that I really enjoyed the photos from. It's worth a look just to get a good view of the terrain you might encounter:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/18262325/1

Yep, its dryer than a popcorn fart out there.

If you get to the point where you have the overwhelming desire to crush a whole canteen, you're in a deficit. Sip water all day and you'll be fine.

Maybe five years ago a friend (and fellow rifle loony) contacted me, because he was going on an aoudad hunt in West Texas, and the guide suggested using a .375 H&H.

My friend had a nifty little "classic" custom rifle with a handmade walnut stock in .250 Savage, which grouped 100-grain Ballistic Tips very well. He asked me if it would work, and I said yes, so he took it. The eventual shot was 250 yards, and the big ram ran 50 yards and keeled over. Oh, and the bullet exited....

For 117 years people have been posting "Is the 30-06 enough?" threads online. The answer has been and will likely always be yes. It has lasted the test of time.

You'll be fine. Took one at 378 yds. in January with a 6.5 RPM and 127 gr. Barnes. One shot and down.

Agree with the above comments. I’d add that their vitals seem to be a little further forward in the chest so a center of the lung shot on deer is probably a liver shot…. My archery ram took 5 steps, looked around to see what stung him, and face planted.

Or three!