Are there any tips to help with judging aoudad? I don't want to tip one over only to walk up and see that, while being the biggest in the group, is only 24".

Thanks

Rams can be tough to judge because they're horns are relative to body size. A seven year old ram will look like a giant when he's surrounded by 5 year olds. There are several things I look for when judging rams. Granted, I'm talking about the difference between 8 year old and 10 year olds. One of the best indicators that I have found is hair. Most rams 6 years old will have a long beard and chaps, but a really mature ram will have long hair on the point of the shoulder connecting the beard to the chaps, it will look like a continuous skirt. An old ram can have short hair but a young ram will never have long hair, if that makes sense. Old rams will have big ugly heads with wrinkles around the muzzle and droopy skin around the eyes. Different horn shapes can be deceiving. A wide ram will look bigger everytime but a tight hook ram can gain an inch or two if he hooks hard. A lot of people use the distance between the horns as a guide but I've found that, that distance is more of a product of horn shape. you have to be really close to tell any difference. I know it doesn't help but big rams just have a look to them I'll try to post some live pics so you can get a feel for what I'm saying.

I hunt ranches all over west TX, Alpine, Ft Davis down to Presidio. What general area will you be in?

Good advice from NM no doubt. One thing I may add to what I look for is to look hard at the horn tips. As NM said, judging a big aoudad from a really big one is pretty tough if you haven't seen many live. The horn tips of a really big sheep will often times have a slight curl to them, instead of continuing on in a relatively straight manner. Hope I explained that as well as I'm thinking it!

This is a great photo for judging with rams from around 27" to close to 32". The oldest ram in the bunch is second from right. he was high 20s but had 30 lbs and probly a year or two on the beauty on the far right, which I think was pushing 32". The old ram had "broomed" down. look how heavy his tips are. The Ram on the left can get a guy in trouble. but look how skinny his face is. Rams up to 7 or 8 will have that thin face.



Here is a good look at the beards and chaps of three rams around 30" One might be a little better. See how the two bottom rams have a continuous flow of hair from their beards to the chaps on their legs? The upper ram has fairly good hair but the bottom two are better.



Heres A big mature ram that won't make thirty, but a trophy none the less. Wider rams will wear their tips down dusting themselves.



This ram is close to 33". Lotsa hook. good hair wide ugly face.



Big ugly(read beautiful!)ram that was 31" and change on the long side. Wider type heavy tips scarred up face.



Another ram around 32" round type with good hook. See how the round types keep their lamb tips better adding length. He doesn't really have that big ugly ram face.

[img]http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee465/HUNTHARD1/076.png[/img]

This is the kind of ram that can get you in trouble. Looks fairly long, has mediocre hair. he's young probly a 6 year old ram. long skinny face not much mass.

Hopefully this will help! PM me if you have any more questions!

All photos taken by Jared Aguilar

Thanks guys. I appreciate the insight. These things are around Ft. Stockton. If one gets tipped over, I'll share some photos.

Happy new year.

Good luck willow. NMpistolero....awesome pics man! Awesome!

I agree, awesome pics and breakdown. Thanks, Jared!

Eric

This is a bucket list thing for me. Really enjoy the info and pics. Thank you.

Great pics and thank you for the info. I can see this being useful in the not so distant future....

Reno

yep, gotta bookmark this thread

Great thread gentlemen. NMpistolero great pictorial mini essay!!

An aoudad hunt is either 1 or 2 on my list thinking 2016 or 2017.

Love to see these pictures and more if someone has the time and inclination.

Thanks!

GRF

Thanks fellas!! All those pics were taken with an iPhone handheld thru my 15x swaros. I'll try to post some more.

Excellent tutorial. Trying to put together a West Texas diy in the near future. Great education.

These were taken last week.
Top left 29-1-2", bottom left 28", bottom right 29.
Not the biggest, but sure a fun hunt.

This is the best advice I've seen you post. It's something I can really relate to because I look in the mirror every morning


But seriously, thanks for the info. Dogshooter and I will be around Van Horn with Muley Mike on a hunt soon. Now I have a better idea on what to look for.

Can you see droopy eyes and wrinkles at 1000 yards? LOL!!!!

JG, I'm wondering why we couldnt have had the same success ij repopulating with desert bighorns as we have had with populating with Auodads.

Do you have any ideas with respect to this?

Eye

My pard studied desert sheep in NM. In his opinion, the DBS is more 'picky' about habitat quality and type, more susceptible to predation, and much more in danger from disease than auodads.

Then about the time you think you have it all figured out, one will pull a knife on you and make you look like an idiot. All of the above things are very helpful and right when judging sheep. Will also add that an old mature rams horns will lose the black/grey color and roundness to them. They will look square and a peril white color.
After outfitting for aoudad for the last 15 years and seeing over 20 rams hit the turf everyone of those years, I will give you the best advice that I can. If you have to pick one apart to decide if you want to shoot him, you are going to be very dissappointed when you walk up on him. You want to look for that one sheep that there is no doubt that he is big.He will look like he has been hitting the steroids. Big muscular body, long chaps, and has everything metioned above. He will stick out like a diamond in a goats azz.

Toby Joe

Nailed it

I don't really know, but if I understand the desert bighorn situation in Texas correctly, they are doing pretty darn well. I know the quota for tags has increased some over the years. It's my dream hunt, I know that.

Great pics and awesome Info