I posted this on Rokslide yesterday and noticed that there hasn't been a New Mexico Oryx posted on this forum in quite some time that I could find. I thought some of you might enjoy it as its a unique hunt here and a true privilege. I also wanted to recognize and show thanks for all the knowledge shared here on a daily basis by this amazing community of shooters. Including, but not limited to, Frank and others at Bartlein who took the time on numerous phone calls from me, to talk about, and sort out the specs for the barrel on the riffle used for this hunt.
I had been putting in for the off-range hunts for almost 10 years with no success. Last year (February '21) my hunting partner's wife drew her OIL tag on the Stallion range and had a successful hunt. I wasn't on her hunt but it looked amazing and they convinced me to switch to the OIL hunts in last years draw. I threw my hat in and drew the exact same hunt as her on my first try. Not only was I extremely lucky to draw, but I had my two hunting partners (who were on her hunt last year) joining me and are very familiar with the Stallion range. Their experience put me at ease as they walked me through everything to expect from the morning briefing to their confidence in knowing a good spot to find animals that others might not consider.
I've been reading for years how tough Oryx are to kill and that one or more follow-up shots are common. Obviously I wanted to avoid a long tracking situation and follow-up shots as best I could so I opted for a large/heavy rifle I've been training with for the past couple years. I used a 300 PRC built for long range prone shooting. It is definitely not for carrying long distances or over difficult terrain, but assuming I could gain a prone position I was comfortable and had good data out to 750 using Hornady 225gr. ELDM factory ammo. It was a risky choice but it ended up working out.
The hunt went exactly as my guys predicted. We were released from the briefing at noon. We were glassing a good group with a handful of bulls by 12:45 and I pulled the trigger at 1:15.
We covered about a half mile on foot before we could set up. I had one guy with me with a tripod in case there wasn't a prone option, the other guy right behind calling ranges as needed, and my wife calling dope.
The shot was 568 yards prone.
He went straight down.
I was a little high and a little back. I missed the heart but got lungs and liver and the match bullet clipped a rib and a large fragment deflected up into the spine which anchored him for the few minutes he had left.
MV for the 225 in this rifle is 3000 fps.
Impact velocity at 568 is about 2300 fps.
Energy at 568 is about 2700 ft-lb.
The bullet did not exit.
I had been putting in for the off-range hunts for almost 10 years with no success. Last year (February '21) my hunting partner's wife drew her OIL tag on the Stallion range and had a successful hunt. I wasn't on her hunt but it looked amazing and they convinced me to switch to the OIL hunts in last years draw. I threw my hat in and drew the exact same hunt as her on my first try. Not only was I extremely lucky to draw, but I had my two hunting partners (who were on her hunt last year) joining me and are very familiar with the Stallion range. Their experience put me at ease as they walked me through everything to expect from the morning briefing to their confidence in knowing a good spot to find animals that others might not consider.
I've been reading for years how tough Oryx are to kill and that one or more follow-up shots are common. Obviously I wanted to avoid a long tracking situation and follow-up shots as best I could so I opted for a large/heavy rifle I've been training with for the past couple years. I used a 300 PRC built for long range prone shooting. It is definitely not for carrying long distances or over difficult terrain, but assuming I could gain a prone position I was comfortable and had good data out to 750 using Hornady 225gr. ELDM factory ammo. It was a risky choice but it ended up working out.
The hunt went exactly as my guys predicted. We were released from the briefing at noon. We were glassing a good group with a handful of bulls by 12:45 and I pulled the trigger at 1:15.
We covered about a half mile on foot before we could set up. I had one guy with me with a tripod in case there wasn't a prone option, the other guy right behind calling ranges as needed, and my wife calling dope.
The shot was 568 yards prone.
He went straight down.
I was a little high and a little back. I missed the heart but got lungs and liver and the match bullet clipped a rib and a large fragment deflected up into the spine which anchored him for the few minutes he had left.
MV for the 225 in this rifle is 3000 fps.
Impact velocity at 568 is about 2300 fps.
Energy at 568 is about 2700 ft-lb.
The bullet did not exit.
