Have you ever wanted to participate in aoudad ram hunts? Squaw Mountain Ranch offers aoudad ram hunts at affordable prices. Don’t be fooled though. Just because our prices are great doesn’t mean we lack on quality. At SMR, we take pride in providing the best experience to all of our patrons, and you won’t be disappointed with us. We guarantee it! We cater to hunters of all skill levels and love to see people new to trophy hunting. But before venturing out to collect an aoudad ram, knowing a little about them will help you in your adventure.
What Is an Aoudad Ram?
Aoudad ram hunts are a great way to test your skill as a hunter and collect a rare trophy at the same time. Aoudad rams are sometimes called Barbary sheep, and they are native to North Africa. However, they are now quite the rare sight in North Africa, but they have been introduced to North America and Southern Europe.
Aoudad rams are a light brown, tannish color. Their fur darkens with age, and they typically have a lighter underbelly. They usually have a flat coat, but sometimes have a darker patch of fur on their back and a lighter coat on their stomachs. Their fur is short everywhere on their bodies except for two locations. Near their hooves and the underside of their necks, their fur becomes more hair-like and longer.
Many hunters prize the aoudad ram for their horns. However, many people like to use their pelt as well. Their horns are triangle-shaped and have minor ridges that are spaced evenly. Aoudad horns can reach the length of 40 inches in males. On the other hand, ewes do have horns, but they are quite small in comparison. The aoudad ram is a stout creature and can weigh up to 300 pounds at a height of only 3 feet from hooves to shoulder. Their eyes range from dark brown to a light amber in color.
Learning the Habitat for Aoudad Ram Hunts
Knowing the habitat of the aoudad ram will help you on any aoudad ram hunts. Because the aoudad ram is native to North Africa, it enjoys arid and rocky terrain with some vegetation. Like many species of ram and ewe, they can be found in slightly mountainous areas. Compared to other species, however, the aoudad ram does not climb very high unless it needs to. They prefer to stick to well secured ledges rather than paving their own way.
While they enjoy more arid mountains, they often come down from these areas and spend time in the fields and sparsely wooded areas. They are nomadic animals and travel large distance to reach food. Their diet consists of many different grasses, bushes, and even lichen. Unlike other animals, the aoudad ram doesn’t need much water to live. Researchers have rarely seen them drinking from a water source.
Instead, they get most of their water from the food they eat. In their natural habitat, they are prey to the Barbary leopard, Barbary lion, and Caracal. At one time they were close to extinction due to humans, however, they have made a strong recover in multiple parts of the world. In fact, the aoudad is an invasive species in Texas and wasn’t introduced until around the 1900’s.
Mating Season and Activity for the Aoudad Ram
The aoudad ram is an interesting animal, and you may notice that on any aoudad ram hunt. The aoudad ram is quick and agile even though it is stout. It can use its powerful hind legs to jump up to 7 feet high! When they are threatened or feel threatened, their first line of defense is to get up as high as possible. Aoudad rams are crepuscular creatures, meaning they are only active during early morning and late afternoon. The times they are not active they either spend sleeping or resting in the shade.
The mating season of the aoudad is relatively short. It typically begins sometime in September and continues until the end of November. Hunting season for aoudad rams is year-round in Texas and there is no special licensed required. However, if you live outside of Texas, you will need to get a non-resident license that can be bought online.
Why Squaw Mountain Ranch is Perfect for Aoudad Ram Hunts
Squaw Mountain Ranch takes pride in the environment it creates for its animals, and the environment of our ranch is great for aoudad ram hunts. While our ranch does offer many watering holes for our animals and tall grasses, it also offers the rocky and arid environment the aoudad likes. Our varied environment ranch caters to all of our animals, even the aoudad ram. Because of the ideal and varying environment, hunters need to be skillful and alert to changes in the environment.
We believe these changes in the environment give hunters a better experience and our trophies a better chance. Besides the environment, our ranch staff is some of the best in Texas. We’ve been doing this for years and have the knowledge to help any of the hunter who would like to trophy hunt on our ranch. Our staff is professional and courteous to the people who visit our ranch, and most importantly, we love what we do!
Guided Tours for All Types of Exotic Hunts
Here at Squaw Mountain Ranch, we offer Texas whitetail hunts, elk hunts, red stag hunts, and even exotic animal hunts alongside our aoudad ram hunts. As mentioned, one thing we pride ourselves on is knowledge, and we love to bring that knowledge to any of our patrons. That’s why we offer guided tours for any hunt you’re interested in! On a guided tour, our staff can aid you as much or as little as you want as you seek out your trophy. We love hunting and bringing the experience to everyone possible. This is why we also offer our services to disabled patrons who are interested in our trophy hunts.