Oregon feral sheep hunt

[Justin.Medcalf]

Checking to see if anyone has hunted public land feral sheep in central Oregon. I checked with Oregon fish and wildlife and they say they don't manage them as game animals. Seems like a good opportunity to chase something with my stick bow! Plus anything to help out the wild sheep is a plus.

 

[JustGot1Thumb]

I've kind of half assed looked into this and auodad hunts about a year ago but couldn't find any information or anyone willing to give up any help.

 

[saguaro1]

I have not heard that there was a feral sheep problem. I would just be cautious, if your looking at "feral sheep" around the deshutes they may actually belong on the reservation and could get you into trouble.

 

[slick]

There are certainly auodad that roam parts of the state. Deschutes, John Day, etc. canyons hold some.

You’d have to catch them on BLM, US FS, or state lands to legally “hunt” them.


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[Cameron.25]

I read an article about feral mouflon around crooked river a while ago but wasn't aware of aoudad. Its interesting for sure

 

[saguaro1]

its interesting for sure! even to just get out and learn that country a little better!

 

[4J_Outdoors]

Just reading up on this myself after finding this video on the 'tube:

Anyone make any progress on this? Population estimates? Experience?

 

[Cameron.25]

Just reading up on this myself after finding this video on the 'tube:

Anyone make any progress on this? Population estimates? Experience?

Idk but man if anyone knows anything dont post it publicly, PM me instead lol

 

[cervideater]

Bringing back this old thread. Any developments on this? Sure would be a cool opportunity

 

[6.5x284]

We need to organize a search party during the rut lol. Everyone gets assigned a sector to scout and we all have to share the info learned. Then next year it’s game on for all involved!


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[ridgerunnerrron]

If there are auodad that roam parts of the state. Like in Deschutes, John Day, etc. canyons hold some...
I hope they can get all be eradicated before they come in contact with any of the Bighorns and cause a dieoff!

 

[wildwilderness]

WSF has a recent report on aoudad and the huge problem they are causing for endemic Texas Desert Bighorn sheep. Bad news for sure, all the efforts to get them back in TX and exploding aoudad populations have cut the gain in half. Only areas with eradication efforts have kept Desert Bighorn Sheep populations stable, which isn't saying much.

Hopefully they don't het a hold in other places with potential for exponential growth at the expense of other native Wild Sheep

 

[easttex]

Ever heard the saying "sheep are born looking for a place to die". That is especially true of DBS in Texas, if the lions don't get them the pneumonia does. In the mean time Aoudads in Texas provide hunting opportunities for hundreds of hunters annually, as opposed to five or six DBS. Aoudads withstand heat, cold, drought and just keep ticking. WSF would be wise to tread lightly on Aoudad . They have many members who consider them a great game animal, something that is available at a fraction of the cost of any of our North American sheep. I have been putting in and buying raffle tickets for desert sheep off and on for about 60 years....still waiting.

 

[Sierra Hunter]

Texans and their exotics. Natives >

 

[Ready2Rut]

Finding some Aoudad is a goal of mine this year, I'd love to put some meat in the freezer and keep their numbers down to help out the native sheep. Spent a day last weekend looking for them near Trout Creek/Deschutes and did not turn any up. I have a friend who killed a nice ram on a private ranch near there, so I am still optimistic they are in there, but public land access is limited. Hopefully gonna go look near the Painted Hills this weekend.

If any other guys are out there putting boots on the ground in Oregon I'd love to do an information share with y'all.

If you're a ranch owner in the area with Aoudad on public next to you...let me know and I'll come shoot a few. They'll all take refuge on your land and then you can charge the Texans $$$$!

 

[Ready2Rut]

Did some scouting via glass and hiking on Sutton Mountain near the Painted Hills this a few weekends ago and did not find any Aoudad. I had keyed in on this area due to it having plentiful cliffs and way-better-than-average public accessibility for this neck of the woods.

When I shared my lack of success with a friend who knows more about sheep hunting, he suggested that it may be due to the lack of permanent water on Sutton Mtn. There is some water in the valleys below but all streams on the mountain are ephemeral and dry most of the year. He said that since sheep herds typically don't migrate, they will only live places with year-round water.

I'm a bit skeptical because from what I've read, Aoudad can get 100% of their water from their food. Also, there are permanent streams ~1 mile away that it seems like the sheep could access with a quick trip away from the cliffs if they needed more hydration than they could get from their food. My gut feeling is that there is probably aoudad somewhere on Sutton or very close by, it will just take more work to find them. If any sheep experts on here think I'm wrong, please correct me!