A fairly large huntable population of the African oryx antelope (also known as a gemsbok) lives in and around the New Mexico White Sands Missile Range in the south-central part of the state. Frank C. Hibben, chairman of the NM Game Commission from 1961 ~ 1971, paid for and helped to trap 18 oryx, which after quarantine, were shipped from Africa to the Albuquerque Zoo. As Federal regulations prohibit releasing non-native game into the wild, those adults had to spend the rest of their lives in the zoo; but their offspring could legally be released. With that in mind, between 1969 and 1973, 93 native-born oryx were released onto the missile range. With abundant food, adequate rains, and no lions or hyenas as predators, the oryx began to reproduce at above expected rates. Originally thought to not expand beyond 500 – 600 in numbers, today's estimate is between 3,000 and 6,000. And hunting harvests of 600 – 700 annually still result in an increasing population.
In the African wild, only around 10% of newborns see it to their first birthday; predation, hunger, and disease take the other 90%. Also note that breeding only occurs once a year with the timing such that the young are born during the rainy season when grasses abound. The much milder weather of New Mexico allows for year round breeding. This fact, coupled with the lack of predation losses, has resulted in a population that far exceeded wildlife biologists’ expectations. Many oryx have also made it off the missile range and are believed to now have extended their range by 100 miles in all directions.
Both residents and non-residents have many opportunities to hunt oryx. There are draws for Premier, once-in-a-lifetime hunts for trophy-quality specimens. But there are also Broken Horn hunts that are not once-in-a-lifetime hunts, as well as Youth hunts and returning Iraq/Afghanistan Resident Veterans Only hunts, Off-White Sands Missile Range hunts, and Private-land hunts. Residents pay around $150 for a tag; non-residents about $1,600. While expensive, it is still only a fraction of what a trip to their native land would cost, especially when you consider airfare, professional hunter daily fees,
and a trophy fee, making the cost for a non-resident to hunt in New Mexico a relative “deal” in comparison. In fact, while I was hunting in Zimbabwe that summer, my PH asked if I would be interested in taking an oryx for “only” $2,000. Explaining that I had drawn a permit for an...
oryx on the NM White Sands Missile Range later in the year, and as a resident, my fee was less than one-tenth that amount, I politely declined. He was amazed that oryx hunting was possible in the US and could not believe the nominal fee I was paying to harvest a trophy.
The NM Game and Fish department issues around 600 – 900 permits a year for on the missile range and around 500 year-round permits for off-range hunting areas. While the odds of being drawn are fairly slim, this is also true of many tags in most states for native big game. For certain, if you don’t apply you won’t get drawn, but always keep in mind that well over a thousand somebodies will get drawn- why not you?
Chapter 1: Once-In-A-Lifetime Permit
For the first five years living in New Mexico, I did not draw an oryx permit because I never applied, thinking I had a zero chance of being drawn. Finally, I realized that somebody has to be drawn- why not me? So my sixth year as a resident, I applied and amazingly got drawn! All of my friends could not believe I drew on my first attempt. Some of my friends had applied for over ten years and had never been drawn. At the time, I had recently purchased a Taurus 6-1/2” Raging Bull in .480 Ruger, mounted a Leupold scope on it, and was very confident of my ability to place a round on a 9” paper plate at 100 yards. Checking the regulations, I found that a centerfire handgun was legal for big game hunting in New Mexico. Then, when I reviewed the section on oryx, it also stated that a legal handgun could be used to hunt oryx. As oryx are known for their toughness, and generally, shots tend to be at longer distances, I did not want to be told a handgun could not be used based on opinion. With those two facts clearly in print, my plan was to bring my .480 on the hunt and my .300 Win Mag just in case… as well as a highlighted copy of the NM regulations.
My two-day allotted hunt was to occur in mid-October. As it was taking place on the federal White Sands Missile Range, I would have to report for a mandatory briefing on prohibited areas. This would include the do’s and don’ts and some helpful hints on oryx anatomy,which differs from most...
North American game. Most notably, the lungs of an oryx END at the vertical line of the front leg- place a shot behind that like you typically would for a deer, and you will miss the lungs completely. The result will be a gut shot, a very long tracking job, and possibly never even recovering your trophy at all.
As oryx are known for their toughness, and generally shots tend to be at longer distances
Unfortunately, in 2001, the September attack on the World Trade Centers occurred. I was actually flying from London to Atlanta over the Atlantic Ocean when the incident happened. As our plane was just approaching Canada, we were forced to land immediately in St. Johns, Newfoundland, the eastern-most point of the country. My four day stay in Canada was an incredible experience for me, and the topic of another story.
Initially, with the White Sands Missile Range being a federal installation, talk was that all hunts for the foreseeable future were canceled. Several weeks later, the decision was to allow the hunts to go on as the herd needed to be reduced, but the two-day hunt was cut back to only one day. Also, each hunter would be assigned to ride with an Army serviceman as security was at such a heightened level; every hunter had to be accompanied by military personnel. That explained the reason for the cut back to only one day. With so many hunters, they could not afford to tie up a military pickup and serviceman for two days. So for all once-in-a-lifetime permit holders, hunters were faced with having only one day to get an oryx. There would be no tomorrow this time. While that put pressure on me with my decision to use a handgun, I still decided to stick with my desire to use my scoped .480 on the hunt.
Chapter 2: One Day Hunt
I drove down the day before, bringing along my friend, Len, as he had taken an oryx before, and he also had drawn a permit. Normally, hunters are allowed to bring along three non-hunting friends to assist with recovery since driving off the dirt roads is not allowed. But with the heightened security levels, hunters could only bring along one other person. Arriving at the base gate well before dawn, all hunters had to sign in and attend the mandatory orientation meeting. As we stood there in the pre-dawn darkness, I distinctly remember the rather heavy meteor shower going at the time. Being a military installation...
out in the middle of nowhere, the sky was especially dark, making the meteor show even more spectacular.
If no game is seen, then I will wave him to come up to where I stand
During the meeting, they told us that we would each be assigned to a military serviceman who would drive us around in a government pickup truck. We would have only one day for the hunt, so they recommended taking the first adult oryx for which there was an opportunity for a good shot. As always, it was an either sex hunt, noting that both males and females carried two horns. The females' were generally longer than the males’ horns but more slender. They emphasized that that we would have up until late afternoon to hunt, and again stressed it would be wise to take the first adult specimen you could. All hunters nodded in agreement, knowing that this was no time to hold out for a really long horned animal, or even turning down one with a broken horn if given the chance. For this once-in-a-lifetime trophy, given the security considerations after 9-11, we all felt fortunate that the hunt was even still being held. Additionally, everyone knew that oryx meat was one of the very finest wild game meats anyone would ever taste. And with a large bull reaching up to 450 lbs., the successful hunter would also be rewarded with lots of prime venison for his family and friends.
After the orientation, I was paired up with the sergeant who would be taking me out. Knowing that it was legal to hunt with a handgun, and considering I was on a military base, I knew I had to run my choice of weapons by the sergeant and the NM Game and Fish employees who were also in attendance. The old adage: “It’s better to ask forgiveness, than permission,” did not apply I thought when bringing firearms as a civilian to hunt on a military range. So I took the NM regulations out of my pocket and asked the sergeant to come with me while I spoke to Game and Fish..
As I approached the warden with the sergeant at my side, I pulled out the regulations and pointed out the section I highlighted about the legal requirements for hunting with a handgun in NM. I stated that was my intention, and also that my .480 met the specifications. Then, rather than wait for the warden to give me the opinion, I flipped to the oryx section of the regulations. I pointed out that the regulations classified a centerfire handgun as being legal to use...
for oryx hunting. Prepping myself with the facts, and having the state hunting regulations for their review, they read and reread the regulations several times.
I point out that the regulations classified a centerfire handgun as being legal to use for oryx hunting
After a few moments, he announced that since my handgun meets the requirements, and that handguns are also allowed for hunting oryx, then yes, I could use my .480 on the hunt. I stated that I’d also brought along a rifle to be used if I never got a chance of a shot at less than 100 yards, or in case my handgun shot did not drop the oryx, I could dispatch the animal at a greater distance with my rifle. The warden also agreed to that. In this case, I think being honest up front truly was the best way to go, and now everyone fully understood my intentions..
Chapter 3: The Hunt Begins
The sergeant, Len and I loaded up into the olive green military-issued pickup, and headed out west just as the sun was rising. After around 15 minutes we turned and headed north to an
area the sergeant indicated has generally had several herds milling around. After nearly an hour, I was starting to get a little concerned, because we had yet to see even a single oryx, let alone a herd from which I could pick out a nice one to harvest. We kept slowly driving around, but were having no luck. An hour goes by, then two more. Finally, we got to an area where to the east, it looked like there were some rolling hills, which might just allow me the ability to surprise an oryx or two at a close range. The sergeant parked the truck on the dirt road, and Len and I got out, saying we were going to give things a look, and try to see if any game was lying up on the backside of the hills. I asked Len to stay back about a hundred yards, and let me sneak up to and then peer over each hill first. If no game was seen, then I would wave him to come up to where I stood, while I made my way up to the next hill. He thought it was a good plan that just might work.
Amazingly as I crested the second hill, I was surprised to see a full sized oryx standing facing to my left, barely 45 yards from me. Up went the .480 and the crosshairs were fairly steady on the shoulder, half way up. I foolishly stood there thinking that it wasn't not big enough, and maybe I could do better. My crosshairs were steady on the broadside...
animal, and after about ten seconds I lowered the Taurus, deciding I wanted to hold out for a better one. At only 45 yards with a handgun, I decided to let it go!
We all have heard about the case where if you surprise a carnivore in the bush, the worst thing to do is to turn and run, because it will trigger the hunter instincts in a predator. Well… the moment the oryx decided I just might be a threat; it turned and ran away, disappearing over the next hill. The instant it turned to run, the predator instinct in me turned on. Suddenly I desperately wanted to take the oryx- but it was too late. So I ran over to the top of the next hill, and there again stood the oryx, but this time at nearly 100 yards distant. Up went the handgun, I held steady on the left shoulder, and I sent a 325 grain .480 bullet on its way. The oryx hunched at the shot, I heard the bullet strike, the oryx turned and ran away over the next hill.
Hearing the shot, Len came running over the hill, took my handgun from me as I grabbed the rifle from him. I was mad at myself for not taking a 45 yard standing shot at the same animal I just hit at nearly a hundred! I knew right way that a scoped handgun was not to the tool to pursue a wounded oryx with, so I took off running after the game. Cresting the hill, I was amazed to see the oryx standing at nearly 200 yards away, with its head down and looking weak. I dropped down on my right knee as I chambered a round, and instantly sent a 165 soft point at over 3,200 fps to the shoulder of the broadside oryx. At the whump of the bullet strike, I saw the oryx fall over on its right side. Looking through my scope, I saw it was lying motionless on the ground, just as my friend ran right up next to me. Quickly, we covered the distance to my trophy and began to examine it.
Turns out I had taken a female with 32 inch long and slender horns, perfectly matched. The .480 had hit her too low, about 2 inches up from the bottom, just barely catching the lungs. The .300 was perfectly placed just above the heart, and amazingly I could feel the bullet under the hide on the far side. If I had waited just a bit, the oryx may have fallen, but I did not want to chance having a wounded...
animal suffer any longer or possibly get away and be lost. In my own mind, I cannot claim it as being a trophy I harvested with my handgun.
So for all once-in-a-lifetime permit holders, hunters were faced with having only one day to get an oryx
You cannot take any photos on the missile range, so we field dressed the antelope, and fortunately had the assistance of the sergeant to get her to his truck. Back at the entry gate, we loaded her into Len’s pickup. Then, once off the range, we pulled off the main road, stopped and took my trophy out to take some photos. Being a once-in-a-lifetime draw, I also stopped by one of the taxidermists who had a display trailer set up with shoulder mounts outside of the range gate. The mounts are all exceptionally well done and life-like in appearance. I decided right then and there to give my trophy to her, and on the spot, she began to carefully skin it out. On the way back home, we stopped and packed the carcass with over 15 bags of ice to keep the meat cold.
Back home, my butcher hung her in his cold room for almost a week before cutting and wrapping the meat. And as I have always heard, oryx does turn out to be one of the best game meats anyone will ever taste. I’m so glad I finally put an application for the oryx drawing. I just wish I had not waited six years in the first place.