Simply The Best

By Regis Giles

Aoudad in the Cap Rock

Hunting aoudad was one of the hardest things I have done. The West Texas cap rock, where these aoudads live, is not somewhere you take a leisure stroll. These rams like high and rocky places that are infested with thick brush and prickly bushes. It would take a human 45 minutes to go the same distance an aoudad can cover in 30 seconds. Aoudads are good on their feet and agile too—not to mention their keen eyesight. Stalking aoudad for miles and miles is not something I recommend to the faint-hearted; determination is key when hunting these beasts.

This hunt put me through the wringer, and I needed that determination to get through. Yes, it was physically hard, but the toughest challenge was the test of character. I had several opportunities to shoot at nice trophy rams, all which were messed up by "technical malfunctions": I experienced 3 misfires, which is virtually unheard-of. Experiencing two misfires in a row on the first day of the hunt, on the first stalk, shook me up a bit. My confidence was shot and regenerating enough vigor to stalk another herd was difficult. I continued hunting that day, because that was what I was there for, but opportunity to shoot ceased.

Thinking the misfires were due to the ammunition, I continued to use my gun the morning of the next hunt. Again, a stalk was made, I went to fire a round and—click! There was the third misfire. I quickly switched guns with my dad, but this didn't make a difference. I was rattled and my mind was muddled.

The day I got my trophy seemed like every other day of the hunt, except the mood was different this day. This day, I was on a mission. This day, I was out to conquer my obstacles. This day, I was out to finish this hunt with success. I felt it and everyone else involved in the hunt felt it!

My guide Clay Childress, the camera men Del and Durlon Bryant, my dad Doug Giles, Clay's dad Pat Childress, the land manager Bob Corcorran and I were all out on the edge of a cap rock, glassing for the herd of bachelor aoudad that we had stalked the previously. We spotted them some 600+ yards away and the wind was to our backs, so our scent was being blown straight to them. Me, Clay and Durlan set out to stalk the herd.

Heading down into the canyon in the thick rocky terrain of the West Texas cap rock, we took a wide path to ensure our scent would stay undetected by the herd and we would be crosswind of them. Once we reached the other side of the canyon, we discovered that the herd had crossed the canyon to the other side and was moving back where we had originally come from. The only resolution to our problem, since we had no sight picture on the herd, was to wait them out and look for signs of movement.

Standing and staring for about 45 minutes, I finally spotted them running in the thick brush of the oak trees and the shin-oaks. The aoudad I was after had revealed himself to me, standing on open ground at the base of the cap rock. Gun was ready, shooting sticks had already been up, but I was not ready. I had to calm myself, taking deep breaths and steadying my heart from the adrenaline pumping through it. I squeezed the trigger and shot over him. He trotted off about 10 yards and stopped; I already had another bullet in the chamber ready to go before he stopped, so I took another shot and this one made the connection, but wasn't the kill shot.

The aoudad was next spotted limping up the cap rock in a sandy opening. He stopped again, giving me a broadside shot and I took it—he was hit hard. Clay, Durlan and I didn't see any movement for a long while so we reached an agreement to head over to the other side of the canyon.

On our way there, we stopped because Clay spots this warrior aoudad lying down in a small opening of the brush with his head up. Waiting for what seemed hours, we watched to see what he was going to do or what was going to happen. I shot off another round, this time rolling him, but still he kept his head up. All the shooting done at this time was at 289 yards. A plan was devised that Clay would cross the canyon, since we could no longer see the ram, and find out what was going on. Durlon and I were to stay behind and if the aoudad ran the other way, we were to find him and finish him. Once Clay reached the other side, he landed 15 yards away from the aoudad face to face; afraid he might run off and lost to the coyotes, Clay put the last shot in him. He waved us over and what I discovered of the ram was pure amazement.

This creature was a fighter: Scars all over him and a chunk of horn missing from the base of his left horn; he was a fighter every minute of his life, including the last.

Learning from my mistakes, this is what I have resolved to do:

1. Bring backup. Have a second gun and ammunition that is prepared to do the same work that my primary choice of gun can do.

2. Prepare for the worst. Nothing is easy about hunting and I have to know how to cope with any challenges that present themselves during the hunt and overcome them both mentally and physically. "...whenever troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy." James 1:2

3. Hunt with heart. No matter what happens on a hunt, hunting with heart keeps me going. I do it because I love it.

Hunting is not simply about shooting an animal; hunting is not simply about a gun, a bow and arrow, or even a spear; hunting is not simply about where you are hunting or who you are hunting with. In fact, hunting simply is not simple, but it is simply the best!

Editor's Note: Did you know that Regis has her own website? Check it out at Girlsjustwannahaveguns.com!