My wife Amy shot an Oryx this Friday on her once in a lifetime hunt on the Rhodes Canyon unit of White Sands. I'm very proud of her. She shot this 35.5" cow oryx at 182 yards at a dead run. One shot kill. Used her Tikka T3 lightweight 30-06 with Leupy VX-II 4-12x40mm LR Duplex. 165 grain Barnes TSX (handload over 50.0gr Varget) went within millimeters of the spinal cord and the shockwave paralyzed the critter, including stopping her heart. She did a somersault and died before we could close the 182 yards at a brisk jog.
Amy made the shot supported only with a hasty sling which she learned at an Appleseed (or two). No fencepost. No truck door. Nothing but a sling. All the could see was the top 1/3rd of the critter so that was where she shot.
We took the skinned quarters in to the butcher yesterday and they weighed 230 lbs! Pretty good sized critter.
The hunt party included me, my wife Amy, TaosGlock, and Tony M. from Edgewood. Thanks for all the help, TG and Tony! Couldn't have done it without you!
Anyway, just wanted to brag a bit. Very proud of my wife. Here's the obligatory Photos (and no, the muzzle did not sweep TaosGlock, just perspective).
(http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/6192/img2021ap.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/810/img2021ap.jpg/)
(http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/9876/img2032xz.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/828/img2032xz.jpg/)
-David
Edgewood, NM
Very respectable!
Nice shot Amy - Congratulations!
Sounds like a great hunt, ended with an even better shot. Those Oryx are even better tasting than they are fun to hunt. Congratulations Amy!
Milt
I got skunked on this same hunt two years ago. >:( So I jumped at a chance to visit WSMR again. :~
These are very wary animals and seldom let one get within 400 yards. A one shot kill is extremely rare on these hardy animals. In Africa, even lions give them a wide berth. Average WSMR Oryx horn length is 33" so this one was very decent at 35.5"
Shooting a lot of steel/animals in my lifetime has allowed me to call/hear the shot, even amid a flurry of dry New Mexico dust and running Oryx.
After Amy's shot broke, even at nearly 200 yards, there was a very loud and distinctive "thump" as the bullet connected so I knew Amy connected.
Congrats Amy! ..:..
Good job Amy! Good stuff for the freezer for sure! :).....O.L.
What a magnificent animal!
Nice sling as well!
I've registered for a oryx hunt drawing in Texas for several years, but no joy yet.
I'm glad to see an Appleseeder snag one of those bad boys.
A running shot no less!
O, yah!
So what your saying is the instruction at Applseed applied to a real life situation works .... nice example. and congratulations Amy
Howdy All,
Looks like good Munchies to me! Congratulations Amy!!! Just hoping to find one of those wandering around my neck of the woods desert soon!!!
So that I may apply some of what I've learnt through Appleseed!
Jerry
Congratulations! That is a shot that ANYONE would be very proud to have made. Outstanding!
Roy
That is so awesome!! Do David, how did you get to be so lucky to have such a pretty, talented, resourceful wife?
/G
Congratulations! Very impressive!! O0
Patriot Gal
Quote from: BlueFeather on October 13, 2011, 12:33:46 AM
That is so awesome!! Do David, how did you get to be so lucky to have such a pretty, talented, resourceful wife? /G
I'm just blessed!
The interesting thing about this shot was that she's never fired her 30-06 standing before, but it only weighs 7 lbs (only a 1.5 lbs more than her 10/22), and the scope was set at 4x, which is the same power as the Leupold on her Appleseed 10/22. Same USGI nylon sling too. Just shows all the stuff you learn at Appleseed with a 22LR does transfer. As quick as she made that shot, everything had to be running on training because there wasn't enough time to think about it. I'm really proud of her.
-David