Technically, this species isn't a sheep; nor is it a goat. Aoudads have morphological and biological features of both. Both sexes grow horns, although the males, of course, have considerably larger headgear that sweeps back behind and around the animal's head. They make impressive life-size and half-mounts, with long, striking beards that run from the throat all the way down to the chest, and hair reminiscent of chaps on their front legs. Aoudads, also called Barbary sheep, are originally from North Africa, and were introduced to Texas back in the 1950s. Today, there is a population of free-ranging aoudads in the Northwestern Panhandle, as well as in the Trans-Pecos area in West Texas. This latter area is where Greg Simons of Wildlife Systems hosts hunters who want to take one of these magnificent animals.
Simons controls a total of 215,000 acres of prime aoudad habitat in the rugged Glass and Davis mountains situated in the far west Trans Pecos. One ranch consists of over 175,000 acres of beautiful but extremely rugged desert mountain country about 12 miles southwest of Marathon at the base of the Glass Mountains. The other 40,000-acre ranch is situated on the north side of the Davis Mountains near the small community of Kent.
Both ranches provide exceptional opportunities to bag mature aoudads with horns ranging from 28 inches, which is considered good for free-ranging aoudads, to an exceptional 31 inches. A couple of 34-inch rams also have been taken in the area, but animals sporting horns this massive are the exception rather than the rule. The 175,000-acre ranch features a diverse terrain ranging from mountains and high ridges to desert flats.........(continued)
