Author Topic: Hunting and eating exotics  (Read 1861 times)

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Offline Troggy

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Hunting and eating exotics
« on: November 03, 2010, 06:54:07 PM »
I found a place that has exotic sheep, goats and pigs at a reasonable price. Im wondering what sheep taste the best and what animal is the toughest to hunt aside from hogs? I hear that alot of exotics lack the challenge if hunted with a rifle so IF I end up trying this place out I will go with a handgun. I dont like to kill anything Im not going to eat or something that will just stand there and let me shoot it.

Offline Graybeard

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Re: Hunting and eating exotics
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2010, 07:10:37 PM »
There are a LOT of things that factor into how challenging an exotic animal is to hunt. Of course size of the property has to be right up there at the top of the list as it's tough for any of them to be a real challenge on a small property and more especially so if it's not really thick or if it's flat rather than hilly.

I once went onto a 200 acre property in Texas that was seriously thick and hilly. I was there for a corsican and a goat but they were so tame I could kick them in the butt to get them out of my way. I chose not to shoot even tho I was hunting with an iron sighted handgun. Now even on that property tho there were at least two addax, one ibex cross and a couple of pretty pure mouflon sheep. It would have been impossible for me to have killed either of those with a revolver as they knew how to use the terrain and cover to hide. Still with a scoped rifle I could have taken to the high ground and waited and killed anything on the place.

How long they have been on the property also figures into it. If it's a put and take operation rather than the animals being born on the property and living out their life there then it's gonna be less sporting. The thing is on small properties that's really the only way they can do it so hunting a small property you really shouldn't expect much of a challenge.

How they are fed also matters. If they associate food with humans because they are fed with humans in sight then they are likely to be tame. I stayed once on a 400 acre ranch that was quite thick and had a pile of critters on it but the sheep them actually came to feed from my hand. The deer were kinda spooky and would have been quite a challenge with an iron sighted revolver. I wasn't hunting on that ranch we just stayed there and hunted on other larger ranches.

What the animal is also matters quite a lot. I've never yet seen corsican rams that were very wary no matter the size of the ranch. I just don't think they are smart enough to fear man. Now mouflon on the other hand pretty much all are quite wild and wary. Aoudad are as well and so are black buck antelope. Every ranch I've been on that had any of those as soon as you saw them they were on the run. I once was on a ranch in Florida that had axis, fallow, sika and white tail deer. Of all the deer I saw the axis was the most wary and the white tails the least wary. I was there for a fallow and took a nice one. I was in a tree stand quite well hidden on the far side of the tree from the buck when I shot as he fed along thru the woods. I was using a scoped TC Contender in 7-30 Waters and the buck never even knew I was there.

Hogs can be challenging but can also be rather tame. They are always good to eat as are axis and fallow with axis being perhaps the best of the exotic meats as far as I'm concerned. I don't eat sheep period but goat is excellent.


Bill aka the Graybeard
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Offline drdougrx

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Re: Hunting and eating exotics
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2010, 05:46:40 AM »
I have nothing to add....great job GB!!
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Offline Troggy

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Re: Hunting and eating exotics
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2010, 01:38:00 PM »
Thanks GB. Lotta info there. That helps me quite a bit. Have you ever eating Mouflon or Boarbado? also what gots do u think taste good and how would you cook it...the rams for that matter too. Thanks again.

Offline Graybeard

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Re: Hunting and eating exotics
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2010, 06:32:39 PM »
I don't eat sheep period. Doug or Mark can talk to you about them. I like goat cooked over an open fire but really you can cook them same as pork anyway you like pork you should like goat. Heck I really prefer all my meats cooked over an open fire or charcoal.  ;D


Bill aka the Graybeard
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I am not a lawyer and do not give legal advice.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life anyone who believes in Him will have everlasting life!

Offline drdougrx

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Re: Hunting and eating exotics
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2010, 07:56:08 AM »
OK...so here's new one for me!  I was invited to do a lecture in Arequipa, Peru (a couple hundred miles south of Lima) on Nov. 7th (just got back today).  Their food is really quite good and I had no trouble eating or drinking in the least...doesn't even resemble mexican...their traditional Inca dishes are wonderful and alot of classic dishes from Spain...alots of fresh fish BTW so no Andrew Zimmerman (or whatever his name is) moment. 

ANYWAY.....I got to eat barbecued Alpaca which is commonly raised for both wool and meat.  Resembles lamb, was mild and really worth the trying! 

That's a new exotic meat for my list!!
If you like, please enjoy some of my hunt pics at:

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