Coyotehunter.net

I shot a big Ibex this week. The horns are 31" long, 9" around the bases, and 39" from tip to tip of horns. Is this pretty good sized or about as big as they come? I took 2 photos with my phone, it was -5 degrees so I left the camera in the truck, almost dark by the time I finally got it loaded in the truck-trailer. I will post the photos if I figure out how to put them from phone to photobucket.

Here it is, finally got the phone picture transfered.

gotta admit Tac. i had no idea wy had ibex. who transplanted them from iran/turkey. or maybe its just a domesticated sheep you had tied to a fence and did'nt want the word to get out . j/k . tell the story

I had no idea WY had ibex either?? really cool!

That is Bad Ass stuff right there my friends!!! How big are those things????

Awesome post Tac!!! That is some really neat stuff

They got loose from a ranch or game farm 40 yrs ago. The F + Game wanted to kill them all when they found out. The rancher I trapped for 10 yrs in a row said he saw no reason to wipe them out, they weren't bothering him.
The hunts are controlled by 2 ranches, some have tresspassed to kill them, saying they shot them on or were on public land, I think the fine could be 700$ for tresspassing. They are always about a mile or two from the public land, so it would be tough if they get caught. He says they have charged up to $1000 for a hunt.
I found them on a steep ridge from 3/4 mile away. I drove the Rubicon as close as I dared to hopefully not disturb them. I started walking on the top flat to get to the second erosion they were feeding in. I got near the edge of the first big main erosion, and saw some of the females, they already had started to feed into this erosion. I snuck to the edge of the drop off, knowing if I tried to go further I would probably spook them with my scent, it was blowing to the south at about 15+ mph. I waited 15 minutes or more, watching them slip in and out of sight, seeing a several medium sized rams, or is it goats.
I then noticed another group appear straight below me to the south at about 270 yds. I saw a medium chocolate brown male and almost took it, then remembered that I should look at all of them through the scope to see what they looked like. Then I saw a big one, it wasn't all brown like I had hoped for, but it was real big. So I lined up the scope on its shoulder and shot it with a IMI .223 55gr soft point. It went 15-20yds and layed down and died. Looked like it broke the shoulder and took out the heart.
I climbed down the slippery snow covered ridge, leaving the rifle up there in case I slipped. I dressed it there and realized there was no way one person could even consider trying to bring it up that steep, slippery slope. I dragged it down to the bottom of the erosion in hopes I could come in from the other side with the atv.

I got back to the truck after 3 miles or more with the atv. Then drove to the other side of the ranch, parked the truck and drove 2 miles or so, then into the erosion. I stopped at a dead end, thinking how could I have gone up the wrong valley. It was a stock dam I came to. I had to go up and walk 2/3 of a mile to the Ibex and drag it down to the atv. Then drive out as darkness fell, it was about -5 degrees that day and getting colder. I had to lay it accross my seat, the racks had tool boxes for my traps and ect on them. I had to sit on it and hold the rack against my arm and rest the other side onto the plastic area in the foot rest area. I about froze my bunns off, my toes were pretty cold. It was the coldest big game type hunt I had since I hunted deer in MN 35yrs ago. Now to thaw out the backstraps and hindquarters to roast it!
I plan to shoulder mount it if I can afford to, or do another European mount like my mule deer. Still I had a good time!

Size, about like a deep chested deer, with shorter legs. I think it was 125lbs or a little more, maybe 150. Any more and I doubt my injured shoulders could have gotten it on the seat of my atv. The horns were 31" long, 9" around the bases, and 39" from tip to tip of the horns.

cool story Tac. curious to know how it taste's

LOL, wife said, I ain't eating that bleep! I will thaw it out and cut it up soon, I'll let you know. Most say they smell real bad, so they waste the meat. I can't see wasting it without trying it first, didn't smell real bad to me, like sheep-deer like smell. LOL, after shooting it, I texted her and said I just got something to hang over our bed,lol! She says ... what... I told her, she was think no way in bleep that will ever happen!