New Mexico Oryx Hunting - What You Need to Know

New Mexico Oryx hunting is an action-packed hunt. And it’s the only place in North America to hunt them free range! These are beautiful animals that make exceptional trophies. And the meat is some of the finest wild game you’ll find anywhere.

If you’re interested in hunting Oryx in New Mexico, here are a few things you should know:

This is a lower elevation hunt in relatively flat country. Long-distance glassing, and then spot and stalk tactics are the primary strategies. Locating frequently used crossings or water holes can be productive as well.

Why Hunt Oryx?

There are many things to love about Oryx hunting, but one of the first that comes to mind is the availability of these hunts throughout the year. Rather than trying to squeeze another hunt into the fall season, you can enjoy one of these hunts during a time of year that’s much less busy. The fact that we can enjoy a big game hunt during the “off season” is a ton of fun.

If you enjoy antelope hunting, you’ll love oryx hunting. These are exciting, open-country hunts with lots of glassing and stalking opportunities. Oryx hunting is basically a pronghorn hunt on a bigger scale. It’s a visual, spot-and-stalk experience. And instead of an animal that will yield around 40 pounds of meat, an oryx is roughly the size of a cow elk!

Speaking of meat - one more reason we love oryx hunting is the high quality wild game meat. Oryx is among the best-eating big game animals you’ll find anywhere. And like most wild game, it’s lean and healthy. In addition to going home with a beautiful trophy, you’ll be going home with a lot of excellent meat for the freezer!

On-range Oryx Hunting

Hunters have a few different options when applying for New Mexico Oryx tags. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) offers a White Sands Missile Range Hunt which is a once in a lifetime tag. Draw odds for this on-range hunt are pretty tough. But for those lucky enough to draw, the hunt offers a near 100% success rate. Hunters will typically see upwards of 100 animals per day.

These hunts are 3 days long, with the first half-day being in a White Sands Missile Range briefing. On this hunt, hunters must accept all White Sands missile Range rules and regulations. Every hunter, plus their allowed guest, will have to do a mandatory background check prior to the hunt.

Off-range Oryx Hunting

The other option for those who wish to apply for an Oryx hunt in New Mexico, is what we call “off-range” hunts. Tags for these hunts are available from June until March. Each tag is valid for an entire month. These hunts have proven to have a 100% success rate as well. However, hunters should plan to cover hundreds of miles of the flat, open sand country in search for Oryx. The summer months of June and July tend to produce some of the best Oryx. The lack of water concentrates animals and makes their movements more predictable. An off-range oryx hunt is a great option for guided our hunters, as tags are easier to draw and our guides are experts at finding animals and judging trophy quality.

Drawing a New Mexico Oryx Tag

Like other species in New Mexico, hunters can increase their chances of drawing a license by applying with an outfitter. If you’d like to learn more about applying for Oryx and hunting with LOH Outfitters, please take a few minutes to look at our Oryx hunting page. Read this page on the New Mexico Game and Fish site for Oryx license information.

For specific availability and any other questions, feel free to call or text us at 315-374-8209 or click here for more contact options. We’d love to help you plan a memorable New Mexico hunting adventure!