One of our favorite outfitters in Texas offers a great hunt for aoudad at a great price near his home in West Texas. He leases large private ranches where the animals roam wild, unrestricted by game-proof fences. Aoudads, also called Barbary sheep, were introduced into the wild from North Africa in the '40s, and now there are far more in Texas than in the whole continent of Africa. These are wild sheep and will run if they see or smell you. I found them to be much wilier and warier than the mule deer that lived on the same ranch where I hunted aoudads in West Texas in the late '90s. Rams are bigger than most people realize with a good ram weighing 300 to 350 pounds. Trophy-size rams typically have 28 to 32-inch horns with heavy bases. Occasionally we'll hear of a ram over 32 inches, but any ram pushing 30 inches is a real trophy. Aoudad meat makes for excellent table fare although I have heard of some hunters who had an old ram they did not like. I've found the meat not to be greasy or gamey, and I actually prefer it to moose or elk. Barbary sheep might look a lot like goats, but they are not smelly. If you're looking for a good, off-season hunt, consider going after aoudads. Hunts.Net Customer Bill Erickson of Kansas took this hunt. "It was a very fun hunt," Bill reported. "The terrain was awesome, and there were plenty of sheep. I saw several rams in the 28 to 30-inch class, and I took a 27-incher with a good, long mane. The outfitter was great and was able to locate game easily. It was a great spot-and-stalk hunt. I would definitely recommend this hunt. The outfitter is a top guide in all respects and a fun person to be around."