USA: First Fenced Hunt

[Siennacoyote]

I just booked my first fenced hunt. I’m in Ohio and one of the places a few hours away posted some ram hunts for a discounted rate. I called and now I’m hunting a black Hawaiian Ram at the end of the month. Not sure what to expect but I’m looking forward to the experience and to see how I feel about fences . I’ve already started looking at recipes for a stronger flavored meat and I think some curries are in order . Any advice or things I should know ? I’ll do a report once I get back

 

[Daktari]

Curries are an excellent idea! Major things to know would be to make sure you tenderize and marinate the meat to offset any off flavors as well as use spices. I'd imagine an old hawaiian ram would be tough and strong flavored.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Enjoy yourself.

 

[375Fox]

. . . but I’m looking forward to the experience and to see how I feel about fences.

I just think it should be noted. You can use this to make a decision about hunting behind fences on smaller preserves in the US, but it’s not really a comparison at all to fences in South Africa or Namibia. See what you think, but keep in mind it’s not comparable.

 

[Siennacoyote]

I just think it should be noted. You can use this to make a decision about hunting behind fences on smaller preserves in the US, but it’s not really a comparison at all to fences in South Africa or Namibia. See what you think, but keep in mind it’s not comparable.

Appreciate that.

 

[Elkeater]

Good luck! Provided it’s not a tiny little 50 acre place or something the ram hunts can be fun. They don’t tend to be very spooky so getting close isn’t usually too hard. They can be a ton of fun for kids and adults alike.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I just booked my first fenced hunt. I’m in Ohio and one of the places a few hours away posted some ram hunts for a discounted rate. I called and now I’m hunting a black Hawaiian Ram at the end of the month. Not sure what to expect but I’m looking forward to the experience and to see how I feel about fences . I’ve already started looking at recipes for a stronger flavored meat and I think some curries are in order . Any advice or things I should know ? I’ll do a report once I get back

Personally a friend of mine said he would never do another Ram hunt in the USA with a fence. He said the place he hunted all the rams stood at the fence just waiting to be shot. They didn't run or anything. I was fortune enough to work for a company where I won a convention in 2015 to Hawaii. Tons of wild rams, goats and wild turkey on the island of khona. I had a good time chasing them in the mountains. You wouldn't think Hawaii has wild game but its tons on certain islands. If you ever go to Hawaii for any reason you should look into hunting there. It's very affordable with lots of game.

Hope you have a good time.

 

[dobber]

Not sure what to expect but I’m looking forward to the experience

I did a buffalo hunt last year and knew it was a fenced hunt, I went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised.
I told the outfitter that I expect to walk through the barn and shoot a buffalo in the paddock, anything more than that exceeds my expectation lol
I knew it was a meat hunt, and after seeing a couple of the other hunters in camp, I also knew it actually being a skilled hunter wasn't a requirement - but they had fun centre punching a deer and a cow elk, I just shook my head at that

 

[HankBuck]

I just booked my first fenced hunt. I’m in Ohio and one of the places a few hours away posted some ram hunts for a discounted rate. I called and now I’m hunting a black Hawaiian Ram at the end of the month. Not sure what to expect but I’m looking forward to the experience and to see how I feel about fences . I’ve already started looking at recipes for a stronger flavored meat and I think some curries are in order . Any advice or things I should know ? I’ll do a report once I get back

I think there are ways to make a fence hunt more interesting and although I’ve never hunted inside a fence - there might be a situation where I would, I’m Not ruling it out. One would be to take a “meat” animal (Bison, Pig etc..) and maybe use a Family heirloom firearm - Springfield .45-70 over 100 yrs old, or use a traditional wood bow with wood arrows. It could be a very unique and interesting way to obtain good meat for a BBQ and fun stories to share....certainly more fun then buying food at the supermarket.

 

[Badjer]

2 points:
First --I have hunted in fenced areas and in remote areas miles and miles from the nearest pavement. I went into each hunt having the mindset I'm going to have fun no matter what... and I did.
Second-- I shot a Texas Dall and a Corsican sheep on one of the hunts. I had them made into Italian sausage and thought they were delicious grilled. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Red Leg]

Depends. if you are going to “hunt“ him in a 500 acre cross fenced enclosure it will be “shooting” the designated animal. If your quarry is ranging over 20k acres, whether a Hawaiian island or South African game ranch, then the experience will be very different. Sadly, throughout North America the first example tends to prevail.

 

[Firebird]

Have a good time and turn that ram into jerky!

 

[JD Noblin]

I think there are ways to make a fence hunt more interesting and although I’ve never hunted inside a fence - there might be a situation where I would, I’m Not ruling it out. One would be to take a “meat” animal (Bison, Pig etc..) and maybe use a Family heirloom firearm - Springfield .45-70 over 100 yrs old, or use a traditional wood bow with wood arrows. It could be a very unique and interesting way to obtain good meat for a BBQ and fun stories to share....certainly more fun then buying food at the supermarket.

HankBuck's thought of using an old firearm on a fenced hunt is great....I did that a couple years ago when I hunted an old Bison bull in Oklahoma. He was past his breeding time and needed to go so I filled my freezer and several others' freezers with Bison. I went old-school on the rifle....used a Remington Hepburn No. 3 in 45-70 and a period 4X scope.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Nice trophy, beautiful rifle. It is nice to see that rifle like that are still being used for the purpose they were designed for.

 

[shotgungibbs]

I have been on a few fenced hunts in the US. I have taken Pronghorn in Wyoming, much quicker than I took the fenced hunt game. I'm not saying that about all fenced hunts, but I've had a Pronghorn laying within 80 yards at legal shooting light, and turned it down. I didn't drive from Ohio to Wyoming for a less than 10-minute hunt. All hunts are what you make them. Just look at it as another chance to be outdoors, and have a new experience. I hope you enjoy yourself.

 

[HankBuck]

HankBuck's thought of using an old firearm on a fenced hunt is great....I did that a couple years ago when I hunted an old Bison bull in Oklahoma. He was past his breeding time and needed to go so I filled my freezer and several others' freezers with Bison. I went old-school on the rifle....used a Remington Hepburn No. 3 in 45-70 and a period 4X scope.
View attachment 558747

JD that is a very Nice rifle and put to good use - even the scope looks cool and “nostalgic” - what year is the scope & rifle? The wood on that rifle looks outstanding and guessing it’s newish. Can’t think of a better way to make a fenced Bison hunt “classic, challenging;, and memorable” (other jumping off a bareback horse with a lance !!)

 

[Vintageguy]

I’ve hunted preserves here in the U.S. and it’s like everything else, how is the hunt crafted? I have one place near me that buys in hogs that were trapped in the wild from areas where they were a problem and released into the preserve, 2000 acres of heavily wooded mountains and hills. There is no difference in how they behave other than they are max tuned in due to hunting pressure. Also, the acreage far exceeds any private land I can hunt. If stalked they are hard but if you sit over a feeder as most people do hunting them “in the wild” it’s not much sport.

 

[buck wild]

Yeah a black Hawaiian isnt exactly the animal I'd be judging a high fence hunt on. High fence, low fence, parking lot, they mostly just keep a steady walk. I've done some Texas exotic "ram" hunting and don't mind if everyone understands what it is exactly. Hunting isn't one of those things. A bow makes it more challenging as is the number of other sheep on the place do also. They will tend to stay grouped up as a defense mechanism once they realize they are the game and that can make it a little more challenging. There was this one place once in the Texas Hill country in teh early 90's where those Corsicans were wild as all get it but very rare.

Take it for what is it- a chance to get outdoors and have a good time, but please don't judge ALL high fence hunting on this one experience.

 

[cajunchefray]

Curries are an excellent idea! Major things to know would be to make sure you tenderize and marinate the meat to offset any off flavors as well as use spices. I'd imagine an old hawaiian ram would be tough and strong flavored.

Excellent suggestion. If I may recommend a recipe procedure, it's a bit of prep work, but less than the physical effort of a hunt. The animal deserves it:

Make sure the ram meat is bled out quickly, within 10-15 minutes of kill and chilled below 40 degrees within 6 hours.

(USDA guideline from meat science). I would ask the processor, to keep some bones on the forequarter, or rear shank, BUT IT MUST be chilled quickly. Keep in ice water for a couple of days, change the water daily.

Then Brine in a solution of:

- Per 4 -5 pounds of Ram meat and bones:

- I Gallon of water

- 1 cup of KOSHER Salt, if you can't get Morton Kosher Salt, use Diamond Salt Crystals (don't use fine iodized, as this weighs more and is too much sodium). You need flake salt.

- 1/2 cup white sugar.

- 1/2 bottle of nice red wine, nothing expensive, but red wine you would drink. Do Not use cooking wine. It is crap.

- Fresh garlic, crushed from whole heads of Fresh garlic, about 1 -2 tablespoons.

- 1 Bay leaf, crumbled

-6-8 Black Peppercorns, cracked.

Prepare and blend the marinade, crack the Garlic, Black Peppercorn, and Bay leaf.

Completely submerge the Goat in the marinade, place in a Ziploc, or other vessel, purging all the air, and chill for 48 hours.

Then, drain the marinade, drain the goat meat on a screen, air dry for a few minutes, then rub with Yellow Curry at 2% of the weight of the Goat (Madras style), and wrap and let dry rub marinade from 6-24 hours.

Then sear the goat in ghee, lard, or tallow, adding fresh cut onions, deglaze with some wine (or Port), deglaze and add Italian tomato puree, sliced mushrooms, some meat stock, and then let it go low and slow until tender (could be 3-5 hours). Chopped fresh parsley in the last 30 minutes.

Don't let the pot dry up! It needs moisture to cook and tenderize. Add water and stock, (chicken bone broth works), just give it time, until tender.


A few steps but plan it out and be rewarded with some great tasting game meat, and memories of the hunt.

 

[cajunchefray]

Personally a friend of mine said he would never do another Ram hunt in the USA with a fence. He said the place he hunted all the rams stood at the fence just waiting to be shot. They didn't run or anything. I was fortune enough to work for a company where I won a convention in 2015 to Hawaii. Tons of wild rams, goats and wild turkey on the island of khona. I had a good time chasing them in the mountains. You wouldn't think Hawaii has wild game but its tons on certain islands. If you ever go to Hawaii for any reason you should look into hunting there. It's very affordable with lots of game.

Hope you have a good time.

I saw some rams and pigs years ago, during a tour of the upper highlands of Maui. That would be a good hunt.