The Wildlife Ranch Exotic Game Trophy Room

Axis Deer

Origin: India

This deer specie is commonly known as the most beautiful deer in the world. They are chestnut brown with white spots. They have a large white throat patch. The bucks grow long antlers, usually with three points per side. A large male will weigh 250 pounds while a female will weigh 100 pounds. Being from a tropical climate with no noticeable winters, axis deer evolved to grow antlers and breed during any month of the year. Although, most Axis bucks are in hard antlers in the summer.

Aoudad Sheep

Origin: North Africa

This exotic is tan in color with a long beard on the bottom of the neck and chaps on the front legs. Both the males and females have horns that grow out and back over their necks. Aoudad usually travel in herds. Mature males are frequently separate from the others except in breading season. They usually breed in October. A large male will weigh about 250 pounds while a female will weigh 100 pounds. The aoudad is the wildest and most elusive of all the exotic species.

Blackbuck Antelope

Origin: India

The Blackbuck is considered to be the most exotic of all the exotics. Mature males are black and white in color with some brown on the back of the neck and also on the spine close to the tail. The young males and females are light tan and white. The horns, found only on males, corkscrew up and back. A large male will weigh 100 pounds while a female will weigh 75 pounds. Males mark their territory by going to the bathroom in the same spot every day. They run very fast.

Fallow Deer
Chocolate, Spotted, and White

Continent of Origin: Europe

This specie of deer can be white, spotted, or chocolate. In fall males have hard antlers with flat palmations similar to moose and easily have 20 to 30 points. Like whitetail deer, the antlers are shed in the spring of each year. A large male will weigh 200 lbs while a female will weigh up to 100 lbs. George Washington originally introduced fallow deer on his Mt. Vernon estate. The bucks are gorgeous with great antlers.

Elk           -         White Elk

Origin: North America

North American Elk are the largest species of the deer family. Mature bulls will range in weight from 800 to more than 1,000 pounds, while cows weigh 600 to 800 pounds. Elk are predominantly raised for their antlers, which are promoted for use as an aphrodisiac. Elk are also know as Wapiti. There are many subspecies of Elk. They are cousins to Red Deer and Sika. The North American Elk will interbreed with Red Deer, and Silk, one of the hybrids is becoming well know as "Silk". 

Sika Deer

Origin: Japan

. There are several subspecies of sika from China that are spotted, some sika are brown or black The hair is about three inches long on the neck. They have a short tail. Normally a mature Sika will have 4 points per antler. A large Japanese male will weigh 130 pounds and a large Manchurian male will weigh up to 280 pounds. There are about 4 subspecies of Sika in this country. There is the Japanese, Formosan, Manchurian, and Dybowski. They bounce up and down when they run.

Red Deer, Red Stag

Origin: Europe

This large deer is reddish brown with hair about 3 inches long. The hair on the neck is about 5 inches long. A mature male will have antlers with 5 to 7 points per antler. Large males weigh 500 pounds and females weigh about 300 pounds. Red Deer are the European cousin of our North American Elk. Male Red Deer are called stages. A stage with 6 points or more per side will have 3 or more points sprouting form the end of the antler. This point cluster is called a crown. A royal stag has two crowns.

Whitetail

Origin: North America

Whitetail deer vary greatly in size. They are typically tan or reddish brown in summer; grayish brown in the winter and have the distinctive whitetail on the underside of their tail. Buck's antlers have nice spreads and have multiple points. Whitetails weigh between 90-150 pounds. Whitetail deer are very abundant in the Texas Hill Country. They are the most popular game hunted by hunters in the United States. Although many die hard whitetail hunter are learning many of the exotics make a more challenging hunt and a more impressive mount.

Hawaiian Black Ram

Origin: Hawaii

These sheep are black in color and sometimes have an outer coat of reddish wool. They will frequently have a white muzzle. The horns are usually dark. They grow up, back, down, forward, up, and out. A large male can weigh 140 pounds and a female will weigh about 75 pounds. There are fewer Black Hawaiian Rams than the other sheep species. They can have a thick, nice beard on their neck. Sailors put these sheep off in the Hawaiian Islands so they could have fresh meat when they returned.

Catalina Goat

Origin: Spain

This goat will be black, brown, reddish brown, or white on most animals, however, other colors are not uncommon. The males have horns that grow up and back from the head in large twists. A large male can weigh up to 200 pounds with the female weighing about 80 pounds. The Angora or New Zealand goats are classified as Catalina goats also. The horns can grow very wide making very impressive horn mounts. The Catalina goat is one of the most frequently hunted exotics.

Corsican Ram

Origin: West Indies

This sheep is brown with a black or white belly. The males often have a long black beard on the bottom of their necks. Only the males have horns, which grow up, back, down, forward, back up, and out from the head. A large male will weigh 140 pounds and the female will weigh 75 pounds. Corsican rams look similar to bighorn rams except Corsicans are smaller and they have a beard. They are one of the most popular exotic hunted. They make a impressive great mount.

Four Horn Ram

Origin Middle East

These sheep are usually brown or white with a lot of wool. There can, however, be other colors including spotted. The rams have four distinct horns. Two horns grow up from the head and two horns grow down beside the jaw. A large male can weigh 120 pounds. They are also known as Jacob's sheep named after Jacob in the Bible. Theses sheep look very strange with four horns growing out of the head. They can make a very unique addition to any trophy collection.

Ibex Goat

Origin: Asia

This goat is usually brown with a black stripe around the shoulders at the neck. The belly is white. They have a patch of long hair on their chin. This is a "goatee". The males have long horns that grow up, back and down. The males can weigh up to 200 pounds while the females normally weigh 80 pounds. Ibex are hard to contain because they can jump very high fences. They can go anywhere they want to.

Wild Boar, Meat Hogs

Origin: Europe

This is a feral hog that has been released into the wild. Wild hog come in all colors ranging from black, white, red, brown, or spotted. The mature males have tusks protruding from the upper and lower gums. the lower tusks are measured for the record book. A large male can weigh several hundred pounds and a female can weigh over 200 pounds. They have become so crafty that in some areas they are extremely hard to find.

Merino Ram

Origin: Asia

This sheep is white with its body covered in wool. The horns can grow to be quite large. Sometimes they grow to two full curls. A large male will weigh 250 pounds while a large female will weigh 160 pounds. The Merino ram is a domestic sheep originally from Asia. They are cousins to the great Marco Polo and Argali sheep which have the largest horns of all sheep. Most hunters can not afford to go to China or Mongolia to hunt them, therefore they might go for their cousin - the Merino sheep.

Mouflon Ram

Origin: Greece

This handsome wild sheep has black hair on their faces and necks. They are brown on their sides and white on their bellies. In the fall, they can have a white saddle patch on their flanks. Their horns grow up, out, down, and then back in toward their eyes. The females have very small horns or no horns. Large males weigh 110 pounds and females weigh 75 pounds. The Mouflon has been transplanted throughout Europe. They are considered the most handsome of all the wild sheep.

New Zealand Mountain Goat

Country of Origin: New Zealand

This goat has thick, curly white hair. The horns of the male usually grow up and out with one to two twists. A large male will weigh 100 lbs with the female weighing 60 lbs. In the Records of Exotics record book for exotic game the New Zealand Mountain Goat is entered under the classification of "Catalina Goat."

Painted Desert Ram

Country of Origin: USA (Texas)

The color of this attractive sheep is white, brown, and black, and resembles a paint horse. The horns grow up, back, down, forward, up, and out. A large male will weigh 140 lbs while a large female will weigh 80 lbs. The Painted Desert Ram is a hybrid sheep that was originally developed in Texas, at The Wildlife Ranch.

Russian Wild Boar

Origin: Europe

This hog is brownish black with split hairs at the end. The snout is long and straight. Mature males can have 4 inches of tusks protruding from the lower jaw. There will usually be about 4 inches inside the jaw also. A large male can weigh 300 pounds while a female will weigh about 175 pounds. Hunting Russian boars can be dangerous as they have been known to attack humans. In Russia and Europe, they have lived wild in the forest for a long time. They are not a domestic hog.

Texas Dall Ram

Origin: Texas

This striking sheep is completely white or golden colored with a white face. The horns grow up, out, down, forward, up, and out. A large male will weigh 140 pounds while a female will weigh 75 pounds. The Texas Dall sheep is a hybrid sheep that was originated in Texas. A white Texas Dall ram with big horns and a long beard is hard to beat. They look similar to an Alaskan Dall sheep. 

Addax Antelope

Origin: Africa

This antelope is white with a gray masked face. The horns corkscrew up making two or more twists on both mature males and females. They are native to dry deserts. Their feet are adapted to run on sand. They are a member of the Oryx family. A large male can weigh up to 275 pounds while the females can weigh up to 200 pounds. The addax have adapted  very well in the U.S. as they eat mostly grass. The male or female make a very good trophy mount. They are aggressive in close quarters.

American Bison, Buffalo

Origin: North American

Buffalo are the largest animal native to North America. They are usually dark brown, with shaggy mane and beard. Buffalo have broad, massive heads, humped shoulders; and both sexes have short black horns. They will interbreed with domestic beef cattle, known as "Beefalo". Buffalo have very lean meat, which is considered the most healthy meats. Buffalo may range in height from 5-6 feet and weigh from 800 to 2,000 pounds.

Eland Antelope

Origin: Africa

This extremely large bodied antelope is tan in color. both males and females have horns, but the male's horns are usually larger. A male can weigh up to 1500 pounds and a female about 800 pounds. The Eland is one of the largest antelopes in the world. They have done very in adapting to the Texas terrain.  The meat is excellent and there is a lot of it. Believe it or not, they are intelligent and can become quite elusive when hunted. In Africa, they are a top trophy.

Emu

Origin: Australia

Emus are a very large bird that can reach about six feet in height and weigh between 110 and 120 pounds. Emus are a flightless bird that can run at great speeds. They have brown plumage that is very dark. The Emu's head and neck are often featherless and has a bluish color. The males and females are almost identical in appearance. Females generally outweigh males somewhat. Emu meat is similar to beef in taste and similar to venison in texture but is much lower in fat and cholesterol.

Gemsbok

Country of Origin: Africa

This large bodied antelope is black and gray and the horns are straight and heavy. Both sexes have long, straight horns, but the males' horns are thicker at the base. A large male can weigh 400 lbs and a large female can weigh 250 lbs. Because of their stately look and their abundance in their home country, they are popular game animals with hunters on South African safaris.

Scenery of the Texas Hill Country

Origin: The Wildlife Ranch, (Mason ,Texas)

The Wildlife Ranch is located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country with a variety of terrain. The Wildlife Ranch had many different Ranch. Some having large granite out cropping, others large hills and some with flat open areas. There are many different types of trees (cedar, oak, mesquite, and more) with plenty of brush and cactus. It is worth the trip just to see the landscape and terrain.  

Nilgai Antelope

Origin: India

Older males are a bluish gray in color, thus the nickname "Blue Bull". Young males and females are tan in color. The bull has a patch of long hair on his neck that looks like a turkey beard. The horns are very short for the animal's size. Females do not have horns. A large male can weigh 600 pounds with females weighing 450 pounds. The Nilgai looks like a Sable Antelope with the horns of a Rocky Mountain Goat. They become quite wild when hunted. They are a very odd looking exotic.

Pere David Deer

Origin: China

These deer are gray in color. The Males have antlers with multiple branches and very long brow points. A male is quite large weighing 400 pounds with females weighing about 200 pounds. Many years ago, a Catholic priest named Father David ( in French Pere David ) built a high fence and put a few of these deer inside. Later, they became totally extinct in the wild. These became the last remnants of the specie. Game ranching rescued a species. The same concept continues on.

Red Sheep

Origin: Iran

This small wild sheep is a light reddish gray color with a faint white spot on the flanks of the males. Their faces are crème colored. The horns of the males grow up, out, and back around above the neck. The females have short horns usually less than five inches. A large Armenian ram will weigh about 100 pounds while the female will weigh about 50 pounds. They are very high-strung and can become quite wild. The Red sheep have horns that are somewhat similar to Aoudad.

Scimitar Oryx

Origin: North Africa

This large bodied antelope is white with red coloration around the neck. Both males and females have horns that are long and curved. They are also called Scimitar horned Oryx. Scimitar means curved. Large males can weigh 300 pounds and females can weigh 200 pounds. In Africa, these Oryx are chased in land rovers and shot with automatic weapons. They live in open, sandy deserts. They have done very well here in the US and have become one of the most prevalent African exotics.

Turkey

Origin: North America

To many people, when the word turkey is mentioned, Thanksgiving or hunting immediately comes to mind. According  to Webster's Dictionary, however, the word turkey means several things --- theatrical production that has failed, three successive strikes in bowling, a stupid, foolish person, and a large North American bird that can be domestic or wild. The most popular method to hunt Turkey Gobblers is to imitate the female Turkey with calls, with sounds such as a yelp, cutt, purr, kee-kee, ect. The males and a few females have a beard that can grow into many inches in length. The male will respond with a gobble to almost any noise and often stay in a vocal mood during mating season.

Water Buffalo

Origin: Africa

This large Buffalo is normally black or gray in color. The horns sweep out and up. Males can weigh 1500 pounds and females can weigh 1000 pounds. Water Buffalo are apt to completely submerge themselves under water for a minute or longer. When they come up for air then you will see only their head until they go back under water. they are related to the cape buffalo from Africa. Therefore they can be very dangerous. They can ram jeeps, trucks, or people when they become upset.

Watusi

Origin: Africa

A moderately sized animal, the Watusi averages between 900 and 1600 pounds, with cows being smaller than bulls. They vary greatly in color and can be either spotted or solid. They often appear in shades of red, although black and fawn are common as well. Most Watusis have a small neck hump. They have sloping hindquarters that, along with the hump, are characteristic of Zebu animals. The most impressive characteristic of the Watusi is its horns, which are very long and usually symmetrical. The horns appear in a variety of shapes, the most popular being lyre-shaped or circular.

Wildebeest

Origin: Africa

This strange looking animal can be black, blue, or gray in color. The horns grow out from the head, curve up, and then in. Large males weigh up to 375 pounds while females weigh 250 pounds. There are several different subspecies of Wildebeest. Three are the Black Wildebeest, Blue Wildebeest, and White Bearded Gnu. In Africa, they travel in big herds. You see videos of African lions chasing down and killing Wildebeest.

Zebra

Origin: Africa

Their pattern varies depending on their geographic location. Southern specimens often lack stripes on their lower legs and stomachs. Zebra's most distinguishing feature is its black and white stripes. Striping varies by individual, and there may be differences between animals living in different geographic locations as well. Stripes are usually broader toward the rear of the animal and there may be faint "ghost" or "shadow" stripes between the main stripes. Males and females cannot be distinguished by differences in their patterns, but males are usually larger than females. The average mature male weighs a massive 750 pounds, while females usually reach 500 pounds on average.

Varmints

Origin: North American

Varmints are abound in the wild outdoors of Texas, but like most predators they have learned to hide. Most are nocturnal and are only seen at night, with artificial lights. Several species of varmints have been spotted but are difficult to take. Some of the species of varmints roaming the Texas Hill Country are Coyotes, Bobcats, Ringtail Cats, Red Fox, Grey Fox, Raccoon, Opossum, and Skunks. Some consider Rabbits to fall into this group, due to damage they do to farm land crops.