Aoudad, or Barbary sheep, is a species of caprine, commonly known in the hunting community as a sheep, that are native to North Africa’s rugged terrain. Shortly after World War II, these tough animals found a home in the Hill Country of Texas when soldiers returning from the war had them shipped home where they quickly spread to the western half of the state and throughout most of New Mexico.  Both males and females have heavy horns that curl backwards with wrinkles at the bottom though the males are considerably bigger, growing in excess of 30 inches.  Aoudad have a gestation period just over 5 months long with the main breeding season occurring in the fall. They typically range in weight from 175 to 320 lbs. Their diet consists of a wide variety of plants including grasses, flowers, leaves, shrubs, and young plants. Most of their water intake comes from these plants enabling aoudad to go without water for extended periods of time. Aoudad can be hunted year-round.