Keith Lusher 05.21.25
Texas lawmakers have approved legislation allowing hunters to pursue invasive aoudad sheep from helicopters. The measure passed the Texas House with overwhelming support, adding a powerful new tool to the state’s wildlife management arsenal.
From Africa to Texas
The story of aoudad sheep in Texas began shortly after World War II, when returning soldiers introduced the species from North Africa’s Barbary Coast. Initially valued as exotic game on private ranches, these hardy animals quickly adapted to the rugged Texas landscape and began to thrive – too well, as it turns out.
“These animals have no natural predators here, and they’ve proven remarkably adept at reproduction,” explains wildlife biologist Dr. Marcus Hernandez. “Their population has exploded by an estimated 1,800% since the early 1960s.”
Today, approximately 30,000 aoudad roam Texas, vastly outnumbering the native bighorn sheep population of roughly 1,500. This imbalance has created significant ecological challenges across the state’s fragile desert and mountain ecosystems.
Health Threat to Native Species
Beyond ecological competition, aoudad sheep carry Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, a bacteria causing pneumonia that endangers both native wildlife and commercial livestock. With Texas being a leading producer of mohair and wool, the economic stakes are significant.
Aerial Solution
The new legislation, championed by State Representative Eddie Morales, permits helicopter hunting of aoudad – a technique previously reserved for controlling feral hogs under the state’s 2011 “porkchopper law”.
“This is not a ba-a-a-ad bill,” Morales quipped during floor discussions, adding that the freedom to “shoot aoudad sheep from helicopters” represented Texas liberty at its finest.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will establish regulations for these hunts once the legislation is signed into law. For hunters interested in this opportunity, several outfitters are already preparing to add aoudad helicopter hunts to their offerings.
Wildlife management experts emphasize that while aerial hunting provides an effective control method, comprehensive conservation efforts must continue to protect native species and restore balance to Texas ecosystems.
Keith Lusher is an award-winning outdoor journalist who resides in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly outdoor column for the Slidell Independent Newspaper. He also writes for the St.Tammany Parish Tourism Commission’s VisitTheNorthshore.com. He is the former host of The Northshore Fishing Report Radio Show and is on the board of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association. Keith contributes to numerous publications both online and in print and prides himself on promoting South Louisiana’s unique fishery. To contact Keith email: keithlusherjr@gmail.com
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