Having taken 2 New Mexico elk I'm all for it. And we pay a lot of money that adds to the economy more so than locals, who still can get plenty of tags. New Mexico is beautiful.
Consider Vintage Doubles. (https://www.vintagedoubles.com/) This guy knows quality older doubles and many are very affordable, often a high quality gun for close to the same price as a newer higher, but not custom, grade double. F&S ran an article on him. Good luck and happy hunting.
I have really enjoyed your posts over the years, especially on David E Petzal's F&S blog. Your advice was golden and I have followed many of your recommendations, including making a list at the end of a hunt to include what you used and what you would want for the next hunt. Thank you for...