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New Mexico first bull

brownbear932008

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 15, 2011
Messages
2,897
Location
SWVA
First off thanks to some very special guys here at HT who helped a guy out in a first time unit that I had to start from scratch on. it
It's been a busy summer/fall. Lots of hiking shooting and other chores around the house with the family. I had drawn a pretty good elk tag in the spring in New Mexico and was pretty excited to finally make it to the SW part of the great USA. I've wanted to hunt NM for a long time and have been putting in there for several years without drawing anything. This was my year finally.
I drew a late rifle season tag so I knew the bulls would be pushed around a bit and be a little wary or so I thought. I mean there had been 2 bow season 1 muzzy season and 1 rifle season before I got to hit the hills. Luckily I was very wrong here there where elk every where we turned it seemed in the unit. Some places were obviously better than others but we could get into elk any place we went. Tons of elk just not a lot of big elk spotted. We saw three really good 6 points during the week of scouting before the hunt. We must have seen 50-70 five points just guessing we quit counting early on. The bigger bulls we saw were in thick pinion country and it was harder to hunt so we decided to stay in the high canyons where we could glass and stalk easier. There also seemed to be way more elk up high in the wilderness area we were skirting.
The first morning of the hunt we saw probably 70 elk numerous bulls and put a good 6 point and 5 point to bed on a North slope. We decided to chill in the sun and wait until evening to put the stalk on one of them if they showed again in the eve. Luckily our plan worked to a tee as about 40 head fed out into a South slope late that evening. I was able to sneak into a little under 500 yards of the herd and make my shot. Wish I could have gotten closer but it wasn't doable with the bad wind direction and open slope ahead of me. I let the 7mms stw bark and the rest is history.
This was my first bull and I'm really happy with him. We packed a ton of meat of the mountain only leaving a hide and spine pretty much. Having elk tenderloin tonight at my house!5485ADBA-.jpgIMG_5669.jpgIMG_5694.jpgIMG_5761.jpgIMG_5688.jpgIMG_5727-2.jpgIMG_5739-2.jpgIMG_5690.jpgIMG_20181031_164123.jpg
 
You need a bigger pot!

That burn and view looks a bit like NE New Mexico near the Raton Pass, but it could be anywhere I suppose. For sure, it was the right place for you.

Congratulations!
 
You need a bigger pot!

That burn and view looks a bit like NE New Mexico near the Raton Pass, but it could be anywhere I suppose. For sure, it was the right place for you.

Congratulations!

Picked one up today seems my whitetail pot won't work on elk to well.
Thanks!
 
Congrats!

500 yards nice shot... i'm leaving Sunday and feel comfortable out to 400... can't imagine another 100! Nice marksmenship.
 
Awesome job buddy! I knew you would get it done! Score another one for the VA crew!
 
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