NM Elk Success - Pic Heavy!

[Buschy]

After the excitement of drawing a New Mexico elk tag wore off, Grizzley and I dove into researching the 16C 2nd rifle hunt. Prior to our hunt there were three archery hunts, a youth rifle hunt and a 1st season rifle hunt. It would be safe to say we would be hunting “pressured” elk!!! We picked the brain of everyone we knew who had hunted the unit before and spent hours looking at Google Earth trying to tips the odds in our favor.

We were pumped to finally hit the road for our hunt the afternoon of Tuesday, October 20. Now Bismarck, ND to Winston, NM is a pretty fair piece of driving, about 25 hours straight through. When we left Bismarck it was raining. Not a big deal we thought. Well it never quit it just changed to snow and made the driving terrible! I can honestly tell you it rained, snowed or sleeted from Bismarck to south of Albuquerque!!

 

[Buschy]

When we finally got into the unit late Wednesday afternoon we wanted to get camp set up quick so we could get an hour or two of scouting in. We got camp set up and went to unload the ATV. This first surprise was the crappy weather on the way down now we had a flat on the ATV!! On this trip I learned Grizzley is many things: flatulent, a Diet Coke junkie and a MacGyver wanna be! He quickly pulls out a can of Fix-A-Flat, hooks it up to the flat wheel and bingo we are on out way. We only got a brief scouting trip in close to camp, but saw 10 cows/calfs and a small bull. Just seeing elk was a good start in my book.

Thursday morning we were up early and started putting miles on. We saw another group of cows right after sunrise and found enough fresh sign to know we at least had an area to start hunting. From there we expanded the search with mixed results. We saw good numbers of elk, but no bulls.

Friday morning the scouting continued and we made a long hike in the dark to get into an area that provided lots of glassing opportunities. Shortly after the sun came up we spotted about 50 cows and a few small bulls about 1 ½ miles away. Behind them another ½ mile, tucked into a little pocket, were seven bulls. Two of these guys were bruisers that you don’t even have to think about, you just start shooting!! We waited for all of the elk to drift back into the timber and then gave them another hour before we made our way over to where they were. We marked exactly where we needed to be on our GPS’s and created a trail on the way out so we could slip in behind them. Our plan was to get between the timber and their feeding area. Now this is the opportunity we wanted to find!

Saturday morning – 2:30 am: We are up and out of the tent in a flash, as neither Grizzley nor I want to be late. We had a long hike in the dark to get behind the elk. The terrain wasn’t that steep in this area but it was terribly rocky. For anyone who has hunted there you know what I am talking about, miles and miles of ankle busting rocks everywhere!! I dropped off Grizzly in his spot and wished him good luck. I didn’t make it another 50 yards toward my spot when a bull starts bulging like crazy. Every 20-30 seconds. I didn’t have the wind in my favor so I started tearing through the trees in the dark to get downwind of the bull. In short order I worked my way to within 100 yards of the bugling bull and got set up. The bull was between Grizzley and I and daring any other bull in the area to mess with him. He was HOT! The sky was just getting gray in the east and I needed about 15 minutes before it was trigger time. I was hoping the bull would shut his mouth, as I knew there would be other hunters in the general area. Sure enough, I could hear a couple of ATV’s moving my way in the dark. The elk heard it to and a large group wasted no time heading for cover. The bull stood there in the dark and bugled a few more times before he decided to follow everyone else. Frustrating beyond belief!

Right after sunrise Grizzley had a cow and small bull walk out in front of him at 200 yards. With the number of bulls in the area, the crazy buglefest only 20 minutes earlier and being he was only 15 minutes into the season, Grizzley decided to pass. I headed for the timber and got in on two groups of cows, but no bulls. It was an exciting morning. That evening we went into a big canyon system and split up. Before we split up, I looked to the north and got one of those strong feelings that says “hunt over there idiot”. Well I ignored it and headed south. Grizzley saw a cow and I got blanked for the evening. It was a fun first day.

 

[elk_hunter]

Woohoo! Excellent story and pics...keep 'em coming!!

 

[Buschy]

Sunday we headed into the same area where the bulls had been talking and Grizzley passed the small bull. Neither of us saw much. I bumped some elk in the dark getting to my spot and we both heard some shooting, but nothing else. That evening we were driving the ATV into the same canyon we had hunted the night before. Again I got hit with the thought I should hunt to the north, though we had both agreed south was the way to go that evening. I hit the brakes, got out and grabbed my rifle and pack, and told Grizzley to pick me up here after dark. I think he thought I was loosing it as it simply didn’t make sense to go north. I can’t explain it but have had these feelings before. I had ignored it last night, but not tonight.

I headed up the hill and tried to gain elevation so I could glass for the evening. About an hour later I looked behind me and there was a long string of elk working their way down the hill opposite me. I glassed about 30 cows and two bulls. One little guy and one fair bull. I started tearing down the hill as I had a lot of ground to cover to catch up with them. The elk got to the bottom before I did and started feeding toward me. I didn’t realize how close they were until I saw them running across the flat below me. When they reached the other side of the canyon they stopped and looked around. It was then I noticed a pretty good bull. I don’t know where he came from because I watched them pick their way down the hill for a long time, but it didn’t matter now! I flopped to the ground and put my bipod down. I was in a hurry and guessed they were 450-500 yards away. When they stopped I had a chance to range them and they were 315.

The bull I wanted was quartering away from me looking back. I put the crosshairs below the hump on his back and squeezed. At the report I thought I had hit him, but he disappeared and elk were running everywhere. After all of the commotion I couldn’t see anything across the canyon. It was burned out and I was sure I could see him if he was down. I sat up, grabbed my binoculars and quickly found a small piece of tan behind a blowdown that wasn’t moving. I watched for a minute or two to make sure he wasn’t going anywhere before I started over. As I got closer I saw the bull had six points on one side. Yes! A little closer and he now had seven on one side. Ha YES!!!. A little close and he was a 7x7. Unfreakin’ believable!!!!!!!!

Grizzley heard the shot and was headed in my direction. Two pumped NoDaks were hooting and hollering in the dark in the bottom of a canyon in New Mexico. I doesn’t get better than that! It was a beautiful evening to cape and quarter a bull. Now Big Fin can vouch that I get a little excited when it comes to hunting. When I shoot a good bull forget about it!!! After listening to me excitedly jabber for about 90 straight minutes without taking a breath, Grizzley kindly informed me blood was starting to drip out of his ears and I needed to be quiet for a minute while he stopped the bleeding and took some Excedrin for his splitting headache. It was 2:30 before we pulled into camp, but dang it was fun!

 

[smalls]

That's awesome, your ATV is a ToolCat. I would be looking for reasons to use the PTO around camp.

Great bull Buschy!

 

[Buschy]

Monday morning, with a very short night’s sleep, we were back up at 5:00 and hiked on top of a big canyon close to camp where we had seen a super bull come out of in the dark while driving back with my bull. We didn’t find him but located another group of elk with two bulls. We set up on them that evening and the cows came out right below us and looked into the canyon bottom over and over. The two bulls that were with them that evening would just not step out for a shot!

Tuesday was more of the same. We got on elk, but could not find the bulls. It was not for lack of effort or miles though. On the way back to camp we noticed everyone camping around us had pulled out. It was like a ghost town.

Wednesday morning we woke up to a blizzard and spent part of the morning in the tent before the decision was made to pull out ourselves. I think everyone else was listening to the weather forecast and got out while the getting was good.

This was a great hunt. I really wish Grizzley had gotten a bull, but at least he had an opportunity! I have no doubt he has the elk hunting bug and will put down a great bull in the near future! He was a first class guy to share a camp with: a good attitude all of the time, always willing to work hard, takes time to think things through, looks at things from a different point of view than me, and can put up with my BS!

I have been blessed with two great bulls this year and hope I can get back to AZ and NM again soon.

 

[Buschy]

A few more pics.

These are for Greenhorn. NoDaks can hunt get in the "extreme" elk hunting game as well!!

 

[JoseCuervo]

Nice bull, and nice write-up and pictures.

Thanks for taking us along.

 

[Buschy]

My best "find" on this hunt!!

A guy needs time to put a plan together!!

 

[Buschy]

A few more pics from a great hunt!!

 

[upper deck]

Once again the snow follows you, first and archery antelope hunt and now New Mexico! Congrads on the hunt and some good looking pictures.

 

[elk_hunter]

Man, congrats on a fantastic hunt!! That's so cool; great pics and story!

 

[ashersdad]

Great story and a great bull! Congrats!

 

[AZ402]

Nice pics,write-up and bull, congrats.

 

[hardscrabble]

Congratulations on a beautiful NM bull! Awesome story and pics! We should meet up sometime for a little muley hunting in the badlands. I know we would have a blast together. Well next year since my tag is filled. Congrats again!

 

[TheTone]

Congrats on another good bull, some great pics as well. The one skull you found has some awesome beams.

 

[noharleyyet]

Thanks much for the hunt share....awesome posting.

 

[Goldtip]

Great bull, congrats. Looks like an awesome hunt!

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

I can't wait for the movie! Congrats on not only a great bull, but also the ability to carry us with you again. You are a great guy from the looks of the joy you share on your hunts! BTW, What is it about hunting buddies and passing gas? My power windows are almost wore out! John

 

[Dinkshooter]

I have always thought about putting in for the 2nd hunt. Sounds like there is more competition than I thought. Still looks fun.

The toilet pic gots to go.