NM elks...

hank4elk said:
I slipped out without Rio the wiser.
Sawing logs they were. I woke them and got them a cuppa.
Several bulls softly bugling in the dark. Getting light. Time to go look see.
Of course non can be seen easily at 1st. I see cows across the valley. Gone into the trees.
Ty bugles and gets one right on my road to reply...another up the valley joins.
Then they all head into the trees elsewhere. One last tease from the guy right here as he heads up the mesa.
I see one we had missed with a cow just on my neighbors. Ty and Todd ask where is he. Then he squeeks from a dip on the other side of the fence.
Rio wants out and I leave the guys to glass and call.
Ty finds some great tracks.
Todds 1st elk hunt and 3 real bulls are about . One distant shot heard on opening morning.

They're out now setting up the tent.
Chance of showers is the word as they have brought a cold front and the elk are enjoying it.
Cool.
More noise from the elk than all the last week.
Not a peep from the outfitter camp that appeared down the valley last night.

Todd finds 2 small tarantulas to take home for his son. Did not know they can climb a clean plastic bucket.
I have a freezer full of bison grind.
Rio is their best friend now. He had been running around like a puppy and now fast asleep.

They made the mistake of bad choices on road food. Taco Bell was the ...un-clincher. LOL ,luckily no clothes were harmed.
NM chile should fix them up. LOL
Click to expand...
Hank, you don’t do photos? NM, just saw them. Great stuff! Thanks for sharing.
 
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Yesterday we were almost to the glassing tree and there was a cow on the other side. 40 yards away.
Just as Jeff was set up a truck came down the county road 1/4 mile away. Headlights.
She swirls around and is in the bottom in a flash and across. Spooked and still looking north a the truck.
She starts up the slope and a whole herd follows. They go over my fence and are on the low hill on my neighbors in a minute.
40 cows.
The day before another truck sent them right past us. Jeff stays and waits and I head in.
2 hours later he came in, they went across the valley and on another mesa to bed.
 
34 this morning, plan A in works. Down through the trees,glassing constantly all around.
We get to the same spot as yesterday and I see the whole herd in the corner by the windmill and heading out already.
800 yards away.

We move towards them and are within 500 yards and they start going over to the north.....But we get closer.
450 from the lead cow,on my neighbors.
4 cows come down the fenceline right at us.

I calf call.
One stops and turns sideways. 284 yards.
Bang, she moves 20 feet.
Bang, she moves 40 feet and lays down.

I back out and head to the house, he waits half an hour.

A while later he walks up and tells me he walked up towards her and he's 30 feet away and she gets up out of nowhere and walks 100 yards and goes down again.
We wait another half hour and we drive down the well road.
I spot a butt in the bottom brush.

We split and walk towards her. He pokes an eye. She's a nice fat young cow.

We bust out laughing, 2 old farts pull it off again on the last day. Picture time.

I go get my truck and drive over and lower the tailgate, knives spread and the game bags ready.
We go to work me on head end and him on the hind quarter, gutless style down the back bone.
I fillet the neck meat off and we have the hind in a bag in a flash and the front follows shortly.
He takes both backstraps off and we flip her.

He's holding the hind as I cut away and I screw up.
I get a face full of gut juice and blood in the face.

We both are on the ground laughing.

He works the heart out and the tenders.
Get the knives together and have her in the bags in the truck, it's 10 am.
I drive over to the well to wash up. Old school.

46 degree crystal clear water in the tire tank. Brisk in the wind. Laughing still.
He gives me a big hug. "I love you brother."
He says 8 years ago this place was way different. Elk her but the range was bare from years of overgraizing the guy I bought from.
And years of drought.

Now the well runs daily into 2 tanks 1000' apart. The well tank overflows and downstream 500 feet. My fence road is always flooded.
The cow was 40 yards from the big tank.

Back at the house, the shoulders hanging on my lumber rack to cool we bone the hinds on the tailgate laying on the game bag.
In the shade and cooling quick in the 46 degree wind.

I get the fire going in the house and out of the old Carhartt coat and the bibs.
Jeff packs. I laugh more.

Rio is in bone heaven.

I have a meat bin with a chunk of hind and backstrap in the fridge. The heart and the neck meat too.

Jeff gives me another big Wisconsin bear hug. "I love you brother, thank you again."
My best friend drives for home at noon.
He'll beat the storm. Meat in coolers in the campershell, he'll pick up ice in Grants.

Rio is sound asleep next to me and I'm ready for a shower. Nice fire going.


Life is good in Pie Town.
IMG_0290.JPG
 
Wat more fun than pulling the trigger at first light on day one, congrats to both of you!

Shaving foam on your face might get that stink off in a week if youre lucky...don't ask. 😆
 
Jeff just texted . He made it to Kansas through rain.
The hwy is a frozen mess now in NM.

Thunderhail woke me at 0330. Fire was out.
80 degrees inside now. Rio is on his bed in the bedroom.
My ass is sore. Muscle sore, not bone pain.

That was Jeff's 10th elk. 4 cows here in 5 trips.
His daughter needs a bull I think. She has taken the biggest buck on the farm and has the walleye record for the family already.
Plans for next year in works.

2 of 4 tags filled here this year. Everyone had elk everyday.

No elks there...too small a spot to hunt.

My mechanic buddy has a back up place for their last cow hunt this weekend, if needed. Not likely. They are good.
My Tacoma is getting a whole new bottom side. Springs back from shop and new rotors in and suspension parts going in.
I might get it back this weekend.

Backstrap and sweet potato for dinner...I need some pie.
I earned a piece of pie. IMHO.
 
I don't know if it's the undeniable authenticity of your writing style, or the genuineness of your love for your friends, your land, or Rio, but this is easily one of my favorite threads every year. You bring something different and very real to HT Hank, and I really appreciate you letting us catch a glimpse of your slice of the pie.
 
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