2011 New Mexico Elk

[bucklucky]

Congrats on # 2 !!

[littlemac]

Nice bull for our second, my buddy had a bit of a Chinesse firedrill.  Fiirst shot 150 yds downhill at a steep angle, I was spotting and he shot over it.  It slid into a stand of trees.
He worked back around the stand and down a back trail, found several cows and the bull.  He was able to get two shots off and it humped up and moved off.  Two more shots did the deed.  Not a perfect set up but the elk is at the processor.

Tonight I passed on a pretty good 5x5, had a shot downhill that I believe I would have made but withtwo more days holding out for a better bull.

On our way out we drove to a meadow area and caught about 100 head including several 6x6's, 5x5's a few spikes and the rest cows and calves.

[Elkpiss]

WoW.. Another dream bull.. Way To Go Guy.. Kind of looks like your big bull from a few years ago BuckLuck.. Congrats guy, and another dream hunt that I wish i could hunt is New Mexico.. 

[brianmtsinc]

Awesome job!  I have always wanted to hunt NM, and I hope to do so soon

Good luck on the last one!!

[TheHunt]

Nice job... Your team is crushing the elk in NM.

[lewy]

father and son, thats cool man. nice work!

[littlemac]

Good hunting today, long stalk that came up empty after two hours.  Then we moved a ways and got onto a couple of bulls but couldn't get close.

Afternoon brought wind and rain.  Spotted some bedded cows around four and moved past them checking on a couple of good spots we have.

The clouds moved in so we went back to the cows we new were there, they had moved downhill and were now 10 cows and calves feeding.  Stayed with them but no bull.  The 5x5 I passed the previous day was in the same area but no sight of a bull today.

Morning hunt tomorrow wraps up my elk hunting in New Mexico.  We'll try and make it happen tomorrow.

Thanks for following our hunt and all of the comments.

[KimberRich]

Good read.  Looking forward to the update on what happened this morning. Nice bulls fellas.

[littlemac]

Morning five and the weather has changed.  Colder and  snow in the high mountains, we hunt to 11,000 feet and no snow there.  Everything got a good soaking overnight helping to soften the leaves and dry grass on the ground.

We spotted a cow in an opening 1/2 a mile off.  We were lucky she stayed and was with several others along with a young bull 4x4 as it turned out.  Ourfirst sight of the bull was at 800 yards.  We were able to work in below him to a distance of 370 yards in timber for our cover and undetected. 

After some serious thinking I decided to take the shot.  I had passed a better bull yesterday but this bull needed to be taken in my opinion as he is missing eye guards and his fronts are turning down.  No point in passing bad genetics along.

The shot was uphill at 344 yds.  I shoot a 340 Weatherby with 210 grain Nosler partition factory loads.  My first shoot missed high, nerves maybe, my second shot staggered him landing just on the shoulder and he slid about 20 yards donhill.

We got him dressed out and down off the hill by 10.  Loaded and off to the processor at 4 and then the drive north to Denver, home tomorrow.

a great trip and three bulls for three hunters.

I'll post pics when I get home, using my phone for this post and can't upload.

[Lunchbox1981]

Congrats to three successful hunters.  Those first two bulls are great.  Can't wait to see the photo's from yours as well.

[jackelope]

Congrats RJ...sounds like a great time. Now lets see some more pics!!

[littlemac]

On the plane home, isn't technology amazing?

We met 6 guys at Denver TSA that went 6 for 6 in there camp.  They were in the same general area we were, Area 54. 

They used H & H Custom Meats in Springer, NM like we did.  When I dropped my bull off Wednesday, Rod the owner said he'd never been so full as now with 80 bulls in 5 days.  He also said this years crop has the largest bulls he's seen by far, our's hung at an average of 390 lbs (carcass only, no head/legs).

I should be able to add some pics by late today.

Did I mention this is my seventh bull in seven hunts in New Mexico?  Two different outfitters, but success with both.  I already sent the deposit for next year.

[bucklucky]

Thats cooler than heck, nice job to you all!!! Id sure like to hunt New Mexico some day !!

[TheHunt]

Very nice and great job I will be looking forward to your pictures.

[boneaddict]

I so loved my hunt down there.  THose are very Typical of New Mexicos tophies.  They grow SO FAST.   Thanks for sharing.  I'm glad you had a great hunt.