I'm back from my hunt in New Mexico with US Outfitters and it was a great time.
Before I left to NM I got a call from the guide and he gave me the low down on the hunt. I was the only one who drew a tag for that area through USO, so it was a 1 on 1 hunt and we had total flexablility on what we could do. We were going to be mobile in order to cover more hunting spots, so it was best not to do a horse camp but stay in a hotel every night and drive to several different hunting spots which were about 20-30 minutes from the hotel. It was fine by me, a hot shower everynight and comfortable bed.
On the first day of the hunt we hiked up a mountain trail which took us almost an hour to get to the top. We were pushing hard to get there before daylight and at 9500 ft I was struggling for every breath. Half way up the mountain I was exhausted and needed to take a break. As I was trying to catch my breath I suddenly had to toss my cookies. There I was
on the mountain and the elk were responding to me by bugling all around us. They were going crazy. I felt better after that and we made our way to the top before day break. What a workout.
At day break we were making our way around the mountain and we heard an elk bugle behind us from within the trees. We stopped and called to him but he never exposed himself for a shot. We were up there chasing a huge 7x7 elk that the guide had been chasing for the passed two years that no one had been able to get. Maybe I would be the lucky one.
We heard him bugling all morning with his hoarse voice, he sounded real old. He lived in a deep dark canyon that had steep rock walls and very dense coverage. We made our way down there and hiked down the canyon for about 2 miles but we never say him. We made it out of there at about noon time, grabbed some lunch and a break back at the hotel.
Later that afternoon we headed to a burn area and set up in a canyon. As the sun was going down the hills came alive with elk. We herd elk bugling and they were making there way towards us. We moved up the canyon a little further in order to get into shooting range and waited for the herd bull to make his way down to us.
The guide was using cow calls and bugling in order to get the bull out of the trees, the light was slowly leaving and it was getting dark fast. Just as the it was dark we saw the bull in the trees but it was too dark to see and get a clean shot. We'd be back in the morning.
The next morning we headed back to the same canyon in search of that herd bull. We made it around to the top of the canyon and into a saddle that they were using to cross. We set up and managed to get between the bull and a few of his cows. What a great position to be in. As the guide cow called the bull made his way back toward us and his cows. He stopped between some trees, I could see the bull, he was a nice 6x6 but damn, no shot. The big 6x6 finally took another couple of steps and turned towards me head on. He was standing about 25 yards in front of me. I placed the cross hairs at the base of his neck and squeezed the round off. That didnt feel right, I thought. I looked up and saw the bull running down the mountain and dissapear. The guide came up to me and said that the shot did'nt sound right. More like a POP instead of a BOOM. I agreed. We looked for signs of blood or any tell tail signs of a hit, but to no avail.
We searched the rest of the day but did not find him or any sign of him being hit. The only thing I can guess is that the Pyrodex powder might have gotten damp or I loaded the pellets upside down with the black base at the top. ???
On the third day we hunted a new location. We made our way in the dark down a ridge and set up like the previous days waiting for daybreak. Boy we must of had at least 8-10 bulls bugling around us from all sides. Our best bet was a bull above us across the canyon making his way down towards us. We decided to drop down into the canyon and get a little closer to the bull. As I set up about 30 feet above the bottom of the canyon where I had a good view and the guide was behind me about another 20 yards calling. I could hear the bull moving down and bugling, and it was loud, he was close. I caught a glimps of him through the trees moving down the canyon. I repositioned towards his direction of travel and he came into view across the canyon about 80 yards away. I had a perfect view of his left shoulder, and placed the cross hairs of my scope in his shoulder and let her fly. BOOM. That sounded like it should. As I recovered from the recoil I looked and saw the bull standing right where he was when I took the shot for about 2 seconds.
He then ran off about 20 yards then we heard the bull crashing down the hillside. He was down.
We made our way towards him and found him laying there against some trees. He was a 6x6, not as nice as the yesterdays 6x6 bull, but a nice one for my first bull elk.
Now the work began. After the picture taking, cutting and quartering, we had to pack him out of the bottom of the canyon about 1 mile up hill to the truck. I took the shot at about 0700 am. We finally packed him out and got him truck at 5:00 pm. What a long and tiring day.
All in all I had an outstanding time. U.S. Outfitters came through with an excellent guided hunt, we were into bulls from day one. The knowkedge of the guide was excellent, he know the area like the back of his hand, everywhere we hunted we had many bulls around us, and you could'nt beat the accomodations.
Sorry for the long story but I am still excited...
Here are the pictures of my first bull elk. >>> http://community.webshots.com/album/52201657lKFwgZ
Before I left to NM I got a call from the guide and he gave me the low down on the hunt. I was the only one who drew a tag for that area through USO, so it was a 1 on 1 hunt and we had total flexablility on what we could do. We were going to be mobile in order to cover more hunting spots, so it was best not to do a horse camp but stay in a hotel every night and drive to several different hunting spots which were about 20-30 minutes from the hotel. It was fine by me, a hot shower everynight and comfortable bed.
On the first day of the hunt we hiked up a mountain trail which took us almost an hour to get to the top. We were pushing hard to get there before daylight and at 9500 ft I was struggling for every breath. Half way up the mountain I was exhausted and needed to take a break. As I was trying to catch my breath I suddenly had to toss my cookies. There I was
At day break we were making our way around the mountain and we heard an elk bugle behind us from within the trees. We stopped and called to him but he never exposed himself for a shot. We were up there chasing a huge 7x7 elk that the guide had been chasing for the passed two years that no one had been able to get. Maybe I would be the lucky one.
We heard him bugling all morning with his hoarse voice, he sounded real old. He lived in a deep dark canyon that had steep rock walls and very dense coverage. We made our way down there and hiked down the canyon for about 2 miles but we never say him. We made it out of there at about noon time, grabbed some lunch and a break back at the hotel.
Later that afternoon we headed to a burn area and set up in a canyon. As the sun was going down the hills came alive with elk. We herd elk bugling and they were making there way towards us. We moved up the canyon a little further in order to get into shooting range and waited for the herd bull to make his way down to us.
The guide was using cow calls and bugling in order to get the bull out of the trees, the light was slowly leaving and it was getting dark fast. Just as the it was dark we saw the bull in the trees but it was too dark to see and get a clean shot. We'd be back in the morning.
The next morning we headed back to the same canyon in search of that herd bull. We made it around to the top of the canyon and into a saddle that they were using to cross. We set up and managed to get between the bull and a few of his cows. What a great position to be in. As the guide cow called the bull made his way back toward us and his cows. He stopped between some trees, I could see the bull, he was a nice 6x6 but damn, no shot. The big 6x6 finally took another couple of steps and turned towards me head on. He was standing about 25 yards in front of me. I placed the cross hairs at the base of his neck and squeezed the round off. That didnt feel right, I thought. I looked up and saw the bull running down the mountain and dissapear. The guide came up to me and said that the shot did'nt sound right. More like a POP instead of a BOOM. I agreed. We looked for signs of blood or any tell tail signs of a hit, but to no avail.
We searched the rest of the day but did not find him or any sign of him being hit. The only thing I can guess is that the Pyrodex powder might have gotten damp or I loaded the pellets upside down with the black base at the top. ???
On the third day we hunted a new location. We made our way in the dark down a ridge and set up like the previous days waiting for daybreak. Boy we must of had at least 8-10 bulls bugling around us from all sides. Our best bet was a bull above us across the canyon making his way down towards us. We decided to drop down into the canyon and get a little closer to the bull. As I set up about 30 feet above the bottom of the canyon where I had a good view and the guide was behind me about another 20 yards calling. I could hear the bull moving down and bugling, and it was loud, he was close. I caught a glimps of him through the trees moving down the canyon. I repositioned towards his direction of travel and he came into view across the canyon about 80 yards away. I had a perfect view of his left shoulder, and placed the cross hairs of my scope in his shoulder and let her fly. BOOM. That sounded like it should. As I recovered from the recoil I looked and saw the bull standing right where he was when I took the shot for about 2 seconds.
He then ran off about 20 yards then we heard the bull crashing down the hillside. He was down.
We made our way towards him and found him laying there against some trees. He was a 6x6, not as nice as the yesterdays 6x6 bull, but a nice one for my first bull elk.
Now the work began. After the picture taking, cutting and quartering, we had to pack him out of the bottom of the canyon about 1 mile up hill to the truck. I took the shot at about 0700 am. We finally packed him out and got him truck at 5:00 pm. What a long and tiring day.
All in all I had an outstanding time. U.S. Outfitters came through with an excellent guided hunt, we were into bulls from day one. The knowkedge of the guide was excellent, he know the area like the back of his hand, everywhere we hunted we had many bulls around us, and you could'nt beat the accomodations.
Sorry for the long story but I am still excited...
Here are the pictures of my first bull elk. >>> http://community.webshots.com/album/52201657lKFwgZ
