Posted By: TexFlip
2011 NM Elk Hunt - 09/07/12 12:18 AM
So, my 30th birthday was last October and my awesome wife hooked me up with an elk hunt. We arrived in Eagle Nest, NM on a Friday for the 5 day hunt starting Saturday. It was a free range, private land guided hunt, stalking and glassing on about 2000 acres. Went out all 5 days of the hunt and finally had a chance at a shooter on the last day. On day one I put a rag horn 4x5 in my crosshairs but figured I would risk passing him up since I had four more days. Next day saw a herd of about 70 with a nice 7x7 and 4 or 5 decent bulls but they were about 1500 yards out. The next two days I only had glimpses of bulls. On the 5th morning I knew it was my last chance to get a bull and was optimistic about seeing a shooter. It was raining, foggy, and around 40 degrees when I caught a glimps of a cow through the fog and moved in about 30 yards toward her. When I got into cover I saw she was the lead cow in a small herd and knew there had to be a bull. He was in the middle of a herd of about 40 elk, all cows except for a rag horn and a spike. Around 7:10 I was finally able to get him in my sights and see he had a decent rack. I couldn't count the points but could tell he had a high rack and it was the last day so it was "now or never" time. I ranged him at 196 yards and put a 140gr 270WSM behind his left shoulder. The herd balled up and surrounded him for about 15 seconds then they broke out towrds the tree line. He stayed put and I knew he was mine. I put another TSX in his ribs for good measure and he sat down and gave up. Walked out to him and discovered he was a respectable 6x6. Best birthday present I could ever dream of.
