New Mexico elk - 10/12/18
This all happened in September, but it took me a while to retrieve my camera that I left behind. A picture or it didn't happen, right.
I flew to Clovis, NM and bought a 2018 Ford F-150 at a local dealership. Had some connections with the ownership to get a good deal. (Long story) Two days later I was hunting Elk in southwestern NM.
An outfitters guide put me in the midst of elk the first morning and had some close encounters with four raghorn bulls. Late in the day we got on to a nice herd bull with nine cows, but lack of cover and satellite bulls prevented closing on him to bow range, so we backed out and planned to catch up the next morning. We were in place at dawn and the park we overlooked was full of elk. The wind was in our favor and with good cover we managed to close the distance to within 75 yards without being detected.
We focused on what we thought was the big bull we saw yesterday with nine cows, but now his harem was 13 and there was only one satellite bull. Suddenly, a bull bugled from the right and out of sight. The herd bull answered each subsequent bugle and trotted in that direction. Up out of a draw a 5x6 bull went tearing past the herd bull and ran off four cows in a matter of seconds and they headed right towards us. At 30 yards I could have stopped the 5x6 and put an arrow into him, but I wanted the herd bull.
In the meantime two cows broke from the group and headed towards us. I am thinking their relatives left with the 5x6. The herd bull moved to intercept them placing him within 35 yards of me. I was at full draw and released when he stopped broadside. Complete pass thru and he made it into the timber 75 yards away then we heard him pile up.
Lot of excitement in a short period of time. Love it.
![[Linked Image]](http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt260/jackpine44/elkbow_zpshl6i2phi.jpg)
I flew to Clovis, NM and bought a 2018 Ford F-150 at a local dealership. Had some connections with the ownership to get a good deal. (Long story) Two days later I was hunting Elk in southwestern NM.
An outfitters guide put me in the midst of elk the first morning and had some close encounters with four raghorn bulls. Late in the day we got on to a nice herd bull with nine cows, but lack of cover and satellite bulls prevented closing on him to bow range, so we backed out and planned to catch up the next morning. We were in place at dawn and the park we overlooked was full of elk. The wind was in our favor and with good cover we managed to close the distance to within 75 yards without being detected.
We focused on what we thought was the big bull we saw yesterday with nine cows, but now his harem was 13 and there was only one satellite bull. Suddenly, a bull bugled from the right and out of sight. The herd bull answered each subsequent bugle and trotted in that direction. Up out of a draw a 5x6 bull went tearing past the herd bull and ran off four cows in a matter of seconds and they headed right towards us. At 30 yards I could have stopped the 5x6 and put an arrow into him, but I wanted the herd bull.
In the meantime two cows broke from the group and headed towards us. I am thinking their relatives left with the 5x6. The herd bull moved to intercept them placing him within 35 yards of me. I was at full draw and released when he stopped broadside. Complete pass thru and he made it into the timber 75 yards away then we heard him pile up.
Lot of excitement in a short period of time. Love it.
![[Linked Image]](http://s617.photobucket.com/user/jackpine44/media/elkbow_zpshl6i2phi.jpg.html)
![[Linked Image]](https://s617.photobucket.com/user/jackpine44/media/elknewmexico3_zpsmorw4awy.jpg.html)
![[Linked Image]](https://s617.photobucket.com/user/jackpine44/media/elknewmexico2_zpscrqcx62a.jpg.html)