What about Cow elk over in the Raton area?
Anyone have any ideas they might get to over in that part of the state?.
I do a cow elk hunt out of raton on a landowner tag through Kiowa outfitters. Not cheap but doable. He's booked out I believe for this year but I have done six hunts with then and brought home meat every time. I figure counting the hunt, license and other fees plus gas, food and lodging to run me about $3K give or and a $100. It's an easy hunt for old geezers such as myself and I am somewhat handicapped. FWIW, I'll be there in early December for a hunt and I'll be 81 Y.O. at that time. The ranch is Ted Turner's Vermejo Park and they usually have a high success rate on those cow hunts.
Paul B.
I agree on all points that Paul made here.
Figure on including a decent tip to your guide.
Tim Barraclough, who runs Kiowa Hunting Service, includes advice on tips in his materials. His firm is very popular for good reason. It's an awfully easy hunt the way he sets it up. He hires good guides too.
We live south of Santa Fe about 40 miles, so we dove up for a cow elk hunt in mid-December, met our guide at the very nice Best Western motel in Raton, and he then drove us out to Vermejo Park Ranch, scouted elk by driving us around the west side of it, where we saw huge numbers of elk including a few dandy bulls, and helped us with knowledgeable advice and hard work on harvesting cows the same day.
I'd say that even old geezers, of which I am one myself, if they do their part by shooting accurately, should definitely score 100% of the time there. Great country, and friends who have stayed on the ranch (for a little more expense) said that it was thoroughly enjoyable too.
Vermejo has its own weighing station and there is at least one fine processor in Raton. If you can stay around long enough for them to prepare your meat and wrap the cuts in butcher paper and cardboard boxes, that's the way to go.
Norm