3 months from today

[Mobuck]

We head out for New Mexico. I can only hope the fall weather cooperates and we're finished with harvest on a normal schedule. Five years ago, we were still cutting soybeans in mid-November.
I'm taking another 'elk virgin' this year. He's not seen a wild elk in his life--same scenario as my Cousin in 2018. I think it's fun just watching the new guys on their first elk. This year's hunt is almost a month earlier than the past hunts so there may be some bugling still going on. I do have an ulterior motive--it's nice to have these younger guys in the group so I don't have to drive and they can afford to have newer pickups than mine.

 

[Badger Matt]

Good luck! We're just over two months out from our New Mexico cow elk hunt near Raton. I'll be the bartender, Sherpa, photographer, and step-n-fetch. It'll be my father, my son, and my best buddy doing the trigger pulling.

 

[WendyZXZ]

Best of luck!

 

[Mobuck]

Matt, which route are you taking?

 

[Badger Matt]

I-40 to I-24 to I-57 to I-64 to I-70. We're making a detour for a few days in Loveland, CO for some fly-fishing and altitude acclimation. Then we'll head down I-25. Looks like we'll take a more southerly route home...

 

[Mobuck]

That's a decent route. You might look at jumping the river west of Paducah and take I55 into St Louis. Last time I was that way, it was good. I 70 had some rough spots across MO but I haven't been that way for a while.
For the return, I 40 was good all the way to Oklahoma City last time I was there. Lots of windmills and cotton fields. Don't know how it is east from OKC.
I don't like to drive interstates mostly cause I can't keep up with the normal traffic and I like to 'farm' as I travel. When we went to Chama, NM last year we stopped to take pics of antique machinery, to check out a sprayer(bought that one), and just look at interesting stuff making the trip take 1/2 day longer than the Google map estimate.
This year's route hasn't been picked yet. I need to set up a group meeting soon to work out details of our trip. The new guy hasn't got his account set up with NM Fish & Game yet so need to work that out.

 

[Mobuck]

We drove 100 miles to visit with relatives yesterday. He's my old time hunting buddy and has a mule deer hunt booked with the somewhat questionable operation where I went in 2020. I took my iPAD and showed him how things laid out and where we hunted, and where the touristy picture spots were on the drive out. Gave him some advice on precautions to take when dealing with the guides/outfitter/meat processor and caught him up on how things actually played out last year. Hope it goes better for him.
He would have invited me to ride along as an observer this year except mid-September is a really busy time for us and I don't think it would be a good idea for me to go back there anyway. He's much more of a trophy hunter than I and prefers a muzzle loader so our choices of hunts are much different these days.

 

[Badger Matt]

Thanks for the route advice Mobuck. We had a pretty smooth trip out and back in July and it'd be nice to have October go as well.

 

[Mobuck]

Getting closer. We leave in 60 days. Have a meeting set up for next Monday to hash out the details and get the other guys' licenses bought. Not sure how much of the West our new member has seen or wants to see along the way. He's a farmer too so lots of interesting stuff to check out.

 

[Mobuck]

I hosted our first pre-hunt get together yesterday morning. My Cousin and the new member had not met so there was some of the usual familiarization small talk while I got their online license purchases organized. Then a discussion of route options, time frame, travel stops, and other minor details. I confirmed my suspicion that new guy is in the '75 MPH and up' driving group and doesn't seem to have much fear of hitting deer on the road so the g00gle driving time of 14 hours may be beaten. I plan to strap myself snugly in the back seat and take a pillow. I'll let the new guy (pickup owner) and the professional OTR truck driver handle the front seat operations.
Since this is new guy's first rifle elk hunt(he's been on 1 unsuccessful archery elk hunt), he had lots of questions about the shooting aspect. I dunno, he claims to be a real whizbang shot but since I've not really seen him shoot, it's hard to say. I can safely bet Cousin hasn't fired a rifle since he shot last year's elk but that's not my problem, either.

 

[Badger Matt]

Headed west in 3 weeks...and I can hardly wait. We'll spend a couple days in Colorado, hopefully fly fishing with my father, then head down near Raton, New Mexico for the elk. I promise a bunch of pics and will try and string together a trip report.

 

[contender]

If you get the time, drive from Raton to Cimmarron, (about 30 miles,) and visit the St. James Hotel. It's WELL worth the side trip. Read up on the history before you go, and you'll see why I say this.

 

[Mobuck]

Hope things go well with you Matt.
I think my old hunting buddy is heading out to Chama about the same time as you're headed for Raton.
The other guys got their licenses on the way during our meeting Monday and I already have my license in hand.
I'm not changing any major equipment this year(last year I did some big changes on both my primary and backup rifle) so hoping this year will be mostly sorting/choosing clothing and not forgetting my prescriptions like I did last year.

 

[Badger Matt]

If you get the time, drive from Raton to Cimmarron, (about 30 miles,) and visit the St. James Hotel. It's WELL worth the side trip. Read up on the history before you go, and you'll see why I say this.

Thanks Ty. We plan to fly fish the Cimarron River if the guys get their elk early enough...or we need to wait a day or two for meat to be cut up and frozen. My father is a huge history buff. He'd love to have lunch there.

Mobuck - Hope this year's hunt is smoother than last year's. Vacations shouldn't be adding stress...

 

[Badger Matt]

Loaded up some 180gr Speer Grand Slams for my buddy's .308 Win for the hunt. Should be stepping out at just below 2600 fps. Ought to do the job. I'm bringing my .338 Winnie with some Barnes TSX as a back-up should anyone's rifle go down.

 

[Mobuck]

What kind of country are you expecting to hunt? Our first 2 trips to the ranch west of Albuquerque involved mostly open ground with arroyos and bluffs here and there. According to the outfitter, we should expect shots as long as shooter skill could reach. The third trip, our guide was toting a 300 Ultramag with range sensing/compensating scope and expected we might shoot 500+ yards. I told him flat out I wasn't shooting that rifle nor was I shooting 500 yards--it was his job to get us closer. That hunt took place in high sage making distances misleading and shot placement difficult.
No idea what we'll find this year but outfitter said we'll be hunting hay fields and trails to/from those fields so likely 200-300 yards across open ground.
I'm sticking with the 25/06 that I've used previously and expecting to get a mostly broadside shot under 350 yards. Cousin is taking a .270 Win again this year since he bought 4 boxes of ammo for it last year. New guy is taking a 308 w/Burris Eliminator which he claims is capable of hitting a paper plate @400 yards 100%.
I'd like to take my suppressed 6.5 Creedmoor but it's simply too unwieldy for this type of hunt(and I don't want to do the paperwork to take it out of state). The 6.5Cr is about neck and neck with the 25/06 energy wise but falls behind on flat trajectory. This was proven last year while shooting does for the freezer. I held as I would with the 25/06 on a long range shot and the 6.5 went under the brisket. The suppressor allowed me another chance and with a hold 3-4" higher, I hit where I wanted.
We are now 48 days from 'load and go'. I haven't had time to get excited yet. Once harvest is complete, I can begin to get things organized.

 

[Badger Matt]

Country sounds a bit tamer where we'll be. Shots around 200 yds give or take. I'm not a hunter on this trip, but would use my 338 if I was. I too love my 25-06. She's a real sweet-heart and I enjoy hunting whitetails with her.

 

[Mobuck]

Earlier today I got a text and pic of the 4x3 muley buck my friend got with his muzzleloader. Darned nice buck that looks to be wider than the ears and really tall. Counter to his usual 'hold out for the best', he said this one was better than average but not nearly as big as one they saw beyond ML range.
There seems to be a persistent issue with the meat processor/taxidermist in Chama as far as getting meat legal to bring home. Friend is having problems same as we did last year.

 

[Badger Matt]

Mobuck - That's a real shame. You'd think in a business that relies upon out-of-state hunters, they'd learn the CWD rules and do the right thing.

 

[onehandgunner]

Mobuck, you are going to NMGMU 46 near Wagon Mound ?

 

[Mobuck]

I think that's correct.

 

[Kanook]

There is no permission needed/paperwork to take a silencer out of state that is yours.
Just a copy of the stamp is all. (And the states you are going to allow them)

 

[Mobuck]

Well thanks Kanook. I did more research and found I'd received some incorrect info from my dealer.
Somewhat moot point since I don't have any suitable ammo for using the 6.5C on elk anyway but at least I'm better informed.

 

[fiasconva]

Are the elk tags transferable? I saw one for sale locally on Craigslist not too long ago.

 

[Mobuck]

I'm not an expert and few state regs are the same: Some states have landowner depredation/herd reduction permits that are provided to landowners who are suffering losses due to wintering elk/deer herds. In New Mexico it seems that these landowner vouchers are a valuable commodity within the outfitter community. All of my NM elk hunts have been on these landowner voucher tags. In 2018 & 19 we hunted with an outfitter who was a relative of the landowner but last year and next month we're hunting on the same type of voucher tag which the outfitter has provided. I assume the outfitter paid the landowner(s) for their voucher(s) so he could use the 'no draw' feature to attract hunters.
I have no idea how this works in other states except MO. In MO, landowner tags are non-transferable. Once a tag is issued, there's no swapping.

 

[fiasconva]

Sorry for not making myself clear. The tag advertised was a New Mexico tag and I was just wondering.

 

[Mobuck]

If it's a 'landowner voucher' then it might be legally transferable. Once the 'tag' is purchased, I don't think that part is transferable. The landowner voucher guarantees receiving a tag not subject to drawings or lottery. It is not a license or 'tag'.
About a month ago, the outfitter emailed me the 6 digit voucher codes for use in buying our tags. Then it was just a matter of accessing the NM fish and game website, logging into our individual account, entering those numbers, selecting the proper license and habitat stamps, and providing CC payment.
To their credit, NM was on the ball and our tags arrived within 7-10 days.

 

[Mobuck]

2 1/2 weeks to go. Time is getting tight as all the stuff starts piling up. Having troubles with the furnace installation. All the HVAC guys are too busy to help with a piece of ductwork that's absolutely required. I didn't realize this old house had obscure sized ducts. If I can't get a piece made locally today, I have to order from Menards with a Nov 15 delivery. That's cutting things way too close.
Talked to the new partner in the hunt a couple days back. He's trying to catch up with farm work and get stuff finished also. I'd made a couple of suggestions about ammo selection and he said he has that covered. Cousin is in the same boat as last year although he does know where his rifle and ammo is this time. I guess some are just that way.
I've been shooting a couple times a week but last evening began more rigorous efforts. Twenty five rounds through the 77/22 each evening from now until heading out. Started at 50 yards on the 2" swingers but found that was too easy and moved back to 65. Still good but that may be approaching the limit of the 30+ year old ammo I'm using.
I still haven't checked the zero on the 25/06 and need to reset the 6.5Cr for hunting ammo. Still have goats downrange of the target butt and Son sort of indicated he didn't trust the bullet stopping capability of what I'm using after seeing what the 6.5 does to the 300 meter plate.

 

[Badger Matt]

Mobuck - I hope all goes well on your hunt. Ours was a blast. I elected not to get a tag because that would be waaay too much meat if we were all successful. Good thing as everyone in camp filled their tags, whether cow elk, Mule Deer, or both. I enjoyed myself so much I booked a cow elk and Mule Deer hunt for 2023.

Me and my son with his elk.

Me and my father with his elk.

 

[Mobuck]

Wow Matt, that's GREAT!!!! You are blessed to have both Dad and Son on this trip.
Did you guys ambush them as they came out of the timber cover?
I've been watching the weather for the area where we're going. Temps in the lower country are nearly the same as here in north MO but I'm certain it will be colder up in the high ground. Lots of points and ridgelines running up to 9000'+ so I'm expecting snow at those elevations by mid-November. I'm fine with that as long as it doesn't get colder than mid-teens.