Planning for the Draw:
After using up the states I had points in, I decided to enter the New Mexico draw because it was a random draw state. After reviewing the unit draw odds and harvest results, I selected a unit that had better draw odds and that a couple of friends had hunted, so I knew I could get help with info on the unit. After being selected, I contacted the Huntin’ Fool staff and requested a Member Draw list for contact information. After speaking with a Huntin’ Fool member, I then spoke to a couple friends about their experience in this unit.
Planning for the Hunt:
At 57 years of age, I had to prepare physically to give myself the best chance of success, so I started by getting up at 3:30 a.m. to hit the gym for an hour before work every day and adjusted my diet. I then turned to onX maps and Google Earth for endless hours of map study. My strategy after picking out a campsite upon arriving a couple days ahead of opening day was to start at the northern part of the unit and work my way south through the unit, assessing the sign and terrain by hiking, driving, ATV, and glassing. After seeing elk within 10 minutes of leaving camp, our hopes were high. My son, JD, was able to schedule his vacation so he could be there from start to finish and would be a huge asset in filming and calling setups.
The Season Starts:
Opening day had some bulls bugling and close calls but no shot opportunities. We had the many challenges that come with hunting public land - other hunters and a helicopter sky scouting while we got within challenging distance of a good bull. The helicopter circled us a number of times and spooked the elk, adding to another blown stalk (which was reported to a game warden later). We had some close calls along the boundary of the unit and good action every day.
Day of the Kill:
With three days left in the season and the weekend coming and expecting more pressure, I had decided to take the first decent bull I had a shot at. We started out back on the unit boundary at daylight and saw and heard elk in the morning. Then things slowed down, so we decided to move and set up on a water tank. We had a bull coming, but he didn't commit. With morning running out, we decided to hike up on the next ridge. We called into the next canyon and got a response on the next ridge over. We took off towards the bugling bull and kept calling to close in on him. By the time we got to the bottom of the canyon, he was coming up the ridge ahead of us and was coming fast. I moved ahead another 50 yards and set up next to a pine tree just as he came into view. Another soft cow call pulled him off the ridge and into the draw we were in. I picked an opening I thought he'd walk into and came to draw. I stopped him in the opening with a sfot cow call only for him to stop right behind the only little sapling in the opening. I couldn't stay at draw any longer and let down. I called in another direction behind the tree I was next to, causing him to change direction and give me another shot opportunity. Stopping him again at 40 yards, my release went off and the arrow hit a little high. I called and stopped him right away. He began coughing, so we knew he was hit in the lung and then he walked back up on the ridge he came off of and bedded down. We gave him an hour, which seemed to take forever. We hiked up to where we had last heard him, and my son said, "Hey, Dad, over here!" I knew what that meant without looking. This was a special moment because my son had been hunting with me since he was 12 (now 28) and had been in on many kills afterwards but had never actually been with me during the kill. This was a special celebration for us.
After pictures and processing into game bags, we packed out. Finally back at camp late that night after a long and glorious day of memories made and a few short hours of sleep, we headed back home, heavy, happy, and tired.
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