My brother's wife took her first big game animal sunday. She has hunted dove and ducks with him and has been on several hunts including his new zealand red stag but has never had a tag in her pocket. She wanted to try an elk hunt here in new mexico, so I made some recommendations and we got her applications sent. Lo and behold first time out of the chute she draws a muzzy tag in a really nice area, lucky gal (except for the being married to my little brother part :grin: ) We were all terribly excited for her and little bro got to drop a load of cash on a new muzzleloader and she safari collection. guiding duties fell upon me as I am pretty familiar with the unit and I was really putting some pressure on myself to make sure she had an enjoyable and hopefully successful first hunt, little bro did his part and had her at the range a couple times a week during the summer. early scouting efforts did not turn up many elk and I was a little nervous, but having been in the area quite a bit during the rut I felt confident that she would be treated to some elk rut pandemonium when the bulls moved in. Unfortuneately I had to suspend scouting efforts for a week of prolonged and intense suffering known in new mexico as ibex hunting which I will comment on in another post. My brother went in a couple days early and his wife, her brother and I came up the night before the hunt. Did a little snooping around that evening and was able to show her twelve bulls in about two and a half hours, the rut was tailing off but you would not have guessed it from all the beligerent racket coming off of the mountain. Opening day rolled in with high hopes and an impenetrable fog that completely shut the elk down and limited visibility to about eighty yards, found a couple of bulls that day but couldnt' find "one". Sunday started out even worse, but about noon the fog cleared, the temps rose and elk came roaring out of the timber. We found a very large bull that evening with a group of cows, but saw another group of hunters that were already making a play at him while we were planning our stalk. Few things enrage me more than having unethical monkey people from the hills try to take an animal that I am clearly hunting and I take pains to see that I do not do it to others. While discussing how to stay out of their way i glassed another promising bull further down the valley. We decided he was worthy and I sent the happy couple off while I watched from a ridge across the way. After an extremely suspenseful stalk a shot rang out of the black timber across the way. I'd like to congatulate my sister in law for all of her dedication and effort and offer my thanks for sharing such a great hunt with me.
Fun fact: The larger bull that we bypassed was also taken by a first time female hunter, way to go ladies!!
Fun fact: The larger bull that we bypassed was also taken by a first time female hunter, way to go ladies!!
