Elk in Sandias

Trad Bow 1979 · Feb 27, 2018

There are a few sources saying elk have been seen or heard in the Sandia mountains. Anyone hear the same thing?

vinihunt · Feb 27, 2018

yes and whitetail too

saw elk off highway 14 toward Golden

rarely see them too

Viper3000 · Feb 27, 2018

I've heard that also. Before this past summer I would've said no way but on a hike this past summer we jumped a couple cows out of a small canyon while trying to find a geocache!

coryb · Feb 27, 2018

I've seen tracks near my place at frost and 14. Also know a credible local rancher who has seen them on his stock ponds.

Cory

Trad Bow 1979 · Feb 27, 2018

Whitetail? Now that sounds crazy LOL. But I guess if I'm asking if anyone has seen elk in the Sandias than I can't call anyone crazy if they say they have seen unicorns too. Thanks for the replies guys!

BUGLEnmIN · Feb 27, 2018

Seen WHITETAIL on the east side for a while now. Caught my first glimpse of one on the west side last December.

ixsolracxi · Feb 27, 2018

I saw my first elk in the Sandia's in the mid 90's...almost hit a small herd of cows and their calves one night going to the peak...told game and fish about it but wasn't believed...guess it helped i was majoring in wildlife science down at state...

BeDawg · Feb 28, 2018

Couse or Eastern variety?

live4muleys · Mar 1, 2018

Eastern. I have seen the whitetail, but have not seen an elk yet.

BUGLEnmIN · Mar 1, 2018

Eastern. Raised on a ranch in the Manzanos and been seeing them for 17 years there. Friend of mine killed a170" ten point up there.

Servehim · Mar 1, 2018

I've lived in a remote area of east Mtns for 35 yrs, to date I've only seen 1 elk and zero WT. To be honest I'm surprised that I've only seen 1 because I've encountered lots of elk track and droppings while getting my exercise hiking behind my home. Turkey are getting to be annoying ( burning lots of pics) at my trail cam set up at my home over water , waiting for the first pic of an elk hitting my tank .

BUGLEnmIN · Mar 2, 2018

Not sure where exactly you live serve .Lower lands between chilli and tajique is where we've seen most !!!

Trad Bow 1979 · Mar 2, 2018

Aren?t those areas the Manzanos? Im talking about the actual Sandias north of I40. But yea ive heard of them in the Manzanos too

Deepsix · Mar 2, 2018

I don't want to split hairs, however I was thinking the same thing. I hunted the 2017 youth hunt(GMU #8) with my son and was constantly on the look out for white tails, never did see any sign of WT or elk. We did see a ton of turkey East and Westside as well as lots well educated shooter mule deer bucks.

Servehim · Mar 2, 2018

Yes, I took thread to talk about Sandia elk. I live back on La Maderia near Paako . Only 1 elk in my time up here but lots of track and droppings. They are here but just haven't seen them .