First Time Alone for the hunt

TooEarly · Sep 19, 2015

Hello all,
I am a first time hunter alone( hunted with parents in Idaho, but never NM). I got a tag this year for 16B Mature Bull Elk. I know how to look and scout for elk. My biggest problem is I don't have a lot of money for an outfitter(so that's out), I don't have many friends in NM and the ones I do don't camp/hunt so I am going it alone. On the off chance I do get an Elk I could use some advice. I don't know any game processors and other than Youtube are there any good sites for first time hunters(watched my parents but never have done it myself). I think I am screwed but I'm not going to give up until I have no other choice. lol.

Thanks in Advance.

BUGLEnmIN · Sep 19, 2015

First of all congrats on an awesome tag.. 1st or 2nd hunt???? Now I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but take it from someone who knows the unit and have spent tons of time there. You drew one of the most physically demanding, toughest hunts around.In the event you down a bull you need to know how to skin quarter and pack the animal out(it is wilderness) before spoiling the meat. So physical condition is a must. So alone is probably not the best choice your first time. We have stock to do most the work and still we are exhausted by the days end. So please think twice before pulling that trigger, just be sure he won't be wasted.

backpacker · Sep 19, 2015

I wouldn't give up, just know your limits. Elk are big animals, don't get overwhelmed once it's down (especially when you're solo). Maybe hunt within 1-2 miles of the trailheads. Look up the gutless video on elk101 .com. Buy some quality game bags (not the cheesecloth type), get it quartered and hung asap, get that airflow going around it.

I killed my bull this yr 2 miles down a canyon in one of the few places in my unit I could not take an atv. I quartered it, threw it in caribou game bags and set them on a plastic drop cloth while I took apart the rest of the animal. Afterwards, game bags were hung in the shade where they could be cooled. It took 2 days to get it all packed out but I lost no meat. If you hang it overnight make sure to throw something over it to keep the rain off as you don't want it to get wet either (I used the aforementioned drop cloth).

two7D · Sep 20, 2015

What backpacker said. Know your limits and you will be fine

slickhunter · Sep 20, 2015

wild game lasts surprising a long time if it's cool quickly and develops that nice dry "skin" on the outside. I've had caribou hang for 7 days in the bush, it got pretty warm during the day but kept in the shade, it was fine.

I'm in the same boat as you this year, doing a solo hunt so prepared to take it slow and accept it will take me time to get the entire animal out in the event I'm successfull.

Find a drainage with a creek, hang it in their, it will be cooler plus airflow down the drainage will help. Another option is contractor bags and sink the meat in a stream.

good luck,
John

TooEarly · Sep 20, 2015

First hunt I think Oct 17 - 21. I grew up wanting the meat not the trophy so believe me when I say if I don't think I can haul it out then I wont shoot. Thanks for the advice.

TooEarly · Sep 20, 2015

I will check out the website thanks.

TooEarly · Sep 20, 2015

Thanks.

TooEarly · Sep 20, 2015

Thanks John I will remember about lots of air flow.

NMWapiti33 · Sep 20, 2015

What everybody already said is right on. One thing I recommend is learning to debone the meat in the field. This takes more time, but when you are by yourself and have a 2 mile pack-out ahead of you, you will be glad you took the time to get rid of those extra pounds!!! If you do get in a bind...there is a couple places in Reserve that offer horse pack-out services for guys who drop elk in some nasty stuff!! Im not sure how far you will be from Reserve, but keep that in mind. You can always skin, quarter and hang your meat, and get into town to find help getting it all out!!! Good luck and congrats on drawing one amazing unit!!!

mozey · Sep 20, 2015

Been there and done that--I was lucky enough to have someone teach me how to do it the first time I put an elk down about three miles from the vehicle. I agree that you'll want to know how to de-bone if it comes to that--but from what I've learned, the meat will be more tender if you can leave the bone in for several days. So unless it's absolutely necessary (and I've been in that situation when I had to pack one out about nine miles), I would try to avoid de-boning in the field.

I would agree with everything else that everyone has said. The other thing that the old-timer who taught me recommended was to pee a circle around whatever meat you leave hanging in the field overnight to deter ground predators/scavengers, and make certain that the tree you pick to hang it in also blocks the view of the crows/buzzards from above. When you're approaching it the next day, make sure you glass the area from a safe distance before walking up to it, and if you're no longer worried about spooking elk for another hunter then make some noise too.

Good luck!

MoGreen · Sep 20, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Sep-20-15 AT 06:37PM (MST)[p]Greetings

Can you check in the nearest town to get the phone number from 2-3 people (the more the better) who will come in on a horse and pack it out for you? That is what I would do. Find some people with horses and get their numbers.

You will need to have the animal quartered before they get there and "maybe" out to the trail depending on where it goes down.

I am not familiar with 16B. I have only been up North. But anywhere out West that I have hunted, I have always been able to get the numbers of people with horses.

If you can't then get it off the bone and hang it on the North or East side of the mountain. As long as it gets down below ~40 at night, you should be good ~3 days or so (but I sense you probably already know that).

Hope it helps. Good luck!

BUGLEnmIN · Sep 20, 2015

>LAST EDITED ON Sep-20-15
>AT 06:37?PM (MST)
>
>Greetings
>
>Can you check in the nearest
>town to get the phone
>number from 2-3 people (the
>more the better) who will
>come in on a horse
>and pack it out for
>you? That is what
>I would do. Find
>some people with horses and
>get their numbers.
>
>You will need to have the
>animal quartered before they get
>there and "maybe" out to
>the trail depending on where
>it goes down.
>
>I am not familiar with 16B.
> I have only been
>up North. But anywhere
>out West that I have
>hunted, I have always been
>able to get the numbers
>of people with horses.
>
>If you can't then get it
>off the bone and hang
>it on the North or
>East side of the mountain.
> As long as it
>gets down below ~40 at
>night, you should be good
>~3 days or so (but
>I sense you probably already
>know that).
>
>Hope it helps. Good luck!
>

This is the reason I asked which my hunt you drew, I will be there for the 2nd rifle, I may be able to help you find a packer. If you're interested let me know.

TooEarly · Sep 29, 2015

I am very interested. Any help is apreciated.

stoney · Sep 30, 2015

Don't try to go in too far. Year after year I see guys whom kill bulls way back in and then they are very hard pressed to get all the meat out. Oct. is a little more forgiving but if you aren't able to find a packer you should be really prepared for a hard pack out on your back. Packers don't come cheap like probably in the $500-$700 range depending on where you get your elk.

The lure of the wilderness hunt and the bit better odds of drawing sometimes gets many hunters in trouble.