Ibex Population Reduction

BigDaddyL · Feb 7, 2018

I found out last week that I was selected for the Ibex Population Herd Reduction Hunt occurring March 3-7, 2018. The hunt is for a Female/Immature with 15" or less horns. After the harvest, I can take the skull in to NMGF for seal attachment. This will then enter me into a special incentive drawing for an any weapon mature billie hunt.

I have a question:

1. What do you recommend that I carry with me for this hunt? Should I plan on staying up on the mountain and therefore carry a lot with me? Or, will it be possible to remain at the bottom for the majority or return to the bottom each night? I am going to DIY this hunt with help from friends, so I just want to plan accordingly. I will be shooting a 7mm Remington Magnum that I am comfortable shooting to 700 yards if necessary.

As always, thank you for all the info and advice you all give. I appreciate it very much.

nmhunt4food · Feb 7, 2018

It'll be fine to hunt from the bottom each day. You'll be able to glass and get within reasonable rifle range without much trouble. Good luck!

nmhunt4food trekking the desert

BigDaddyL · Feb 7, 2018

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it.

NMhunter4life · Feb 7, 2018

They are a very small animal. I would not recommend shooting at 700 yards. It is plenty easy to get under 400 if you know how to hunt. The little billies also hit 15" very fast so make sure not to shoot one that is too big. They confiscate several every year that are too large.

OCHO · Feb 7, 2018

Have the same hunt! Should be fun! Looking for a giant nany! Lol

BigDaddyL · Feb 8, 2018

Thanks everyone!

Good luck OCHO, maybe we will run into each other out there. lol

OCHO · Feb 8, 2018

Yup! Adobe Deli is a must eat there FYI

BigDaddyL · Feb 8, 2018

Ok thanks for the heads up, we will have to swing by there.

505sniper · Feb 8, 2018

I will be out the same weekend going solo once again. I will be driving out from ABQ if anyone wants to team up? I've been successful solo every year it's just fun hanging with some friends. Good luck guys save one for me!

5yearcoueshunter · Feb 8, 2018

My Dad got called for this hunt as well. He's looking for his first Ibex at age 68. 505Sniper, PM sent.

Travis

264mag · Feb 8, 2018

>Yup! Adobe Deli is a must
>eat there FYI

+1 !!

BigDaddyL · Feb 8, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Feb-08-18 AT 08:48PM (MST)[p]I like the idea of meeting up and maybe even teaming up. Feel free to PM me as well if you want to link up. I have done it before and had a great time with a fellow MM member.

Todd

Oryxrus · Feb 10, 2018

I would seriously think about carrying an orange vest in your pack or wearing one in case you get in a situation where there are to many hunters in your area. It can get uncomfortable sometimes with that many hunters. Be safe and I hope you get one.

BigDaddyL · Feb 14, 2018

Thanks, I always carry some orange with me just in case.

OCHO · Feb 17, 2018

I will have orange!! Just found out there are 600 tags for this WWII shoot out...

5yearcoueshunter · Feb 18, 2018

Its not 600 tags per hunt, it's 150 spread out for 4 hunts. Still, orange probably not a bad idea. Be safe fellas.

Travis

NMhunter4life · Feb 19, 2018

I was just up there helping out on the regular draw F-IM hunt. The amount of tags G&F is giving out is ridiculous. I doubt there are even 600 female ibex left on the mountain. I have hunted or helped out on hunts for the past 5 years in a row and I am seeing about 15-20% of the daily numbers I would see 3-5 years ago. It is looking like the G&F is going to shoot them down to really low numbers and it is going to be like the 1990's again.

From my observations I would say the top end trophy billies have pretty much all been shot out. I didn't see anything over 40". The herds you see now have a few nannies and a bunch of 20-30" young billies with a rare older white billy.

Oryxrus · Feb 20, 2018

150 per hunt is significant, it's not like its 150 bow hunters. I've been on the mountain with 100 bow hunters and if you include their spotters your looking at 200-250 people on that mountain. The good thing is after the weekend it usually reduces down to the serious hunters which is good, but these are all rifle hunters shooting long distances in most cases. Having an orange vest is a great idea especially on a retrieval.

El Gringo · Feb 28, 2018

>I was just up there helping
>out on the regular draw
>F-IM hunt. The amount
>of tags G&F is giving
>out is ridiculous. I
>doubt there are even 600
>female ibex left on the
>mountain. I have hunted
>or helped out on hunts
>for the past 5 years
>in a row and I
>am seeing about 15-20% of
>the daily numbers I would
>see 3-5 years ago. It
>is looking like the G&F
>is going to shoot them
>down to really low numbers
>and it is going to
>be like the 1990's again.

NMGFD is the most incompetent in the country. Such a shame
>
>
>From my observations I would say
>the top end trophy billies
>have pretty much all been
>shot out. I didn't
>see anything over 40".
>The herds you see now
>have a few nannies and
>a bunch of 20-30" young
>billies with a rare older
>white billy.

Prime_Beef · Feb 28, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-18 AT 04:06PM (MST)[p]The stated BLM optimum target for a sustainable ibex herd in the Floridas is 400 animals. FOUR HUNDRED IBEX. That's the deal, folks. 400 doesn't sound like much, but that's what they're working towards.

FWIW, when I did my OIL in 1994, the herd was reportedly 1500-1800 animals.

foldem_aug · Mar 7, 2018

This sounds like madness to me. If there are so many ibex why is there so few tags. If there is to many females to males why not just up the nanny tags for a few years in a row and see how it goes, instead of just one big bang. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.