Latir Bighorn Ewe

nmtaxi · Apr 23, 2013

Well... I guess I'm going to be one of those guys. I drew the Latir ewe tag with my third choice. I'm actually pretty darn excited to be hunting sheep this fall, even though it's not for a big ram. I haven't been in the Latir myself. Really I'm just trying to figure out if this hunt is do-able as a pack in hunt, or if you really need horses to get the job done. I could definately think of worse places to spend my summer scouting.

tega52 · Apr 23, 2013

You can hike it, but its a long ways up there to get to the sheep no matter which direction you come from. Beautiful country. I'll be spending most of my summer up there also!

RabidRattleSnake1 · Apr 23, 2013

Don't forget that you can call them in. When I was on my sheep hunt and after I shot mine one of the guys I was with started to bay like a sheep and they came running! It was funny as hell. There we are gutting out this ram and have 12 or so ewes all around us no more than 40 yards. Even after we started to hike out we "called" them and they followed us for a couple of hundred yards. If the Latir sheep are anything like the Wheeler sheep take a baseball bat and leave the gun at home. The rams are a little more cautious, but the ewes are flat out stupid. I messed up by not having my bow with me. I could have taken several rams with my bow. Javlina are harder to hunt. The hard part is getting the tag and then getting up to them.

nmbighorn · Apr 23, 2013

Taxi, do you realize how close you were to drawing a Ram tag with your first two choices, that was my third choice also. You should take Tega up on the horses Latir is his backyard. Congrats on the tag.

STOMPER · Apr 23, 2013

Can you mail me my horns back when you get a chance? all the pieces you have. I have the actual rack. Sorry. didn't mean to jack your thread.

nmtaxi · Apr 24, 2013

"Taxi, do you realize how close you were to drawing a Ram tag with your first two choices, that was my third choice also."

The thought of it haunts me a little. But I'm still pretty stoked to be sheep hunting.

jmgraham1986 · Apr 24, 2013

I drew that tag the first year they had it and killed one with a flintlock/roundball combo. My friend and I parked at Cabresto Lake and hiked into heart lake and made spike camp there. Killed on the first day.

It is gods country. Id def suggest packing in for this hunt. PM me if you'd like any more info. I have more tips, but its too much to type. We can chat on the phone

BTW- The ewe I killed is the best eating animal in the state IMHO. Better than Oryx! And I know that is a mighty bold statement!

Jon

nmbighorn · Apr 24, 2013

jmgraham, Heart lake is special place for my family. We used to camp closer to Baldy Cabin back in the early 80's archery hunting for elk...just to wake up in that basin hearing bull elk bugling all around us was awesome, I saw my first NM Ram just on the knob east of heart lake, my dad and two older bros, a friend and I were glassing from the top of that knob looking for elk, when all of sudden this 7/8 curl Ram steps out in front of us at 30 yards, what a sight, that sight is embedded in my memory like it was yesterday, wow, thanks for the throwback it definitely is God's country. Man I seriously hope I draw a sheep tag one of these days.

NMBIGHORN

cosmic_cowboy · Apr 25, 2013

The road to Cabresto lake has been closed because they re built the dam.Not sure when it will be open but should be by this summer.

CC

nmtaxi · Apr 25, 2013

I talked to the G&F and they said the road to Cabresto should be open before the hunt. I'm getting pretty darn excited about this hunt.

I still can't believe my luck this year in the drawing. I didn't submit apps until the day before the deadline. I drew this hunt, and unit 15 elk with consecutive numbered applications. I also drew 33 deer and javie with consecutive numbered apps. This is going to be a fun fall

jmgraham1986 · Apr 25, 2013

Bighorn- You are right. Loved that place. That old cabin was pretty cool. We spent a entire day up there to acclimate and recover from the hike and we did a ton of exploring. Funny storry about the trip... When we were there Heart lake had a algea bloom and our pump type katadyne water purifier wouldnt work AT ALL. we tried everything, but just as you got a little bit of water to trickle the purifier clogged up. We had to boil EVERYTHING over a campfire. It sucked! I've sense invested in a gravity type purifier.

NM taxi- There is another trail head in.. Its just north of Greenie peak. It is about 2 miles longer, but is MUCH easier to walk. If i had to do it again, I'd go in that way. Feel free to give me a call anytime if you want anymore info.

Jon

Camp at heart lake

Latir Mesa from heart lake

Trophy udders!

Looking for their friend

nmtaxi · Apr 25, 2013

Thanks for the pics and info Jon. I sent you a PM.

NMhunter4life · Apr 25, 2013

nmtaxi, I have been backpacking up there a few times. It is not too bad of a hike in. A similar hike to what we did that day on your muzzleloader elk hunt a few years ago. Give me a call.