Monster Gila Bull

1FastGambler · Oct 29, 2008

Where are they? Did nobody harvest a monster bull in the Gila this year? Or are the good ole days over?

I have to say that during the two weeks I spent in 16C & 16A this fall the biggest bull I saw was a 340 class.

What's up?!?!

Someone please show me proof that there are still some "Gila Monsters"!

"WIndage & Elevation Pilgrim, Windage & Elevation"

nmelktrout · Oct 29, 2008

I've been wondering the same thing man.... I only saw one 340" class bull on the hoof this year and have seen a few dead ones in that class but nothing much bigger. Northern part of the Gila has been dead for us this year. Wierd rut, tons of grass and water, and scattered elk. Don't know what has been going on this year... Haven't seen or heard of any truly big boys coming out at all yet this year. Only legit 400 I know of came off of the Acoma Reservation.

NMHUNTNUTTG · Oct 29, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Oct-29-08 AT 10:05PM (MST)[p]Wayne Carlton slammed a monster bull down there somewhere. There was some pics at bowsite dotcom....Big Al Morris was hunting with him too.

leftturnabq · Oct 30, 2008

Yep. They're all gone now. Time to move on and start putting in somewhere else.

One of my old hunting buddies arrowed a bull that'll push 340 in 16A, but I saw a much, much bigger bull on the opening evening of my hunt. No pictures, only my memory.

Went back on the 2nd rifle hunt with my pops, took 2 days to figure out how to get him back there, had bulls screaming at each other from across a 300 yard draw (one of them very likely to have been the big one), and the old man didn't want to go after them. So, we packed up and came home the next morning...I pouted like a toddler the whole way home. That's the last time I let im waste time and money on a tag like that. It saddens me, but his hunting days are over.

nmelktrout · Oct 30, 2008

Leftturn, sorry to hear about your old man. But, I agree, no big bulls left in the Gila. Don't bother putting in any more, they are all over-rated units. Time to head to Utah and Arizona.

leftturnabq · Oct 30, 2008

Thanks man.

Yeah, all the big bulls moved to Utah or something. Everybody should go there now.

NMHUNTNUTTG · Oct 30, 2008

Heck there aren't any big bulls in the Gila, guess what , there are no elk in 51 or 52 , none , they just left. Guess everybody better put in for other choices , I'm so bummed , but no more elk in 52...dang it ...Yep Colorado , better put in up there hear they just stayed...

1FastGambler · Oct 31, 2008

I think Wayne killed his bull on the White Mtn Apache reservation in Arizona.

>LAST EDITED ON Oct-29-08
>AT 10:05?PM (MST)
>
>Wayne Carlton slammed a monster bull
>down there somewhere. There was
>some pics at bowsite dotcom....Big
>Al Morris was hunting with
>him too.

"WIndage & Elevation Pilgrim, Windage & Elevation"

freaknasty · Oct 31, 2008

you know not to long ago new mex was the premire state for monsters then arizona then utah now its utah and arizona I strongly feel that it has to do with the management of the state as a whole the biologists really need to rethink the quality of the elk program, to cut cows down they need to put cow hunts at different times so that they are relaxed and easyer to take, even early spring when their herded up so as to control the population.
to me if the game and fish wants to reduse the numbers of cows the should manage the hunt dates to coinside with really haveing a good chance to take a set number of animals like a quota system all hunters need to ckeck in or report whether they have harvested an animal or not, tags will be given out till the set quota is meet for that particular region ect. there is also transplanting, might be a viable option.
I don't know you tell me what we could do to inprove our situation I know if I could draw i'd kill a cow towards the last part of my hunt if I could draw????

NMHUNTNUTTG · Nov 1, 2008

No , he killed it in the Gila. It's his biggest bull ever and will be on the 09 video.

vichris · Nov 2, 2008

I'm not exactly sure if unit 13 is part of the Gila or not. But it was in unit 13 that Wayne got that big bull. I'm thinking unit 13 is part of the Cibola or Apache Nat'l Forest. He got it very near Pie Town.

NMHUNTNUTT1 · Nov 3, 2008

Your right Vchris, 13 is not part of the Gila. 13 and 10 have some great bulls too , 13 could be the most underrated unit here, though many of the Gov. Tag hunters have killed bulls from there. I know last year it was from 17 but know Ross Johnson had taken a few Gov. bulls from 13.