Ojito elk hunt?

[txhunter58]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-25-16 AT 07:57PM (MST)[p]

Private land hunt in unit 5a. Will be hunting elk on a ranch immediately to the east of Ojito starting October 8th. Right where the Jicarilla reservation makes a corner from the west turning back north. Drove through the area, but have never hunted there. What can I expect? Decent numbers of elk in the area? 300" bull potential?

Was supposed to hunt this ranch last fall, but the deal fell through. Looking good for this year.

Thanks!

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[Wailing4Wapiti]

I haven't been on that ranch but I've been in the area. If the ranch is managed well at all, there should be a decent amount of 300-320 bulls and the potential for a few whoppers. The Jicarilla gets 6-8K per elk tag and that doesn't include paying a "tribal guide" so you know they are managing for trophy quality. The bulls will most likely still be screaming and definitely interested in finding that last cow or two that hasn't bred yet so they will be moving quite a bit. Sounds like a fantastic hunt to me.

 

[txhunter58]

That is what I have been told by the ranch owner, but good to hear it from independent sources. Figured I would catch the tail end of the rut, so looking forward to hearing some bugles

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[happytohunt]

Good luck..sounds like it has "memory making potential" hth

 

[NMBOWHUNTR]

Good area Good bulls on the jic. 300-320" doable and yeah they will still be sounding off

 

[txhunter58]

The ranch is around 700 acres. Not big, but hopefully the location is right. As in all things, location, location, location.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[WVHUNTER]

I hunted the Jicarilla about ten years ago and the guys are spot on about the 300 to 320 bulls there. I think every hunter there killed a bull and they were in that range. I saw a lot of the bulls that were killed because they were all brought into the skinning shed in Dulce and they were all in 300 to 320 range.

During the October hunt they mostly hunt the Northern part of the Reservation, This has Aspen and pine trees.

My guide told me the elk moved farther South for the winter and that was more sage and rim rock country. He said it was good opportunity to kill a bigger bull because it was open and you could look at a lot of elk.

It looks like Ojito is about half way down so I don't know what the terrain looks like there.

They do offer an early archery hunt on the Southern half of the Reservation now so there must be some elk there in September.

 

[txhunter58]

Scouted the ranch yesterday and have another question. As of yesterday, the ranch has cattle, and although green at this point, the grass was short and the water holes are all dry. Grazing plan calls for the cattle to be moved in about 30 days and the pasture allowed to recover before fall. If the monsoons hit and the water tanks recover hopefully it will be good for elk by the first of October. However, I saw no sign there are any elk there currently. My question now is would it still be good to hunt the opening (October 8) or wait until later in the season. What do you think?

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[Bolt Tripper]

Doesn't sound too promising.

Maybe the public hunters will push them over to where you are hunting.

 

[txhunter58]

This unit is 95% private. Only 10 public land tags are given per season. However, hunting in the adjoining jicarila might move them over, just don't know if I should go early and try for bugling or wait for later

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[BUGLEnmIN]

I'd say don't freak out to bad just yet. You should have looked for evidence of them being there during the rut. I can go right now to my favorite hunting spot and see a few cows and a couple of piss head bulls but come last week of August WHOLE DIFFERENT GAME.

 

[leftturnabq]

The earlier the better. With elk, I'd always favor the opportunity of hunting them when they are more likely to be vocal.

 

[muleybeast]

Yeah don't sweat it. The elk will move into that area as soon as all those future cheeseburgers leave.

 

[tooele]

If the rancher will allow it, as soon as you can, after the cows are moved I would really get some salt licks, etc within new mexico laws, established to try to attract elk onto the property. If you have cow elk you will have bulls.

 

[hank4elk]

If they have cattle on it,they have water.
Elk will come.
Just make sure the water stays on.
I know of cattle folks who shut it off when they take cattle out.
When I run cattle they get moved off before hunt season and the elk move right in.The windmill runs year round.
Pressure on surrounding lands can be your friend too.Elk will find sanctuary in little spots too.
Just don't push them too much hunting.