LAST EDITED ON Jul-21-14 AT 06:26AM (MST)[p]For all of you that were lucky enough to draw a Gila tag, I can assure you that you are in for immeasurable fun
Saturday, Kelly and I packed up the quad and headed to our friend's ranch in 16A.
The place is called N Bar Ranch and is a fantastic place to take your family to get away for the weekend and see the Gila in its grand splendor. N Bar is a an "Off the Grid" ranch that has guest cabins for your summer family or personal vacation or if you drew 16A, 16D, or 16B, it's the perfect place for base camp, where you get a hot shower and belly filling meals.
We arrived mid day Saturday and hit the back mountain roads and saw so many elk it was unbelievable. We saw some great bulls on the cool high mountain ridges. We got back to the ranch to clean up and have a delicious steak topped off with home made chocolate mirange pie.
As I am getting up in age, getting up in the middle of night to pee is standard procedure. Stepping out on the porch I heard the distinct pounding of hooves running off. I figured it was horses until I heard the high pitched scream of a bugle. Back to bed only to hear the mews of cows and calves all over the place. Somehow I fell back asleep but woke promptly at 6 to take some of the following pics. Kelly got up and enjoyed the scenery with me. She took off to hang with her horse buds. Note her petting the horses with cows and calves in the rear photo.
Later that morning we got on the quads again and headed out to look for the big herds of cows and calves. What a blast....the photo only shows a bit of the experience we had. The herd we came upon could not fit in the view finder. The one I have posted tries to encompass the best of the big herd. As they moved off, calves were separated from Moms and some ran back to where they started. The Moms with calves disobeying them had to go back and round them up. It was one of the most incredible displays of nature we had ever seen.
Anyway, for those of you that want to have a unforgettable weekend or week in the Gila, go google N Bar Ranch NM and set up a reservation with Preston. He's on facebook as well. If you can't google him send me a PM and I will get you his contact info. Hope you enjoy the pics. Jim
PS-The high fence at Preston's was built to keep the wolves out. The elk are on the other side.
Saturday, Kelly and I packed up the quad and headed to our friend's ranch in 16A.
The place is called N Bar Ranch and is a fantastic place to take your family to get away for the weekend and see the Gila in its grand splendor. N Bar is a an "Off the Grid" ranch that has guest cabins for your summer family or personal vacation or if you drew 16A, 16D, or 16B, it's the perfect place for base camp, where you get a hot shower and belly filling meals.
We arrived mid day Saturday and hit the back mountain roads and saw so many elk it was unbelievable. We saw some great bulls on the cool high mountain ridges. We got back to the ranch to clean up and have a delicious steak topped off with home made chocolate mirange pie.
As I am getting up in age, getting up in the middle of night to pee is standard procedure. Stepping out on the porch I heard the distinct pounding of hooves running off. I figured it was horses until I heard the high pitched scream of a bugle. Back to bed only to hear the mews of cows and calves all over the place. Somehow I fell back asleep but woke promptly at 6 to take some of the following pics. Kelly got up and enjoyed the scenery with me. She took off to hang with her horse buds. Note her petting the horses with cows and calves in the rear photo.
Later that morning we got on the quads again and headed out to look for the big herds of cows and calves. What a blast....the photo only shows a bit of the experience we had. The herd we came upon could not fit in the view finder. The one I have posted tries to encompass the best of the big herd. As they moved off, calves were separated from Moms and some ran back to where they started. The Moms with calves disobeying them had to go back and round them up. It was one of the most incredible displays of nature we had ever seen.
Anyway, for those of you that want to have a unforgettable weekend or week in the Gila, go google N Bar Ranch NM and set up a reservation with Preston. He's on facebook as well. If you can't google him send me a PM and I will get you his contact info. Hope you enjoy the pics. Jim
PS-The high fence at Preston's was built to keep the wolves out. The elk are on the other side.
