HD;
I have been privileged to have that tag 3 times in the last 20 years (if you call that privileged....), and have done the traditional hunt down there 3 of the last 4 years. Throw in a couple of antelope hunts and my wife's sheep hunt 2 years ago; well let's just say I love that country.
I think I had the rifle tag down there 5 years ago now, and that year we ran in to 2 guys on quads - off-road. Both had rifles, and we talked with someone later that had met thes guys; one had the tag, the other was a local ranch hand apparently "helping" his buddy out....
Also, earlier in that hunt I hiked across a deep canyon to one of the most remote ridges in the area (one ROUGH road about 3 miles away, and nothing else for a LONG ways). Well, I get across this canyon and am getting close to topping out at a saddle that would drop me on the back side, where I wanted to be. (No, this particular season there were only 20 tags given out, my dad and I with 2 of those, and alot of empty country!!!) Well, 200 yds. around a basin from that saddle I look and see a guy standing in the middle of the saddle!?!?!? WTF!?!?!? My dad drove out that rough road I mentioned earlier, where we would hook-up that evening, and there were no rigs around (as is always the case!). Anyway, I am on a little rock point when I spot this guys skylined in the saddle, and I can't imagine this guy did not see me. He disappears out of that saddle, quick. I got over there in 5-10 minutes (it is really open, though rugged country) and see no one! This guy was gone!
I don't know if this guy had a horse (highly doubt you could get a quad in here; and I would have heard it) or how he got in here. There are a couple of ranches at the base of this area, and I am willing to bet this guy was a local on his "Annual" Trophy Deer Hunt! I know the people in this region have alot of lonely country to themselves for the vast majority of the year; and I am again willing to bet there are some very nice trophy rooms.....
Sorry to go on, but this treasured area is being impacted by more than the cats, and little can be done to offset this.
Souns like you had a great time regardless. Maybe we will cross paths down there some day.
Ras