mickeyelk
Very Active Member
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- 1,897
Had a great hunt with BUCKS N BULLS, Jody Tapia, in unit 15 in New Mexico. We got this elk the last day of the season. As the hunt goes: I arrived the day before the season and Jody said we would go to see where he had found a herd of elk with 14 bulls in it. I thought this was going to be a quick hunt. The following morning the heavens opened and we saw nothing but cloud cover/rain/wind and what ever else could get thrown at us. We tried to hunt but to no avail. Sunday was almost as bad but we did end up that evening seeing a group of cows. We hunted the same area the following morning and was in a group of elk but couldn't see who was in charge. The rest of that day and Tuesday morning resulted in nothing. Tuesday night we relocated to another area and heard 3 different bulls bugling. Couldn't get close to them so we decided to hunt them in the morning. Last day: It was getting tense, the bulls were not cooperating. First thing in the morning, while watering a tree, we had a bull within 100 yards or so of the truck bugling. I don't think the light in the truck was helping our cause. My bad! When it got light enough we went after him. We couldn't get close enough and his bugling got less than anticipated. We heard another one off to our right and traveled towards him. He stopped bugling. While waiting for him to bugle we saw a group of elk on a hillside about a mile or so away with about 10 elk and a bull. At this time I would have taken anything legal. Well, we took off as fast as my legs would take us and traveled over to were thought they were. Jody said they were this way and off we went. We heard the bull bugle and it sounded so prehistoric and unlike any elk I've heard. We got closer and saw elk everywhere. I saw a legal bull and Jody stopped me from taken him out saying there he is behind those elk at the front. I stopped, I never saw this bull previously, so my attention went towards the new bull. Jody directed my line of fire and said he would step out, when he did I fired. Missed?????? Panic mode. Reload, bull and other elk were confused, just milling about, they retraced there steps and the bull got into an open and gave me a good broadside shot. I fired and he humped up! Reload, fire again, still standing. Started to reload but bull crumpled. Relief was in the air. The bull measured out at 325 and had broken 4ths and 5ths. Would have gone in the 340's if he would have remained intact. The fronts are 18 1/2 inches and massive. In the group of elk he was with there was about 35 cows with him. Had a great hunt and would do it again. Thanks Jody!
