Valle Vidal Rut

[Empty Nester]

For those that are familiar with the VV, your input would be appreciated……..

My wife and I are planning a 10 day get away to the VV. Getting away from the insanity of the world. We aren’t hunting but we want to experience the full blown rut (24 hr bugling, fighting, snot blowing etc). This is something that we have not experienced in our lives. It is one of our bucket list items as a couple. We have spent time over the last three years trying to pick a good timeframe but it never worked out(hot/dry/quiet etc.). We’ve tried early September to late October and can’t seem to get it right.

Our current plans are to go from 9/29 - 10/9.

Based on your VV experiences would you say our odds are good to experience these activities or should we be looking at earlier/later dates.

EN

 

[roadrunner]

To what degree do you plan on this experience? Hiking in or just observing from the road?

 

[Empty Nester]

Plan on getting off the road and into the back country.

 

[Homer]

Plan on getting off the road and into the back country.

THAT is a great plan....less will see you rutting...lol

 

[El Gringo]

Those are pretty solid dates for serious rut activity, hence very few hunts are during this timeframe

 

[Slick8]

Man that's an awesome idea. No help with the dates but wish you luck and hopefully you return here with some great pics.

 

[roadrunner]

Well, you don't have to go very far off the road in the VV that's for sure.

I hunted it in 2017 and killed a bull the first 3 hours of the hunt on Sept 16th. Bulls were sounding off in a 360 deg circle around me.

 

[BUGLEnmIN]

THAT is a great plan....less will see you rutting...lol

I’m rolling over here

 

[Toro]

I understand the desire to want to experience this and believe me, I don't think there is any other place more beautiful and remote as the VV, BUT personally if I had a ONCE IN A LIFETIME tag somewhere, the last thing I would want running around in the woods with me and the elk would be some folks wanting to see and be in the way of what I'm getting one shot at!! The muzzleloader hunt is 10/7-10/11.... IMO I'd respect my fellow hunters and not be trying to get in the way of their OIL hunt. It's bad enough that they already will have the cows, horses, cowboys and semis rounding up and moving out cattle around this time. Not trying to stir the pot, just stating my opinion.

If you want a true dedicated ELK rut watching activity specifically dedicated to this, this is an awesome event with an urban modernized twist.

 

[tega52]

I understand the desire to want to experience this and believe me, I don't think there is any other place more beautiful and remote as the VV, BUT personally if I had a ONCE IN A LIFETIME tag somewhere, the last thing I would want running around in the woods with me and the elk would be some folks wanting to see and be in the way of what I'm getting one shot at!! The muzzleloader hunt is 10/7-10/11.... IMO I'd respect my fellow hunters and not be trying to get in the way of their OIL hunt. It's bad enough that they already will have the cows, horses, cowboys and semis rounding up and moving out cattle around this time. Not trying to stir the pot, just stating my opinion.

If you want a true dedicated ELK rut watching activity specifically dedicated to this, this is an awesome event with an urban modernized twist.

View attachment 118614

I'll be in there guiding the lady that bought the auction tag starting on Oct 2nd

 

[ortegageno]

The rutt in the VV starts in Dec. ? ?

 

[Muleman]

Peak rut is generally last week of sept and first week of October pretty much everywhere in NM, you should have a fun time.