First time NM, first time ever, advice?

[RichM]

Well I drew this year for a late November cow elk rifle hunt in northern NM (unit 6B, assuming it doesn't burn to the ground ).

It is the first hunt I have ever gone on in my life. I have been talking with friends that hunt, to the point I think they are getting annoyed a little. I've read three books on hunting elk. I'm gathering my equipment slowly but surly. I've lurked around the web sites for a few weeks.
So any suggestions on what to read, what equipment to buy, what equipment not to buy, places to stay (no camping allowed at the unit), etc?

Thanks
Rich

[Trophyhill]

be ready to layer up clothing in late November with a good chance for snow and with the ability to shed through out the day for mild temps possible 50's or 60's. if sleeping in a tent a stove is a must. there should be available hotel/motel and possibly cabins.

[JimKirk]

rich, where are you coming from ? the valles caldera assigns hunting areas within that unit. beautiful place but it is on fire as we speak. it will be starting to get cold by then.

[mtnmutt]

Do you have an option to tag along on someone's archery elk hunt or earlier elk rifle hunt? If you offer to help pack out, they may let you join them. Weather will be night and day for archery vs rifle, but it will help you further test some of your equipment, get used to being in the woods during a hunt and pick up some elk hunting tips. At the very least offer to pack out.

After 6 years of elk seasons (3yrs caller for someone, 3yrs hunting myself), I am finally done with working out what equipment and clothing works for my archery elk hunts. Last year, switching to merino wool was the best decision I ever made. Well worth the cost.

Merino wool is the best next to your skin in all weather conditions. Socks, underwear, baselayers, hats, glove liners or gloves without outwear liners. In 10 degree weather at a 3D shoot, I used merino wool light gloves with hand warmers and I was comfortable. I am a woman, so I get colder than you guys.

Many on this site will recommend First Lite and Core4Element. I have top layer: First Lite; base layer: LL bean (cheapest merino wool available) and Icebreaker, underwear: Icebreaker; gloves and socks: Defeet.

Signup for the daily email on the camofire.com and you may find core4element cheaper and other items.

Most importantly for your hunt: boots that fit, and a pack that fits you. Use sock liners. Use your equipment a lot way before your hunt.

For reading:
elknut forums: Elknut Tips, elknut Clips and browse through past posts.
Elknut Playbook book and audio version (elk sounds on audio version).

Post questions on elknut forum. Everyone here is extremely helpful especially for us newbie elk hunters.

[RichM]

mtnmutt, thanks for the idea. I'll have to ask around work and friends about helping out on early hunts. Most of the people I know at work that put in for deer and elk hunts in NM did not draw. I'm an introvert, so I'd feel a lot more comfortable with someone I know a little.

I have two books I picked up last year on elk hunting, one book I picked up at the Valle Caldera a few weeks ago, the Outdoor Edge DVD set on game processing and a book on general game processing. But nothing is a replacement for hands on experience.

I've got three winter coats to choose from two Columbia's and on Carhartt (not feeling the cotton Carhartt all that much).
I picked up a pair of Lowa Gore Tex boots at REI a month back. I have enough time to break them in before the hunt. Sock, love my Smart Wool's and Wigwam's.
I have a Kelty internal frame camping backpack and a large Osprey day pack, but I may need to find a good external frame pack to pack meat out with.
I've picked up some Alaska game bags and gloves.
I'm looking at buying the Gerber E-Z Open gutting blade, E-Z Saw II and a skinner. I prefer fixed blades, had one to many old cheap folders as a kid.
Rifle and ammo are set.

Valle Caldera sent a letter out Friday letting the people that drew in the lottery know that they are delaying the information packets because of the fires. They want to hold off till after the Thompson Ridge fire is out to see if they need to change things for the hunts. I appreciate them taking the time to send letters and understand they are concerned about the safety of the mountain when the rains start this fall. It is depressing that they may be forced into closing some of the sub-units, but it beats the preserve being closed because some got hurt and sued. They made it clear that they don't intend on canceling any of the hunts.
I'm torn about the fires. While I understand the undergrowth needs clearing out every once and a while and the time it takes for the forest to recover is minimal as far as nature is concerned, I'm sad that it is a long time from humanities point of view.

[JimKirk]

The valle caldera has roads everywhere so I don't think you would have to pack meat very far if you get one down. your existing packs will work, just bring some large garbage bags to line the pack with along with some game bags. A fellow I know that got one there used a game cart to wheel out to his bull taken in a meadow.
The fires are deep on the north side of the valle. Let me tell you the elk aren't greatly affected by it. I drove by it last weekend and despite a large plume of smoke, there was a herd of over 100 elk in the meadows. The los conchas fire burned a large portion of the meadows 2 years ago but by the end of summer the grasses had returned and let me tell you the elk literally love the burned over areas the following year because plush green grass and growth returns.

[RichM]

Thanks JimKirk.
The fiance and I stopped in the visitors center the day after the Thompson Ridge fire started, there were only a dozen or so elk in the Valle Grande. Glad to know they are out and about. I was amazed that there were so many elk active in the meadow in the afternoon. Everything I read says they are suppose to bed in the day and stay high up in the warmer months.

I can't reply to private messages yet, but to the person that sent me one:
I'm very excited, lucky and overwhelmed that I won the lottery. The success rate is over 60 percent for the Valle and I am doing my best to not be in the 40 percent failure group (I'd never live it down ).
I have a set of Nikon Monarch binoculars that will also be going with me.
I'm working on borrowing a game cart from a co-worker, but your right the network of roads looks like I won't have much more than a 2 mile hike at the most.
Camping is an option if they open the camp sites up, which they should by November. There is a little fear in my mind that they won't this year since the state and fed has already closed big chunks of Jemez, Gila, Lincoln, Santa Fe and the Sandia's. I don't recall so many closures in my 40+ years in NM. I noticed that the camp sites off highway 4 that have fishing access to the Jemez river where closed before the fire started. I would rather find a cabin to rent or stay at the La Cueva Lodge/motel if I can get a room. I haven't been able to find any info for cabin's near Jemez Springs through Google though.

[RichM]

More requests for advice;
I'm assuming calls are pointless for a cow hunt in late November, correct?

Are my only options really a stalk or ambush? Any tips or tricks for those kinds of hunts?

I think I found a place that lists private cabins for rent near Jemez Springs, that would be ideal for my fiance and my proposed hunting partners wife... i think.

Thanks in advance.

[pointysticks]

i'm almost too jealous to even respond! wow.

rookie season outing? our rookie season we showed up and talked to every fish and game biologist we could find. we got lucky and found them all talking outside of a closed office building.

good luck buddy!!

gear you will figure it out as it goes. for sure you will need a pack, and ziploc bags and a sharpie. hahah..and zipties.

[ixsolracxi]

you shouldn't have a problem harvesting a fat cow in the caldera...they are pretty much everywhere...there are camgrounds just west of the park entrance, i believe east fork and a few others are there...pick up a map of the Santa Flush National Forest and you can find campgrouds...also, if you don't mind the drive back and forth you can get a room in Los Alamos and maybe Jemez Springs, not sure about the latter...but in all honesty you should be able to bag first day...good luck...

[Pmixmaster]

BE sure to check with them as as a large fire destroyed roughly 30k acres of the 86 the the caldera encompasses not sure if the country will be safe to hunt or they will allow hunting this season

[elkoholic]

I agree with Pmixmaster, just ask make sure that the wilderness area is still going to open for hunting. They were saying that it will be dangerous, due to possible flooding and falling timber.
do bring layers, crisp morning and evening.,Warms up in The afternoon. The elk numbers are good there so if all goes well you will be filling your freezer this year.

[ABQ_Chica]

Jemez Springs is not that far and a lot of hunters stay there, but do plan on taking at least 30-45 minutes to get to the hunt headquarters inside the Caldera. There are not a lot of spots to stay there, though, so you might want to reserve something now. If you don't mind camping, ask if they'll allow it. During last year's turkey hunt, they let us stay in the Banco Bonito campground right there on the preserve, but I don't know if that area was affected by the fires...

Ditto on dressing in layers. You'll be at 9,000-11,000 feet, so you might have icy mornings and t-shirt afternoons. The past few winters have been on the mild side, but you never know.

This should be a great hunt, lots of fun!

[RichM]

Been a hectic few months, new job and a big move.
The preserve is going to close one or two subunits because of the potential hazards associated with the burnt out areas, I guess I can understand that. So there will be one or two more hunting parties in the other subunits. They opened up one of the southern camp grounds right after I made reservations for a not $o little cabin a few miles from the entrance. My group will not be roughing it.

I need to go out to one of the outdoor ranges for a last sight-in session soon.
Thank you for all the information I've been reading on Elknut.
I'm getting nervous, excited and scared.
Also need to clean out the garage and get a freezer for more green chile and elk meat, fingers crossed.

[ABQ_Chica]

RichM, even with the adjustments they've had to make regarding burn areas and maybe even flooding, it should still be a great hunt. During my turkey hunts there (one of which was after fires closed part of the preserve), they did a good job of putting everyone in good areas. They were also pretty flexible and let us "trade" or switch areas if we weren't seeing or hearing anything. I don't know if they do that during the elk hunts, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Good luck with all your preparation. Make plenty of room in your freezer, and keep us updated!

[dtrkyman]

Drove through the Caldera the other day, saw a herd of cows and calves with some cattle right off the road just past the headquarters entrance, not a care in the world, easy pickens for you.

I saw more Elk sign from the road in a drive in and out than I saw in 7 days hunting 51! Place is loaded with Elk!

[RichM]

I ended up being one of the unlucky few. Before and after shooting hours it was hard not to hit an elk with the Jeep, but during daylight they were well up in the timber.
The first day we saw a 5x6 bull that just hung out for the longest time while we took pictures and I practiced ranging him with the scope, I had a cow tag and he knew it . The second day I saw two cows across one of the Valles, way out of range. By the time we got to were I thought they were going to be even the tracks were covered by the snow. I forgot to mention that the weekend of my hunt Jemez saw over 2 feet of snow in the three days of the hunt I drew for, I'm not sure it got above freezing at all during the weekend. Late in the afternoon, after sticking the jeep in a wash and spending two hours digging it out, I saw a lot of track and signs they were bedding in the treeline near a clearing, I decided to get back to the hunt HQ to warm up a little then head back and set up at the exit of a canyon leading to the Valle. They never showed. We did see at least 12 on our way out after sunset in the shooting areas, once again like they knew .
The third day was a short day unfortunately, and probably the closest I was to a heard. We got into the Caldera at 4:45 and drove to where we saw a heard cross into one of the valleys the night before to feed. On the way in we saw the tail end of the heard heading back into the timber. When up to the next road that would lead us on a parallel path, took that up a few hundred yards then started hiking up to see if we could find where they were bedding or with more luck get ahead of them. I had to call it quits and head back to the cabin after hiking to 9300 feet towards the Cerro de la Garita Summit at 10300 feet, did I mention the 2 feet of snow. I head a cow mew but didn't see any tracks before we had to call it quits and head back to work. next year.

Great experience. Had some good time talking with my friends. Learned a lot, learned I have a lot more to learn. Looking forward to next year. Hopefully I can get some pictures put up in the next few days. All-in-All, one of the most satisfying failures I've ever had. Kinda glad I didn't buy the freezer ahead of time.

[RichM]

Some Pics:
Out Lab/Shepard mixes first time in the snow, it was entertaining to say the least.


Can't say I was roughing it. This was the "Big Foot Cabin" Just outside of Jemez Springs. It was a wonderful place to stay, I would recommend it.




I couldn't blame my lack of success on there being no elk in the area, this was taken after legal shooting hours.


First day heading into a place i was hoping to find some elk away from previous hunt pressure, took about 2 hours to hike in on a logging road....


were we saw this guy...


Another picture of him...

Yeah, he knew I had a cow tag... It was great seeing this in person.

First day on the way out, would make a nice Jeep commercial.


Maybe next year I'll sign up for a turkey hunt...


Last day, the sky cleared and the temps dropped. But keeping a slow and steady pace keep me warms and enjoying the scenery.






Thanks to my friend James for manning the camera for most of the pictures.