My First Elk Hunt, NM

by Donald McMorris
(Tularosa, NM)

Because of a bad shoulder and breathing problems, I drew a Mobility impaired tag for a special 5 day elk hunt in the Sacramento Mountains in NM close to where we live.

I read all the "elk hunting tips" and practiced a lot. My son escorted me on the hunt with a rifle to finish off the elk if I made a bad shot. I made sure my bow was in good working condition the night before the season opened.

We went to the area we had scouted and set up camp. The special season opened for me at sunrise the next morning. There were elk bugling all around us. We set up a blind in the center of a meadow about a mile from our camp.

All night long, the bulls were moving down into the meadow. It was hard to sleep because of the noise. About 5:30 my son scratched on the side of my pop-up camper and said we need to get moving. I got dressed as fast as I could and grabbed my bow. When I got outside, we could see two sets of bulls fighting, one right across from camp and about three others a short distance away.

I pulled out a bolt but I couldn't get the bow to allow the string to load. I was some kind of upset. This special hunt allowed me to use any legal firearm so my son shoved his rife into my hand and said "let’s get up near the pine tree where two bulls were fighting."

By the time we got to the pine tree, I was totally out of breath. I squatted down so I could breathe and he asked me if I could see the bull on the hillside. It was two minutes before sunrise, the official opening of the season.

I told him I could and he asked me if I could see him through the scope. I said I could. He said the bull was at 220 yards. I had never shot this gun in my life. He told me to put the cross hairs directly on the spot I wanted to hit and squeeze the trigger.

By this time the bulls were starting to move toward the trees. I squeezed off a shot and my son said "you hit him." The bull didn't go down but he didn't move with the others either. We stood there and watched as the others disappeared and our bull started to stagger toward the trees.

Because I was completely winded, my son asked if I wanted him to put him down. I told him that is why he came along. He squeezed off another shot and hit the bull in the neck and he went down.

We slowly eased up toward the bull and he got up and started to stagger up hill (which is unheard of with a kill shot) in the opposite direction of the others. My son took off and followed him to a 4 wheeler trail.

He found him down in a mud puddle on the trail. He was a young bull, 4 x 5. We field dressed him and pulled him back to camp where we hung him up in a tree in the middle of camp.

During the night the temp got down to 43 degrees but began to warm up rapidly. We decided to break camp and get him skinned and in a cooler. After completely dressed out at the locker, he weighed out at 335#.

Sure do miss the nights around the campfire talking about the days hunt. The season opened at 8 minutes to 7 and I got my elk at 5 till.

While we were at the campsite, we saw several wild hogs. We are going back in a couple weeks and I will try my bow again. My shot was a kill shot and if we had stayed in our original position he would have gone down.

I'm 73 years old and that was my first elk hunt, but hopefully not my last.

Comments for My First Elk Hunt, NM

Click here to add your own comments

Oct 09, 2010
Congratulations!!
by: MarDee McDougal

I lost my first bull by not giving him time to "die" after I shot him. He went down, but wasn't "dead" & when I got too close he got up & beat feet out of there & even though we tracked the blood trail, never was able to get him. BEAUTIFUL rack...and I was only 17...taking a week off from school. IF I hadn't been so anxious...he'd have died where he first went down & those antlers would be hanging on my wall today. Just 'cause you're 73...don't let that hinder you. I'm 76 & still at it.

Oct 08, 2010
Elk Hunt Success
by: Dave, MT (ElkHuntingTips.Net)

Excellent, Donald! Thanks for sharing this story. All I can add is "you should've started elk hunting sooner". I hope you get another one next year.

Always give an elk some time to die, no matter how good you think the shot was. Elk are tough animals. They will often move when you think they're done for. I'm glad it worked out well for you.

Congratulations!

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Elk Hunting Success 2010.

Shop Our Store

Elk Tips Outdoor Gear Logo

406-431-0876

Newsletter Opt-in:
"I just get so excited talking about elk.." ~Tristan, CO



Search This Site Here:

Hunting Gear Reviews

ASAT Camo
ElkNut Outdoor Prod.
Bugling Bull Game Calls
HECS Stealthscreen
Montana Decoy
StringSling Bow Sling
Skull Hookers
Safari Sling Rifle Sling
Clip-Shot Mini Camera Mount

ASAT Camo

Free U.S. Shipping


Bugling Bull
Game Calls


ElkNut Productions

Free Shipping on
ElkNut Products Here


HECS Stealthscreen:
A New Type of Concealment!

HECS Stealthscreen

$199.99,
Including U.S. Shipping


Montana Decoy Elk/Deer
Available Here!

Montana Decoy

$59-$109.99 Free Shipping!


The StringSling:
Best Bow Sling Design!

String Sling Bow Sling

$29.95, Including U.S. Shipping


Clip-Shot: 1 oz. Camera Mount

$21.85 Free U.S. Shipping


Skull Hookers

Skull hooker

$34.99 & 59.99 Free U.S. Shipping!


The Safari Sling:
Best Rifle Sling Design!

Safari Sling Best Rifle Sling Available

$27.99 Free US Shipping


Share your elk hunting pictures and stories on our Facebook Page!

Go to Forums


Forum Topic Discussions:


How often should I use my cow call?, I am new to the sport of bow hunting elk and my question is how often should I use my cow calls?

295 yard kill with a Kimber Montana 325 WSM, by Don from Dallas: My ELk did not even twitch once. He was dead when he hit the ground.

325 WSM is worth considering, Palmer Lake,CO: I believe that the .325 WSM is the ultimate elk caliber...

30-30 for Elk? : I have a 30 30 with 170 grain round nose bullet. Will this work to shoot an elk ?

(More comments about Best Elk Rifle below)

Submissions

Unique Elk Talk by Idaho Steve (Hailey, Id ), In the middle of the night, a herd of elk came traveling through the drainage and right past my tent...

Smelly Elk Areas? by Jimmy (New Mexico), I've come across many areas that just stink of elk, literally. I have heard two somewhat contradictory stories...

DIY Gear List Must Have's! by Craig (Florida) "Here are some of the items I use on my DIY hunts in the CO backcountry..."

Elk and Deer Hunting and Mountain Bikes, by Skip Shepherd (Tucson, AZ)~ At 67 I am thinking a lot about investing in a mountain bike to get back into remote areas...


Solo archery hunting -- tips for calling/set up?, by Idaho Steve (Hailey, ID )~ I hunt by myself a lot...I'd love to hear your thoughts on strategic set-ups when solo hunting and calling.

Non- Lead Bullets for Elk?, by Dave, Elk Hunting Tips.Net (Garrison, MT)~ What do you ballistics guys think about the use of non-lead bullets for elk? According to this story...

Rage Broadheads by Chris, ...my buddy gave me a rage practice tip and when I shot it you could not pick out the broadhead from the field points. I was sold...

Recent Submissions:

Finally filled the freezer..., Colorado Rockies~ "I was bummed when I got to the property and no elk, nor any hoof prints in the snow. ...I pulled each of the elk into shade then started gutting..."


Wounded Veteran Elk hunts, by Joshua FL), I am a disabled veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and have always dreamed of hunting elk. I am posting this to see if anyone would know of any elk hunts free to disabled vets....

First Elk with a Bow, by Ryan H. (Colorado), ...Finally after many years of hunting with a bow "I got er did"!

First Elk!, by Tater (Sheridan, Arkansas) I took the advice I received from this website and was successful…I wanted to Thank You and Your Forum and the folks that share on here for the knowledge and information that helped me find an elk I was quite happy with.


Questions

Any success in Unit 14?, by: Dave (MI), "I'm planning on doing a DIY in Unit 14 for 2012..."


Share Elk Hunting Secrets


Bugle in Herd bulls, by Swiltbank (Az) The key to calling in a herd bull is to get into his bedding grounds and threaten his herd. Start off sounding like…


Best Big Game Rifle?

Best Rifle Caliber?, by Buglemup (Superior, MT), "I've been reading what people have been writing about rifle calibers and here is what 16 years of guiding elk has taught me."

7mm Remington Magnum, by Dean (Helena, MT. USA) I use my Liberty Ruger M77, 7mm Rem. Mag. for antelope, deer, elk... Comment: "What do you guys think about the idea of hunting elk with a 270? I also know a guy who kills elk with a 243."


338 Marlin Express, "Light, fast shooting, hard hitting, manageable recoil, and for a lever gun - very accurate."


Guns I like for Elk, by Mountain Walker (Kootenays east B.C. Canada),"I think the gun you shoot Elk with should be one you shoot a lot with... "


.35 Remington, by Bill Smith "...my .35 Rem appears to have dropped a medium deer flawlessly, but I now have serious doubts as to its capability to take an elk."


Arizona Elk Hunting

Where to hunt in Az unit 3B?, by Cliffjumper (Tucson, Az) ~ I got a late bull muzzle loader hunt in Arizona unit 3b. Does anyone know how to hunt bulls in the late season?...

First time elk hunter hunting Arizona unit 6A , by Rob Marchio (Omaha, Ne)~ I'm a first time elk hunter hunting Arizona's unit 6A. I'm planning on staying in the Pine Grove campground...


Elk Hunting Colorado

Help needed for 1st DIY Hunt w/Son, by Patrick (Parker, CO), "I was looking for some advice on my 1st DIY hunt for 2014 in CO with my 13 yr old son. I have countless hrs going over stats, topo maps & Google Earth"

Elk Hunting Colorado in 2013, By William (Midland, TX) "I am planning an elk hunt next year in Colorado and I wanted to know if hunting Gunnison National Forest..."

Unit 60 Elk 4th Rifle Season Nov 13-17 Either Sex 2013, By Chester "...Any general advice about the unit would be appreciated!"


Idaho Elk Hunting


Elk Hunting Idaho Unit 8 8A 11, This is my first year seriously trying to track down some elk. Is there anyone that has hunted in any of these units and can give me some friendly advice? Mitchell, Moscow Idaho

Elk Hunting Pocatello by Cameron (Pocatello) Where is the best place to elk hunt around Pocatello, Idaho? I'm a student at ISU and I'm looking for somewhere around here to hunt next season.

How is the elk hunting in unit 30A in Idaho?, by Terry (Richland Center, WI) Has anyone archery elk hunted in unit 30A in Idaho? What can you tell me about the area?


Elk Hunting In Montana

Hunting in Western Montana, by Mike A. (Alabama)

I did not draw a tag for Missouri breaks where I have hunted in the past. Having to start over and try western Montana.


New Mexico Elk Hunting

New Mexico Unit 49, by Silas (Los Alamos, NM)

If anyone has tips on areas to start scouting, I'd really appreciate it.

First Elk Hunt First Elk Hunt, by Big "R" (NM)

I finally got drawn for a late elk hunt in Unit 28, north of Road 506 and south of the boundary line of the Lincoln National Forest...


Elk Hunting Nevada

Cow elk in Nevada's unit 222:

"Any good places known in unit 222?"

Northeast Nevada Early Elk hunt, by John (Carson City,NV)

"Any suggestions on what areas I may see some signs of elk?"


Questions from Novice Hunters

Retired USMC MSgt Needs Advice, by Ken Wing USMCRET (Bealeton, Va)


Big Game Recipes

Popcorn VenisonPopcorn Venison with Maple Syrup?

Elk or Venison Steaks Grilled to Perfection Here's how to turn them into steakhouse steaks!

Spice-Crusted Grilled Venison Roast Recipe This Spice-Crusted, Grilled Venison Roast recipe works great for any red meat roasts, including elk, deer or beef roast...

Corned Elk Recipe You can easily make corned venison and elk, moose or corned beef from these instructions...