Got it done despite the craziness

Cole97

FNG
Joined
Sep 30, 2018
Messages
81
Location
Oklahoma
Just got back froM unit 50 in New Mexico 2nd rifle elk. I know not the best unit but we wanted to hunt and drew it. I’m sure it has been stated before about unit 50 how hard it is and not a lot of elk and dry and all that is true but for the people wondering, that isn’t even the hard part. I have been to New Mexico every year for the past 6 years with good success in different units and I do know there Are things that are hard in each given unit. The hardest being the way that MOST locals “HUNT”. OR NOT HUNT. that being said unit 50 was a whole Nuther ball game. Terrain was not hard (unless distance is what you call hard). Weather wasn’t hard (but we did not encounter rain). Roads weren’t as bad as other units I been to for most part. Heck even spotted and found 3 heards of elk and bulls to hunt on 2nd day. But all that isn’t the problem. The problem is the way most of them hunt lol. Driving around I get it. It’s a way a lot of people like to do it. But I’ll tell you of some other ways I don’t know of until now. Having guys walk through the timber with 30 round clips shooting and pushing elk into the open and then slaughtering them with several people. Spot lighting. Driving off road where the elk were and sitting in the truck during prime times. Herding them with vehicles in the sage flats. And shooting rifles across roads into the mountain in the draws to see if they could see elk running. And people still hunting after they punched their tag. NOT ALL DID I WITNESS BUT SOME I DID AND THE REST WERE SO TO BE TRUE FROM A FEW LOCALS THAT ACTUALLY DID IT LOL. Now this post is not to bash all the locals as we did meet some that were HUNTING and not doing it illegal. Regardless we pushed on and I shot a nice 5x5 on last morning. Finally found some ground to get away from people a little and found Several elk as locals had pushed the other herds off. To the person that draws this hunt and wondering about if you can kill. YES. there are elk there and it can be done. It’s hard to get away from people in most areas. Even if u do you may have ignorant people doing what they shouldn’t in some places. Be prepared for the hardest thing of IGNORANCE to really hinder your hunt. Frustrating is not even close. I’m sure some will laugh but we have no plans of putting in for this tag again lol unless something changes. My suggestion would be game warden increase for sure. LOL. GOOD LUCK FELLOW HUNTERS.
 
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Cole97

Cole97

FNG
Joined
Sep 30, 2018
Messages
81
Location
Oklahoma
Lol at least I’m not the only one that thinks that way. If needing to test your patience I suppose this may be a good unit lol.
 

Jardo

WKR
Joined
Aug 7, 2017
Messages
468
Location
Hawaii and Utah
I was born and raised in Santa Fe. My ancestors settled much of the state. NM is and will always be somewhat wild. I still recall my grandfather getting “Camp Meat” a day or two before the season opened.

i’m not defending it, just explaining it. NM is still the wild west when it comes to game laws. This is especially true in the northern part of the state... Old Comancheros up there that would still gladly raid Texas if they could.


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Cole97

Cole97

FNG
Joined
Sep 30, 2018
Messages
81
Location
Oklahoma
Wow never thought of it quite like that n didn’t know. Learn something new everyday.
 

Che

FNG
Joined
Oct 21, 2020
Messages
31
I was born and raised in Santa Fe. My ancestors settled much of the state. NM is and will always be somewhat wild. I still recall my grandfather getting “Camp Meat” a day or two before the season opened.

i’m not defending it, just explaining it. NM is still the wild west when it comes to game laws. This is especially true in the northern part of the state... Old Comancheros up there that would still gladly raid Texas if they could.


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That's is a perspective.

After settling NM, elk were expatriated from NM.

Then reintroduced, with a new set of laws and standards. They now thrive.

If a person enjoys hunting healthy animal populations, the draconian "wild west" ways need to be supplanted.

If we don't regulate ourselves less empathetic government organizations will get involved.
 
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