New Mexico buck down

[DmrbigEshotT]

For the residents out there - are you able to rifle hunt decent public antelope units each year?


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[Bubblehide]

Congratulations!

 

[WKR]

For the residents out there - are you able to rifle hunt decent public antelope units each year?


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From my understanding its pretty rare to draw a good tag like the one I had even as a resident. I stopped and talked to the game Warden for that unit and he said he has been putting in for 21 years and hadn't drawn.

 

[WKR]

Congratulations!

Thanks!
Here's the euro of that buck

 

[sndmn11]

Did you have an official scorer measure?

 

[WKR]

Did you have an official scorer measure?

No I did not

 

[sndmn11]

No I did not

I think you are about 5.5" light on your measuring or mathing.

 

[WKR]

I think you are about 5.5" light on your measuring or mathing.

You might be right, ill have to put the tape to him again and check.
I just did a quick measure in the field after taking care of the meat.

 

[Dwnw/theAltitudesickness]

I'd have to agree. I have a 72" buck, and yours look like it has more than 1.5" on it.

 

[B.kilpatrck]

What a hunt!
Filled my public land southeastern NM antelope tag on the last day of the 3 day season. I scouted for a day and a half before the opener and located alot of big bucks and 2 trophy class bucks.

Opening morning I set up in a valley where we had seen a nice buck with his does the night before. After putting a stalk on him and getting into 300 yards from him and his does I put the spotter on him and decided to pass. I guess I just didn't want the hunt to be over yet. The rest of the day we came into alot of bucks and had plenty opportunities but they just weren't shooters yet.

Second day we went over the the complete other side of the unit where we had scouted up the funky big buck. Set up on the top of a water tank that gave a vantage point over the valley they had been grazing. Located the buck and his does and then played the waiting game. He just never got close enough. Hung up around 700-800 yards. So I got down and tried it on foot but he was too smart and there wasn't any cover to stalk in behind.

Third day I was starting to feel the pressure of going home empty handed. I told myself if I couldn't get on a good buck in the morning I would shoot a meat buck. We went back to "the valley of plenty" as we called it and started glassing. Found a decent buck and started making moves but his doe blew us out. So I told my buddy it was time to just go fill the tag, but as luck would have it on the way out of that valley we spotted a really nice buck and there was enough terrain to try and make a play on him. We stalked in and I put him on the ground.

He scores at 73.5 inches and he's got alot of character. Super happy with this buck and had a great hunt. I might not ever draw new mexico again being that I'm a non resident but I would love to go back.

If I was more proficient in long range shooting 700 yards plus, there was opportunity for some record book bucks, but I'm just not yet willing to shoot at game animals that far.

Awesome hunt congrats

 

[Mojave]

From my understanding its pretty rare to draw a good tag like the one I had even as a resident. I stopped and talked to the game Warden for that unit and he said he has been putting in for 21 years and hadn't drawn.

This is the New Mexico resident story. At least it is/was for me.