NM post-rut rifle hunt - What to do during "midday lull"?

[ATL-Kyle]

My fiancee and I will be leaving Georgia for New Mexico a week from today for the second rifle season. Having never hunted elk before, I would like to hear what your normal midday activities are.

I'll be letting my optics do the walking for me in the mornings and evenings. I don't really know what to do during the middle of the day other than nap and/or move to the afternoon glassing location. Is still-hunting worth it or should we be doing something else with our time?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jolemons]

Sit water

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[Fitzwho]

Depending on the unit, I agree with the above. If there is water everywhere and streams running, I wouldn't count on it necessarily. If most of the tanks and creeks are dry and you happen to find one that does have water, I would concentrate around there.

Still hunting is always an option. If you think you are going slow enough, slow down some more.

 

[waitforit]

Your fiancee is going with and you aren't sure what to do in the middle of the day?

I'd say... do what the elk do.. *grin*

Seriously though, don't underestimate calling even during rifle season. Elk are curious herd animals. If I was in an elky area I would not be above calling including bugling sparingly. I would not be surprised at all if elk in earshot wandering over to check you out.

 

[ATL-Kyle]

Thanks for the replies, folks. I'll keep all of those things in mind and maybe try them all in some form while we're there. Looking at the precipitation history for the area, there seems to have been a lot more rain than normal in the unit since January. I have several small, isolated water holes marked on my maps though so I'll keep them in mind

 

[Vandy321]

Nap

 

[Austink47]

Mid day glassing can be productive late season. If it is cold they will bed in an open spot in the middle of a blow down or some other nasty spot. Also bulls don’t seem to realize their antlers are visible. But as others have said nap. If you are up the northern part of the state PM me I am always game for a pack out.

 

[wyosam]

I typically hunt elk between the morning hunt and the evening hunt. Maybe a quick siesta to stay sharp in the afternoon.


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[trophyhill]

I’d be still hunting or glassing. You have plenty of time to sleep at night or when you get home. What is it? A 5 day hunt?

 

[Ross]

If your only seeing camp in the dark it is nap time.......pick a travel spot water or vantage point and be happy your not working Good luck

 

[WRO]

I'd be tracking and checking for sign at water holes etc..

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[ShakeDown]

Glass

 

[ATL-Kyle]

Mid day glassing can be productive late season. If it is cold they will bed in an open spot in the middle of a blow down or some other nasty spot. Also bulls don’t seem to realize their antlers are visible. But as others have said nap. If you are up the northern part of the state PM me I am always game for a pack out.

I greatly appreciate that offer. We'll be in Unit 49 near Taos if that's still within your "jurisdiction" haha

 

[ATL-Kyle]

I’d be still hunting or glassing. You have plenty of time to sleep at night or when you get home. What is it? A 5 day hunt?

That's right. Saturday to Wednesday

 

[trophyhill]

I greatly appreciate that offer. We'll be in Unit 49 near Taos if that's still within your "jurisdiction" haha

Great sleeper unit. Can be very steep too. If you are sleeping in a tent, get ready for the cold. I’m a few miles north on the Colorado side and it is getting down into the upper 20’s at night.

 

[Wrench]

Whatever you do.....do it in the field.

I've had several experiences where elk have been bumped midday and walked to me. I've stopped to chow and as soon as I was done and stood up had elk get up around me. I've been sitting taking a break and had the wind shift and elk get up..... not one of those experiences could have happened if I wasn't there.

Of course this year when I was dragging up camp I heard the thunder of elk hooves and of course all of my clothes were on the line drying....so I had underwear, 5 toe shoes and a stickbow sneaking on elk. Turns out 1/2 mile from camp the forest service was staking cut lines and bumped them literally into my camp.

The more time you spend in the field, the better your odds.....it's just that simple.

 

[rayporter]

hunt, do not relax. 5 days. think about it. just 5. and you waited 360 days to nap?
i have killed half dozen bulls at lunch time -give or take an hour. you are not the only hunter in the field.

 

[ATL-Kyle]

Great sleeper unit. Can be very steep too. If you are sleeping in a tent, get ready for the cold. I’m a few miles north on the Colorado side and it is getting down into the upper 20’s at night.

Right now I'm much more apprehensive about the steepness than the cold since we've camped in the 20s before. The only other western hunt I've been on was Wyoming antelope last year so I'm just counting down the days until we get there and I am blown away by the size of what I've been looking at on Google Earth.

The biologist I spoke with a few weeks back had good things to say about the unit also so I'm hoping we can get into some elk. Any legal bull is the goal but worst case, it should be a pretty amazing camping trip

 

[Laramie]

If you have them, set a few trail cameras out on day 1. You can still hunt to them during the mid day to check them. They are a tool that has helped us zero in on bulls and they also provide a added element of fun to the hunt. They can really be useful on water but they have also helped us identify timber elk movement that allowed for unlikely ambush points. I agree with the others, hunt all day as long as you are getting enough sleep at night.

 

[5MilesBack]

It's rifle season, there is no "lull time". Hunt from first light to dark........especially with a 5 day hunt. Get after them. You can't shoot them if you don't go find them. Man, I used to cover some serious miles every day during rifle season, hiking from before first light to well after dark. Archery season is a breeze comparatively.