Your only about 3 hours away from Cloudcroft NM. My advice to you is to head to area 34 and do some scouting. I've been trying to draw 36 for 5 years now (low odds being out of state), and no luck. But with that said.....I've made a handful of trips out there (6 hour drive) and have hiked around in a few areas to learn them. Was out there last weekend in fact. Saw 6 bulls. Largest group of elk was about 26. Elk weren't bugling much, and they have had plenty of rain...so water is plentiful. Bulls were starting to group up with the cows, but they aren't super aggressive yet. Because your hunt is the 6-10th, my guess is there still may be some rut/bugling activity at that time, which is to your advantage. Get out there in the next weekend or two and learn an area, talk to some locals, etc. Good luck! And I have to agree with Bob above....you need to make the most of that tag...they are hard to draw, and there are some BIG bulls.