Gila, anyone?

[unm1136]

I went after muleys last Nov and saw a couple dozen elk using one of the public campgrounds at a trailhead into 16b...Not too far from Snow Lake. I coulda stuck my .45 out the window and shot one. They weren't worried. They could smell the deer tag and Gila Rookie on me.

pat

 

[airmanharv08]

Drew the Gila in 2010 16A, first hunt and that completely changed my perspective on elk hunting. Definitely gained knowledge I hope to use again in the Gila, I've been putting in for the Gila years and haven't draw a tag since 2010. Hopefully that changes this year!

 

[SDHNTR]

I'll add my .02. Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you need a horse to hunt this unit. Use the quads that God gave you. If you're in terrible shape however, your hunt won't be much fun

OK, I'll bite. Are you an archery hunter? Please tell me how you are going to get a bull out in September with days in the 80s and nights in the 50's, and you are 10 miles in? At least get it out before spoilage?

 

[SDHNTR]

Yea sorry about the anonymous post

Thanks, don't know score but he's a neat old bull with a lot of history. In 2012 I missed him at 27 yards. Saw him again scouting with my dad in August 2013. A few weeks later I got on him cow calling and shot him at 51 yards, he fell about ten yards from the tree I was standing under when I missed him the year before. Definitely felt like he was the king of that ridge and an old fighter, taxidermist says he had a broken nose from years before. Gila is a magical place.

Great bull! Definitely agree, the Gila is a magical place. I'd give a left one for another tag there.

So 2 questions... How did you get a tag two years ain a row? And how did you get a bull out 13 miles in by yourself?

 

[SDHNTR]

Well in a nutshell, it was successful. Where we did not see may elk on the hike in, this trip was more to get eyes on the general area. We were unable to get to the area we wanted to head in to due to road closures, so we headed in at snow lake. The devastation from last years flooding was clearly evident. You could see spots where that little creek would have been 40 feet across and up to 7-8 foot deep if not more. Saw quite a bit of elk sign, most a couple weeks old. However, we did see some fresh sign. Super excited to head back in a few weeks from now, and hopefully be able to head in where we intend to in the fall. All in all we went in about 2.5 miles, but intend to go in further next time when we have the whole weekend to do so, as this was just a hike in hike out trip. Saw a lot of elk on the drive out. mostly cows, but a few bulls that had already dropped the bone, and a spike that had not.

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Thanks for the report. How are you planning already to hunt there in the fall? Are there LO tag in 16b that I don't know about?

 

[hunter4life]

SDHNTR, you bring up very good points. During the archery hunt and even during the rifle hunts I don't think any lone person can carry out a bull from 10 + miles into the Gila without a horse or mule. At least not without losing a bunch to spoilage or leaving the majority of the meat behind.

My brother works at a meat processing/taxidermy shop and says it is not uncommon to see elk with large amounts of spoilage even during the late cow hunts. He also sees plenty of people drop off "all the meat" from an elk and it only weighs in at about 1/3rd or 1/4th of what it should. The rest is left on the carcass or "spoiled" and left behind. Then the hunters commence complaining about the cost of meat processing while they are wearing a $1,000.00 outfit of KUIU or Sitka gear and Kennetrek boots. For many people the true spirit of hunting and putting good meat on the table is lost and they only care about bragging to their buddies.

The Gila is an amazing place, but difficult to draw and if you want to hunt way back in the middle of it you would be a fool to go in without at least 2 strong buddies to help pack, a packer on call and a satellite phone, or your own livestock.

 

[quackaddict]

Hardcore, clean out your PM box. Tried to send you one, but it's full.

 

[HardcoreHunter]

Hardcore, clean out your PM box. Tried to send you one, but it's full.

Sorry was on vacation, it is cleared now.

 

[txgila]

Great bull! Definitely agree, the Gila is a magical place. I'd give a left one for another tag there.

So 2 questions... How did you get a tag two years ain a row? And how did you get a bull out 13 miles in by yourself?

Lucked out in draw. Sat phone with packer on call (so I guess I really wasn't "solo" since I used packer to get meat out). Zero meat spoilage, clean quickly, good game bags, get meat hung up in shade, get out before weather gets hot the next day.

You guys are right, it would be virtually impossible and in my opinion irresponsible to hunt many parts of the Gila without a packer on call.

 

[HardcoreHunter]

There are 3 of us that applied, and for the first hunt the odds are really high. We will all three load packs to pack out an animal once one takes a dirt nap, and will not stop until all meat is on ice.

 

[SDHNTR]

Lucked out in draw. Sat phone with packer on call (so I guess I really wasn't "solo" since I used packer to get meat out). Zero meat spoilage, clean quickly, good game bags, get meat hung up in shade, get out before weather gets hot the next day.

You guys are right, it would be virtually impossible and in my opinion irresponsible to hunt many parts of the Gila without a packer on call.

That makes a lot more sense. I agree.

 

[txgila]

There are 3 of us that applied, and for the first hunt the odds are really high. We will all three load packs to pack out an animal once one takes a dirt nap, and will not stop until all meat is on ice.

You'd probably be okay with three guys, but if more than one have a tag then it would make a lot of sense to have a packer. Then when you get a bull down, two guys can clean and deal with pack out while the other guy gets to keep chasing bulls instead of hauling meat for two days.

 

[PA 5-0]

DIY solo, 13 miles into wilderness during 2013 flooding

View attachment 14740

That's a freakin horse Brother!!!! Awesome bow kill!!!!

 

[SDHNTR]

Also keep in mind the body size on these Gila bulls are giants. Take a typical 5-6 yr old bull and I'd put it at a good 150lbs heavier on the hoof than a similar aged bull out of CO or WY, for example. Having a packer on speed dial is just plain smart.

 

[trophyhill]

OK, I'll bite. Are you an archery hunter? Please tell me how you are going to get a bull out in September with days in the 80s and nights in the 50's, and you are 10 miles in? At least get it out before spoilage?

3 guys shouldn't have an issue getting the meat out. A simple solution is to kill him just before dark. The advantages are 1 the meat will cool quite nicely overnight and 2 you won't have to deal with the meat bees. You can get a little rest and hit the trail first thing in the morning. A couple years ago I killed this bull 4 miles in just before dark and got the last load out at about 5pm the next day. I placed the meat where it was in the shade the next day and had no spoilage. Overnight temps were high 30's to low 40's on the 9th of September with highs in the mid 70's. The next day.

I'll also add that on the second, I ran into 3 guys who were packing their 380 bull out. They said they were 8 miles in. This was about 3 in the afternoon and had killed him at first light. They had another 2 miles to go when I ran into them. Temps were mid 80's that day. I can't speak on whether they lost any meat.

 

[JPD350]

I agree that it is possible to get a big bull out 8 to 10 miles in without loosing meat but it would take 3 guys. An average bull in the Gila is going to be 230 to 240 lbs of boned meat divided by 3 packs is only 80 lbs, certainly a doable trek. I personally wouldn't do it because I am not a young guy anymore, I do know young men that can do this easily and without thinking about it. (again I would not want to do this and I would discourage most people from doing it, but it is very possible for some)

I wish NM would make it mandatory to retrieve all the meat from the animal. I was talking to some dude I met down there last year and he was gloating about taking all the meat out in just two loads and after continued conversation I find out he was only taking the 2 hind quarters and the back straps, what a waste!!


Last year my friend and I both got bulls for a total of 500 lbs of boned meat, one bull was 2.5 miles and the other 3.5, I could have easily stretched it to 4 to 5 miles but that it would have taken me to my limit. Two of us did 2 trips in one day per bull, I am sure there are plenty of young men that could have done the same two trips per day and be much further in than we were and successfully get their meat out without spoilage.

 

[Arbutusbucks]

Not to hijack the original post but they just moved up the NM draw results to 4/23. I also applied to 16b third season archery. Pretty excited for this Wednesday but not optimistic.

 

[wapitibob]

Backdoor is open to find out if you drew.

If you try to purchase deer, ibex, oryx, or Barbary sheep tag and you have drawn out for that species...it will give you a warning message saying that you can only hold one in a license year. You will not know which hunt you drew but you will know that you drew.

If you only applied for Elk (or only 1 species) AND asked for a license refund, you can try to buy a big game license. If you drew, the system won't let you buy another license.

Bottom line, what you applied for determines the method and neither method will work for everybody...

 

[HardcoreHunter]

Backdoor is open to find out if you drew.

If you try to purchase deer, ibex, oryx, or Barbary sheep tag and you have drawn out for that species...it will give you a warning message saying that you can only hold one in a license year. You will not know which hunt you drew but you will know that you drew.

If you only applied for Elk (or only 1 species) AND asked for a license refund, you can try to buy a big game license. If you drew, the system won't let you buy another license.

Bottom line, what you applied for determines the method and neither method will work for everybody...

My problem is I did not opt for a refund, sooooo, either way I have to wait.

 

[spdcrazy]

you guys make me miss elk hunting something fierce.