Jlop_2
Lil-Rokslider
So figured I’d jump on here and share my story of my NM public land DIY 2023 muzzleloader bull. I’ve learned a ton from this community from gear to elk tactics and figured it’s my time to share. As of 2 years ago I’d never fired a muzzleloader (learned a ton about what loads to try, etc from here) and on Saturday a buddy and I harvested this bull in the backcountry.
We have hunted this unit twice for elk before (muzzle and bow) both times backpacking into the wilderness with no success, but learning the unit and how tough it can be.
The hunt started on Thursday evening at the trailhead, where we loaded up camp and 4 days worth of food. We hiked to a remote lake and set up camp about 5 miles from the truck and a 2k elevation gain. We spent all day Friday scouting as this was a new area we hadn’t been into. I had picked some spots after e scouting and we decided to give it a try as our previous areas had a ton of blow down the year prior.
Friday we were able to locate some good sign but no sighting of elk or bugling. We went back to camp and rested up for opening day.
Saturday morning came and we decided to hike a game trail we had found the day prior. Once again we saw nothing and heard no bugles. We decided to take a mid day break in steep drainage and about 11 we heard a faint bugle come from the bottom. We decided to try an get closer but the winds began to swirl. We decided to just hunker down and hope the bull would fire off on his own again in the evening.
We sat until about 4pm when the bull let off a bugle again from the north facing timber across the drainage. My hunting partner @Icfree started cow calling and he immediately fired back at us. Over approximately 30 minutes the bull would bugle and sounded to get closer and closer breaking every branch on his way in it seemed like. We had a good set up overlooking a small meadow at the bottom and thought he may appear there.
Suddenly the bull bugles and seemed a lot closer than we expected haha. We were set up on a steep southeast face so the bull had to come around us from the west to see where the cow calls were coming from. I then saw the white tips of his antlers come over the ridge…
He came into about 40 yards and I settled my Williams peep sight on his chest and let the 290 grain barnes fly. He immediately buckled and slide down the steep face. It had finally all come together on our 3rd backcountry backpack hunt in northern NM.
My hunting partner was able to catch the shot on video too, which was awesome.
Thanks again @Icfree for all the help.
To say I’m happy is an understatement. He may be the biggest bull I’ll ever harvest…
We have hunted this unit twice for elk before (muzzle and bow) both times backpacking into the wilderness with no success, but learning the unit and how tough it can be.
The hunt started on Thursday evening at the trailhead, where we loaded up camp and 4 days worth of food. We hiked to a remote lake and set up camp about 5 miles from the truck and a 2k elevation gain. We spent all day Friday scouting as this was a new area we hadn’t been into. I had picked some spots after e scouting and we decided to give it a try as our previous areas had a ton of blow down the year prior.
Friday we were able to locate some good sign but no sighting of elk or bugling. We went back to camp and rested up for opening day.
Saturday morning came and we decided to hike a game trail we had found the day prior. Once again we saw nothing and heard no bugles. We decided to take a mid day break in steep drainage and about 11 we heard a faint bugle come from the bottom. We decided to try an get closer but the winds began to swirl. We decided to just hunker down and hope the bull would fire off on his own again in the evening.
We sat until about 4pm when the bull let off a bugle again from the north facing timber across the drainage. My hunting partner @Icfree started cow calling and he immediately fired back at us. Over approximately 30 minutes the bull would bugle and sounded to get closer and closer breaking every branch on his way in it seemed like. We had a good set up overlooking a small meadow at the bottom and thought he may appear there.
Suddenly the bull bugles and seemed a lot closer than we expected haha. We were set up on a steep southeast face so the bull had to come around us from the west to see where the cow calls were coming from. I then saw the white tips of his antlers come over the ridge…
He came into about 40 yards and I settled my Williams peep sight on his chest and let the 290 grain barnes fly. He immediately buckled and slide down the steep face. It had finally all come together on our 3rd backcountry backpack hunt in northern NM.
My hunting partner was able to catch the shot on video too, which was awesome.
Thanks again @Icfree for all the help.
To say I’m happy is an understatement. He may be the biggest bull I’ll ever harvest…
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