Hey guys, I know it's not hunting related, but I thought this would be the best place to ask this. My wife and I are planning a trip to Santa Fe either at the end of September or early October. I assume the Elk will be rutting around then, and I really want to find some Elk to photograph (ideally in areas that are easily accessible).

I already plan to go to the Valles Caldera NP to see what I can find there. Can any of you recommend other places within an hour of Santa Fe that might have high numbers of Elk around that time? Also, my second priority will be to photograph Black Bears. I would greatly appreciate any input you guys can provide.

Thanks in advance!

Wade, the VC should provide what you need. We did a youth cow hunt in there last Thanksgiving and saw a number of bulls. I bet the rut action is pretty fun in that part of the state. There aren't many roads though, so you may need to wander on foot or bicycle a little. Don't overlook nearby Bandelier National Monument, which does not allow hunting. Elk should be observable, though I'm not sure what the roads are like there and if they meet your needs for accessible. You can get partway up into the famed Pecos Wilderness by traveling north from the town of Pecos (east of Santa Fe on I25 north). That's some pretty country that holds elk. If you spring for a NM fishing license it's pretty easy to wet a line on the Pecos River while you're at it.

Wade:

Doubt you'll find what you're looking for around
there. Best to contact some of the hunting areas
and guides up N in the state. Start around
Eagles Nest, Chama, and nearer the CO line. A
good place would be just south of Raton at the
NRA's Whittington Center ranch.

That's a bit early for game really. I don't know
when the rut is there.

The ONLY place I know for sure you can see lot's
of rutting elk up close, say within 50 feet or so. Would be Estes Park, CO. They're almost
pets up there. I've been within 15 feet of two
5 & 6 pt bulls the one time I was there.

No clue about bear.

Wish you the best with your adventure. I very
much enjoy your photo's posted here.

George

Valles Caldera is not a national park, it is a national preserve.

You can hunt there, if you can draw a tag (I did not).

September-October will be smack in the middle of their hunting season. Archery opens on the 1st, and the last rifle closes on the December 9th.

I just spoke to the preserve. Non-hunters are welcome in the preserve during hunts, but are very restricted on what areas they can visit. The guy I spoke to said that elk do not always cooperate with photographers. You are not required to wear orange in the nonhunting area, but it is highly recommended.

There are tons of elk around the indian casino all year long in Ruidioso. All the Texans come to Ruidoso. Santa Fe has some interesting tourism, but I am not much of a fan. Southern Rockies mountain towns suck, compared to Northern Rockies mountain towns. Santa Fe has all the BS crime, bullshit, and homelessness, and drunk Natives that we live with in NM everyday. It is less of a destination and more of a stop. Like Santa Fe, Ruidioso also kind of sucks.

If you have ever been to Estes Park, Jackson, Banff, or off mountain towns like Casper and Gunnison you will be highly dissapointed, unless you are into art. Art and homeless people!

Well the only reason we are going is because we have a free place to stay. I just assumed there would be some type of wildlife around. If not, then I will be happy to just escape the 100* Houston cesspool.

It will be cooler and dryer than Houston.

It is currently 93F here in Las Cruces. But will be 100 this afternon. Humidity is 18%. Houston has probably never seen 18%, and won't unless someone drops an atom bomb there.

NM above the 8000 feet level (most of the state is around 4700) is pretty cool, especially in the shade with a breeze.

We escape to the Gila or Lincoln to drop our temps 20-30 degrees a lot of weekends.

The most elk I've ever seen at one time, even more than at Rocky Mountain National Park during rut, was at Valles Caldera. This was when it was still in private hands before it became a National Monument. I think it was August.

Now that it is a National Monument it naturally gets more traffic, but within a reasonable drive of Santa Fe it is probably the very best place to see and photograph elk.

If covid-19 restrictions are lifted by then and restaurants are allowed to provide table service I would strongly advise eating every single meal at The Pantry on Cerrillos Road. They serve outstanding food of every category.

Speaking of restrictions, are you aware that New Mexico currently has a 14-day self-quarantine rule which requires that out-of-state over-night visitors restrict themselves to their quarters? Be sure to check their requirements prior to finalizing your trip plans. If you are "just passing through" and not stopping overnight in the state this restriction does not apply.

I didn't bring up our state's quarantine requirements because I'm hopeful they will not be as strict by the end of September. Hopefully. Who knows? But yes, be sure to check on that before traveling here. Non-residents are being welcomed with open arms right now.

Re: hunts. According to this year's regulations, there are no hunts in the VC between September 24 when the bow season ends and October 10 when the muzzleloader season starts. You have a little window there in which you could have a bit more flexibility.

During the kids' hunt last fall, we saw hundreds of elk down in the main caldera (which is not open to hunting so the tourists can see elk). I'd be surprised if you visited the VC during good hours (early and late) and didn't see elk.

Valle Vidal is another great place to spot elk. The only down side is that it is a bumpy dirt road that goes through the valley and requires you to drive slow as to not shack your fillings out. We drove through mid day and saw 12 elk With bulls, 4 turkeys including a big tom. 6 desert big horn sheep, and a heard of Ted turners bison. The scenery was also beautiful.

I hunted elk on Valles Caldera back when it was the Baca Ranch, before the family sold it to the government. That place is elk heaven and you’ll be there at peak rut. I hunted the first week of October and there were bulls screaming all morning. There were 13 elk hunters when I was there and we averaged around 340 gross on the bulls we killed. We all shot bulls and I was the last one to connect. I shot my bull the 3rd morning.

One small caution. The altitude there is high. Some parts of the ranch exceed 11,000’ altitude.