04 October 2009, 03:26
Tim HeraldNM Elk down...
I am still at the Jicarilla Apache Reservation in norther NM. Headed to TX tomorrow and will pronghorn hunt on Tues and Wed. On Oct 1, I passed up a decent 6x6 and a decent 6x7, but the bugling was slow.Oct 2- Though the bulls were not bugling again at daylight (it was 21 degrees), we did find one single bull that answered our calls at around 8am.
He was over a ridge, so we climbed up, and it was a beautiful flat wooded mesa on top. He was over the back bugling, so we set up. My guide and longtime friend, Larson Panzy, got behind me, and cow called lightly. Within a few minutes, a cow popped up at 50 yards. We could tell the bull was getting closer, and I expected him to follow her out. It took a few minutes, but he did just that. When the bull came in to view, I judged him as a shooter, but I knew he didn’t have super long beams. He looked to be heavy and have good back splits, so I decided to take him. He was at 50 yards or less, and he began to rake some oak brush.
I really wanted him to bugle, and just as I whispered that to my cameraman, Larson raked a shed on some brush. The bull began to chuckle, so I knew it was time. I squeezed the trigger on my old reliable TC Encore, and sent a 180 grain Winchester Accubond right through the boiler room. He went 20 yards and was done! Great heavy bull. I couldn’t be happier, he is a great bull and it was great footage for my new show, THE ZONE.
