NM - Tuesday P.M. - Sightseeing?

Dave and I took a drive during the mid-day today.  We drove past the Mangas Mountains and along the northern edge of the Gila National Forest.

We drove thru several passes and valleys.  We also crossed the continental divide a couple of times.

After the mountains, we came out into the plains.  We saw a coyote on the road and then these antelope.

We stopped for gas in Datil NM and this truck pulled in beside us.  We saw several trucks go by with nice looking racks in them.

For the evening "hunt" , Matt decided to take us up to a forest service fire watch tower.  It was an OMG drive up a gravel switchback road to the peak where the views were awesome.

We set up on the tower to glass the surrounding mountains for elk.

The views were great but the wind was strong and cold.

Matt seemed excited to see elk about 2 miles away, across two drainages.  All I could think about was how I would get there to shoot one and, if I did, how we would get it out.

So we glassed for a few hours and then drove down at sunset.  I never even put a primer in the gun tonight.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This picture doesn't do justice to the single lane, gravel, no guardrail, switchback, access road.  We had mule deer standing in the road as we drove out.

 

One day of hunting left - the pressure is on.