A short summary before diving into the details. Eric and I were hunting with Rio Brazos Outfitters near Chama, New Mexico. Rio Brazos Elk Outfitter I had hunted this exact same camp previously in 2013 and I knew Randy Slaughter from that trip. There were six hunters in camp again this time and the bulls were bugling. Four hunters tagged out on the first day. A fifth hunter tagged out on the 2nd morning. And then there was Eric.
We met in Springfield IL where I left my truck. We drove the rest of the way in Eric's rig and spent nights in his 5th wheel RV. First stop, Salina KS.
The sight in turned into a fiasco. The range is down by the river 15 minutes from camp. We drove down and found a locked gate. So we turned around back to camp and got a key. We returned to the gate and couldn't make the key work. At that point we gave up and just used a hillside near the gate.
I shot first and found out that I had grabbed the Hornady Precision Hunter 178 grain ELD-X box. I had been planning to use the Outfitter Series 180 grain CX. Two grains difference - can't matter - right? I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. After shooting 1/2 a box and taking 3 MOA of elevation out, I gave up. We turned around, ran back to the cabin, and I got the right ammo. Then we went back to the range.
Shooting off the truck hood should have been stable but I switched to shooting off sticks. I put one of the MOA back in the scope and eventually shot a decent group on the high side of zero at 100 yards. Eric shot a couple shots and was good. I'm thinking, oh great, start another hunt with no confidence in your zero.
Anyway, we went back to camp and shared a beer or two with Bill, Steve, Junior, and Johnny from TN, plus Joe (our guide), Guy (lead guide), Colton (guide), Gina (cook) and Carla (Gina's sister who was visiting for a few days). We had orientation meeting around the camp fire and chicken enchilada casserole for dinner.
On day 1, up at about 4:15 and Gina made egg mcmuffins to go. We did a morning walk among the bugles but couldn't get anybody to come in or show themselves. I stopped counting bugles at about 20.
We hunted meadow edges and up thru the timber including some blowdown areas. We definitely had bulls talking to us and had one close encounter where he surprised us and bugled very close by - but we never saw him. He must have caught a whiff of us.
At one point we walked past a memorable spot from my last hunt here. My buddy Jim had been hunting with a new scope on detachable mounts and had somehow lost his scope. It wasn't discovered missing until we were back at the truck. We came back the next day and found it.
There was no shortage of sign. Poop of the week - a bull bomb.
Anyway it was a beautiful walk among the bugles on a beautiful day. We heard some shots.
The air was thin but it was surprising that the land wasn't more vertical when tromping around at 10,000+ feet.
The gate was open this morning so we made it down to check out the Rio Brazos River.
No hunting action in the mid-day so Eric decided to set up his hammock and take a nap.
Steve shot a bull in the morning hunt. He said he was pursuing the "don't pass on the first day what you would shoot on the last day" philosophy. Seemed like a nice enough bull to me,
The meat was quartered and hung.
A view of the camp from the meat pole. Cabin on right and equipment shed on left. Water is drawn from the creek and isn't potable - used for toilets and showers etc. Small shed on left is a generator house to run power for a few hours each night and morning.
Eric wasn't the only one having a mid-day nap.
For the evening hunt, Joe planned to drop me off at a blind in the bus meadow while he and Eric set off on foot nearby.
I set up behind this brush pile. The elk bedding area is up the mountainside in the timber but they usually bleed out into the meadow to feed each evening.
My first hunt with my new suppressor. I had a surprise stampede of cows come by from behind at one point. I was able to spot a raghorn running with them in the treeline.
After they had come and gone, as we were approaching sundown. I looked up and saw five cows in the field and a bull coming out of the trees to join them. I glassed the bull and he had six on each side. I didn't do a lot of studying - I got out the rangefinder and he was at 360 yards. I got on the sticks, he gave me a broadside so I took the shot. I basically held the crosshairs at the top of his back. My load should drop 8" at 300 and 23" at 400
At the shot, all five cows and the bull took a few steps toward me and stopped, confused. I was getting on him for a follow up shot but he was facing right at me. As I lined him up in the scope, he wobbled and went over. I took my time, answered nature's call, put on my orange vest, and then walked in to check him out. It was a double lung shot and I was surprised to see an exit wound at 360 yards. Those copper bullets do penetrate. As Joe and Eric recovered the truck and approached, Another bull and his cows came out in the meadow about 150 yards from me. They saw the truck and bolted.
The truck was about 500 yards away with a creek in between. Joe did all the hard work of caping, quartering, and bagging. He tried the radio a couple times but got no answer. We decided to just haul it ourselves with Joe taking the heavy hind quarters, Eric and I taking the front quarters and the extra bag, and then Joe carried the horns and cape after help loading from Eric.
As we were enjoying a truck beer following the haul, Guy and Colt drove up to help.
They had been busy themselves as they each had a bull down too. One of them (Bill's) was left to recover the next morning.
First day, four bulls down. We celebrated over meatloaf for dinner.
Day two morning, just Eric and Junior left to score. The weather was not as nice - off and on rain. Gina had breakfast burritos and we headed to the cow camp area. We had bugles at first light but they headed for the fence line and the neighbor's property.
We crossed the road and got into bugles again. Joe was talking to him and Eric was set up. Eventually, when he showed, he was a very small 5 point and Eric passed. On the walk out, we bumped a bear who ran out of the woods and straight up the road.
Meanwhile, Junior scored. It was reported to be an awesome shot on a moving bull at 160 yards.
After lunch (beef stew), Bill and Guy went and recovered Bill's bull in the pouring rain. Bill's bull had interesting offset bases (on right below).
The racks were stacking up near the meatpoles. Mine has the hide wrapped around it.
For the afternoon hunt, Joe decided to stay mobile and work the edges of the bus meadow to see where they came out. The rain took a break but we had no bugles until last light.
We worked our way around until we were near my carcass and we pushed a coyote off of his feast. We had a big campfire back at the cabin with grilled pork chops for dinner. Apple cake for dessert.
Day three was an early departure for "top of the world". We had bagel sandwiches on the go. We set up on a meadow below TOW for daybreak. It's a spot where they cross to go up to bed. We saw three cow parades and a small 5 point with missing 2nds. We also had a couple of antelope and 3 mule deer does. We took a walk around TOW where we pushed a herd of antelope and then pushed a few more cows before getting back to the truck
Mid-day we had a visit from Randy and Carla left camp.
Chicken and dumplings for lunch with molasses cookies. Cloud lapse video FYI. Clouds
Meanwhile the guides worked on cleaning skulls for European mounts. Junior did the brain scrambling (can't transport nerve material due to CWD). Joe and Colt at work.
I pursued my usual mid-day activity.
Eric watching Joe work on the deboning process - the TN guys haul their own meet to a processor at home.
For the evening hunt, we went to Bell Meadow - the same spot where I was successful on the last night of my 2013 hunt. It was quiet - no bugles. Near last light, we started to see some cows. Finally, with 5 minutes left, a small 5x5 showed at 260 yards. Indecision at first, then when Eric decided to go ahead and take him, he stepped into the trees. The light was gone before another shot opportunity occurred. Watching Bull at 260 yards
Prime rib dinner and last night for the tagged out TN hunters.
Day four - seemed colder and there was intermittent rain.
Walk in the timber near barn-top at first light. We were in bugles. Got close a couple times. At one setup, he was clearly coming in but we hadn't seen him. Eric got a view of his legs and lower body as he was bugling in the trees at 50 yards. Unfortunately, one of his cows walked into 15 yards and got a whiff of us. It was over - here's a video. Close Call but Busted
We covered more ground without much luck. Interesting fog this morning.
We had hamburgers for lunch after the TN guys headed home.
Some bird-watching notes. We saw an eagle hunting in the field. Also observed gray jays (camp robbers) and a stellar's jay (pretty).
For the evening hunt we sat at horseshoe - a big horseshoe shaped bowl. It was raining/sleeting.
We eventually saw a few cows and a small 5x5 milling around between 400 and 450 yards. The bull was pretty marginal and the shot was not optimal. Passed.
And it was a cold, wet sit.
Spaghetti and meatballs for dinner - quiet camp without the TN guys.
Day five started with a walk near barn top and horseshoe. We eventually got to the top of horsehoe where we had seen the 5x5 the night before. There was a tank up there. Joe put on a tree branch breaking, cow calling, bugling show to simulate an orgy. But nobody came to the party.
We walked and called thru a cow bedroom but had no bull encounters.
Rain and drizzle. Saw a cow parade way off in the distance. Back for lunch of grilled cheese and potato soup.
Heavy rain in mid-day. The wind came around to the east.
We went back to Bell Meadow for the last hunt. We set up on a different corner because of the wind. We never saw or heard anything until we packed up and headed to the truck. We pushed some cows almost off the driveway for the truck. Pork tenderloin for last dinner in camp.
In the morning we broke camp and drove out. The photo below is Guy (lead guide), Gina (cook), and Joe (our guide) who hung in there with us until the last minute trying to get Eric on a bull.
We broke camp and started the long drive home.
It was a great hunt. Five of six hunters took bulls - most of them 6x6.
Eric had some marginal shot opportunities on marginal bulls but he is completely happy with his decisions to pass. It was a great experience to be out there with them when they're bugling.
Late addition to post - OnX maps:
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