Update on NM 16B archery elk hunt

[Mike65]

Korhil78
The son and I have been putting in for 16B for a couple years now. can you PM me or email me at [email protected] I'd like to pick your brain a little for this hunt? thanks

 

[Korhil78]

I sent you an email.

 

[Mike65]

Oh God I'm sorry I just sent you back an email. Yes, I found a pack who is going to drop us in 16B if drawn and trying to get as much info about it as I can. I put in for 16B and 16A and getting ready to get it all done. was excited to find someone to put the son and I in the wilderness and pick up. So any info is well appreciated.

 

[Korhil78]

I have killed two bulls in 16B. Both second archery hunts. There are a lot of places to pack in but just remember, once you pack way back in there, you are stuck back there whether there are any elk back there or not. I would pack in to the northern part of 16B that butts up to 16A and 16C because there are more elk up there. The further south you get in 16B the more sporadic the elk population gets.

I killed this one below and the one in the original post.

 

[Mike65]

wow those bulls are great bulls. I spoke with Tom Kluncker a bit ago. He mentioned when they were getting hammered with the fires last few years and Black Mnt, turkey feather and those areas are nothing but ash and brush growing up that they can't even get through that country with their horses. They usually start out of willow creek, and he said last year there were not any outfitters in there.
So, I started looking a little further east and coming in from the Gila hot springs area which speaking with tom said that a lot of elk after the fires moved south and east and that there is a good herd in that area. Also, some good bulls in there. he said the biggest bull he has ever seen was down in the Gila River gorge they jumped riding through there.
Have you ever been down in that country.
Boy those are nice Bulls congrats. it's awesome to see those calibers of bulls. I wish we could use the outfitters numbers for the draw.
Let me tell you I have been thinking of exactly what you're saying about once were dropped we are at our own mercy if there are no animals in the area we are dropped. The only thing I can say is we will be pretty mobile and if we have to move camp a few miles we can and then get the meat to a trail head when we need to get it packed out. This hunt is more for the son, and I hope he draws before me. we put in separate hoping to have a little better draw odd. Between the two of us we have a good number of years archery hunting.
Like tom said in his 45 years he has seen bull killed right at the begging of the TH's and those bulls are throughout the wilderness.
The draw is the hard part. were the years you were in 16 B were they hot and dry years or wet with a lot of water?
Were those bulls pretty active or real quiet? Anything you can share is really appreciated. Our outfitter has been doing the Gila's 16 B for 55years and gave up her business in 23 but will pack us in where there is water which is the biggest issue in there especially on a dry year. Hope to hear back and thank you sir for your response back. Mike

 

[Korhil78]

Last year was really dry and hot. But I have never seen it where they just wouldn't bugle at all on the second hunt. The bulls I have killed, they were all talking. It's super hard to get on a bull if they arnt talking unless you have spotted them and they are all bedded down and you can make a stalk.

I chased that bull, in the last post I made, for a while but couldn't get on him. It was really dry that year so we sat a tank near where we chased him. He came in that evening and I shot him at 33 yards.

If one thing isnt working, you gotta keep your options open and do something else.

But hopefully your guide/packer will know where the elk are before you go in. I have been with a buddy in 16B where we hiked in 3.5 miles and set up camp and hunted in a wide circle around camp. No elk to be found because what didn't know is a group of hunters also packed in there in the first hunt and ran all the elk out of that area. It happens.

The trailhead to willow creek is a good area with a lot of elk in it.

 

[Mike65]

yes, that trail head where tom packs out of is good and a lot of packers out of there as he has indicated. My out fitters hunt out of the Gila hot springs area and goes in 8-10 miles and the country looks great for getting around. I asked tom about there and he said a real good herd of animals in that area Between Tom and the guide I'm using have 95 years in the Gila between them.
I heard the same from a couple others and Tom that those bulls were completely quiet 2nd season last year. it made it hard to locate those bulls.
The son wanted to put his draw first and I'm second. Tom indicated that his archery hunters have killed their biggest bulls that first season when the bulls are looking to pick up cows. all the years he has guided the first season has killed the bigger bulls.
We just hope to be into bulls and go from there if we find bull it will give us the chance, we need to kill one. I never count my chicken as archery hunting can go either way. I have been doing this too long to say I will kill a 350+ bull no doubt. It can happen then again it can happen the complete opposite. That is the choice I have if I want this outfitter. 55 yrs. experience in 16B and lives right there off 15 and why she goes in from there. we just need to be dropped where there are elk and water and were golden. We will definitely hunt water in the evenings as its hot during the day and will sit water also and try to chase bugles if they are bugling. if not then take it slow very slow and stalk slow. Hopefully we can spot and stalk. A lot depends on what weather, feed, water, and how vocal those bulls are from there feeding area and bedding areas.

 

[Mike65]

are you putting 16B as your first choice when you enter the draw? 16B 16A 34 is how I'm putting it in>

 

[Korhil78]

I'm going to put in for a rifle hunt as my first choice in 16A or 16D and then my second and third choice will be 16B

 

[Mike65]

they really cut back on rifle tags last year. it's getting harder each year to draw anything.

 

[Korhil78]

Yea..I'm a resident so it's a little easier for me to draw. I can drive about 1.5 hrs and be in the wilderness area so it's kinda nice.

 

[Mike65]

No Doubt that's why your drawn the number of times that you have been in there makes sense now. all these odds for an NR are pretty much the same. so it is hard to draw. the only good thing is the wilderness is a little easier to draw.

 

[Mike65]

Korhil78 A big question for you> Have you hunted in the Clayton Mesa/Spring area that buts up to Jerky Mnt. Crossing Iron creek then up on the plateau? If we can talk our outfitter in hauling the horses and mules around to Willow Creek or Loco TH across from 16A I think we will have a much better hunt. Thats about 7-8 miles across into there. Then if we are not into elk, we can push out of there.
Turkey feather burned up a few yrs back and should have some great growth in there, but I hear a lot of downfalls everywhere. and locus is thicker than hell.
We will pack in a lot of water if it's a dry year and pack enough to last. When we spoke last, I mentioned unit 34 then dropped it and added 15.
16A-15-16B is how we put in. the son first hunt me 2nd archery.
With the outfitter draw I'm hoping we have a little better chance to draw as I don't know how it works but less putting in under that draw than the NR regular draw.
I'm putting maps together of those 3 units so if drawn I don't have to deal with that one issue. which you know when we step from that rig it's all going to change anyways so trying to fill that gap for a little easier.
well buddy good luck in the draw hope to hear back take care. Mike

 

[Korhil78]

Yessir, I have been back in there. It's a good area but a lot of downfalls as you said. Some places it gets dark near impassable. But if you can get through it and up top, there should be good growth up there. There were quite a few hunters and outfits going in there but I'm sure you could find a spot to hunt in there.