Elk in the pecos wilderness

[Don K]

Zim,

Nice pictures and again a great job staying mentally strong. You also forgot to mention your one partner backed out before the hunt and the other one had to leave after a couple days. You hung in there and ended up filling your tag with a nice bull.....

Good luck with Bullwinkle!!!!

Don

 

[Zim]

Yes there were supposed to be 3 of us. One backed out due to kids activities a week prior to the hunt. The other partner backpacked in and hunted 3 days but got really sick with a flu and had to go down. As mentioned it was very cold, muddy, wet & windy. There was 80% snow cover when we originally hiked in. The elk were silent and not even coming out the first 7 days. Then everything changed and my only stalk lasted less than an hour.

 

[zia]

Great job Zim!! Inspiring mental and physical toughness, way to go!

 

[Bitterroot Bulls]

Very nice Zim! Love those pics!

 

[Zim]

I green scored him at 331 4/8 gross, 322 1/8 net P&Y.

Update 12/12/11: After the 60 day dry period I had P&Y measurer tape him at 330 3/8 gross, 320 1/8 net.

 

[IL Hntr]

Very nice bull, congrats!

 

[jay]

great bull zim! congrats!

just got off the mountain myself. here is a pic of my 2011 black powder muley!

 

[zia]

Very nice buck Jay! Congratulations!

 

[Taz]

Velvet! wow that's a great buck! nice work.

is there any snow up there?

 

[jay]

Thanks zia, we pulled out two bucks off the same ridge about 150 yards apart on different days.

Yeah taz, but he kinda scraped one side a little when he rolled down hill before getting caught up on the big fur tree, taxidermist said it wouldn't be a problem though. No, no snow yet. It snowed about three weeks ago but melted within a day or two.

Thanks guys!

 

[Zim]

Good job, Jay! I was seeing 2 bucks about that same size almost daily in the basin we were hunting. They were bedded inside the timber a couple hundred yards below the lake. I was within bow range several times. What does a buck like that score?

There was a lot of snow when we arrived 9/12. 80% ground cover at the top, but it melted off each day. Very sloppy and muddy the whole hunt.

 

[jay]

thanks zim, good bull also. I don't think i've heard of anyone pulling anything that nice from that area this season. good job! I would guess he's around the 150's.

 

[Skybuster1329]

Cool Story and some great pictures !!

 

[dhershberger]

Wow, beautiful bull Zim especially for the Pecos. Nice buck also he should be in the high 150's!

 

[Taz]

Zia, have you been in the pecos? Do you think we will still hear bugleing bulls for the first rifle season?

 

[zia]

Just got back last night, we had to come back early as my brother-in-law got bad altitude sickness. couldn't breathe, eat or even talk. Made for a quiet camp and saved on food but hard to kill anything. We were in snow to our knees in some places but had quite a few bugling bulls, one nice herd bull at 100 yards. Hard to shoot if you can't get off your horse though. Poor dude, neat guy.went with me last year to the Valle Vidal on a hunt I guided and fell in love with elk hunting (below 12,000 feet). This was a fun thread, good luck to all. Maybe we should have a Eastmans Pecos elk hunt one year.

 

[Taz]

Sorry to hear about that Zia, sounds like you were dialed in! I leave tomorrow for the Pecos-will be reporting back when I return.

 

[zia]

went from this........ to this in 24 hours, came off the mountain to take my brother-in-law home, went back up Monday with another friend/tag holder. We rode 6-8 hours a day Monday through Wednesday and didn't hear another bugle. Hopefully they will turn back on for the rifle guys.

 

[jay]

My sons first black powder bull!!! Pretty proud of him, first day out hiked probably 7 miles in about 8 inches of snow. Didn't see one elk, but day two was all about the payback! Bulls bugling, rut action all day long! Were after a big 6x6 that wouldn't leave his cows for sh*t but this guy presented himself with a perfect broadside shot at about 50 yards and couldn't pass him up. Great job son!

 

[NoMoreOldNo7]

Congrats to your son. My partner and I are heading to the Pecos for the second rifle hunt on Wednesday, can't wait to get back there. Again,wtg to on the bull, hoping a little hard work pays off for us as well.