New Mexico Wapiti Wanderings

[JC]

That smile says it all, many well deserved congrats bro! So very happy for you.

[Whip]

To finally accomplish a long term goal like this provides a special satisfaction, and to be able to share it with a good friend makes it all the more special.  Thanks for being there buddy!

 

Norbert and Trey worked on quartering the bull while I boned out the meat to lighten the loads.  A Tippit knife got a good workout.
 

We anly had daypacks with us at the time, but Norb's had a pouch that folded out and we were able to take out the backstraps and the head on our first trip back.  Then we headed back to camp for full packframes for the work ahead.

Trey had made arrangements with a local cowboy to pack out any animals we might get, but this was on Sunday, and the cowboy had left for the weekend.  We were on our own.  I have never worked so hard in my life - 1 1/2 miles from the truck, and the first 1/2 was straight uphill.  Treys advice was good - don't look at the top - just look at the next three steps you need to take and then look at the next three.  Repeat until you reach the truck.

It was full dark by the time we reached the truck with the last load.  We were bone tired, but even as we hurt and complained, a satisfaction set in knowing we had done it on our own and earned every ounce of meat.  I couldn't thank Norb and Trey enough for the help they gave so willingly.

[vermonster13]

Well done and congratulations!!!

[Herdbull]

Nice job Joe! And thanks guys for the stories .

Mike

[Kevin L.]

Congratulations!! Thanks for taking us along on this one  

[beachbowhunter]

I'll tell you, I haven't worked that hard since two-a-days in High School football. From the animal to the top of the steep slope was the hardest physically. The reward was about another mile of a somewhat more subdued uphill slog. It was mostly mental after that. The big meadow near the trail head was a welcome sight. The first trip we packed out the backstraps and the head. Sitting down at camp, it was almost inconceivable that we would have to go back and pack out the HEAVY parts. However, we did it with style and were back by around 8:30 pm.

I was carrying a Badlands 2200 that has what they call a "meat shelf". It comes out of the bottom and has straps that clip up near the top. The side "batwing" straps help hold the meat steady. Coupled with the internal frame, I thought that it worked pretty well and was comfortable. Finally, a gimmick that works!

[ksbowman]

Congrats,thats a beautiful animal,can't wait till I can shoot one! Now for a cold beer at camp.  Ben

[Ted Fry]

Cool Whip , I like that. Yeah I saw how cool Joe can be on a hunt in Texas.
Way to go man , nice bull and thanks for sharing the story and pics.

[John Scifres]

Awesome!

[Steve O]

Joe,  I am so happy for you.  Couldn't have happened to a better guy!  

   

Now, knowing you, you turned into "THE" guide and helped everybody else in camp, soooooooooooo,


GET ON WITH THE REST OF THE STORY  

[IB]

There just has to be more to this story          

There were 4 of youns on that Adventure "What Say They"

Plus "WHAT DIDYA EAT"

Give up the REST OF THE STORY......COOL WHIP"o"        

[doug77]

good for you Joe , now i am just sitting hear remembering my first bull with a bow

Doug77

[Tique]

Congratulations Joe, that's a nice bull! Thanks for sharing your story and pics.  

[beachbowhunter]

soooooooooo, Cool Whip takes pity on the newby and helps him out the next few days. The next day was mostly a rain out and I went down the mountain with Joe to the market where they would prepare the meat and freeze the head. We saw a body double for Gene Wenzle in the local eatery.

It was quite windy and we put a tarp over the wall tent as it had developed a few leaks...
 

The weather was starting to roll in and it changed from....

 

To....

 
..pretty quickly.

Our camp was at about 10,000 feet. That night we had an awesome front come through with lightning and thunder that felt like it was inside the tent. We kept joking about whether the tent frame or the cots were conductive and if we would fry. As the front passed by we had a huge dump of hail that caught Smiley..er..  with his hands full. :rolleyes:

[Shaun]

Joe, fine work and a prize well earned. Joe has a real Clark Kent demeanor about him, but he is a killer. Tell us about some backstrap grilling just to quiet Vance please.

[beachbowhunter]

Well, Joe favored me with some of his backstraps which I cooked this weekend...bacon wrapped and grilled with Montreal seasoning. Loved by all.

We had bear chili made by Smiley, some boar brats and Italian white beans by me, some gumbo that Joe brought...lots of good WI cheese and of course some CA vino....steaks and taters the first night from Trey...

Does that work for you Vance??!!

[IB]

  WE WANT MORE I  tell ya      

[beachbowhunter]

Well the next day turned out to be very nice, a steady breeze out of the west. We'd been looking at the ridges and draws that lined up to the southwest of our campsite. Joe and I took a long walk down into the basin. We had good sign going in and strong bull aroma in several locations. We made a few set ups but the early wind was still fickle and we saw no elk.

By 9am or so, we had made it to the top of one ridge and were glassing. We heard the bugles of a couple of hunters on top of a rock ledge off to the northeast. To our amazement we heard a return bugle from the ridge to the south. They were in no position to follow up so we did.

We dropped to the bottom of the valley and crossed a stream (I think Joe has a pic of this)and headed up the slope. This ridge was interesting. The base had thick aspens and we found two beautiful bowls that in a dry year would be great wallow ambush spots. However, there was tons of water this year and the ground was still wet from the night storm.  The aspens were on ground that wasn't too steep. However, they ran up to a sheer wall that looked like a dead end.

[Ray Hammond]

way to go, guys...congratulations Joe! New Mexico is a beautiful place, isn't it?

[DW]

GREAT Story guy's and congratulations to Joe     Don and Skyler