Is NM Elk Do-it-yourself Feasible?

[Whip]

Well, I guess the truck wouldn't have to be full, but you should have seen it last year!    Just ask Norbert!
I'm sitting here making a mental list in my head of what I would consider minimal gear, and it's sure a pile more than I would want to fly with.  I've flown on hunts before, and pretty much can do it OK as far as clothing, bows, arrows, sleeping bag, & misc. stuff.  But when you add in the basics for a reasonably comfortable camping set up it would sure take at least a couple of extra bags and even then wouldn't be very extravagant.  If we wanted extras like  a stove, a pan or two, heat water with, chairs to sit on, it becomes pretty tough.  Even something as simple as water jugs take up a lot of space.

The one thing I haven't been able to find anything out about is the landowner tag deal.  Whether that is even an option for a DIY hunt?  We're trying to find and plan a hunt that can happen regardless of whether we get lucky in the draw or not.  So, we're also looking into guided and unguided drop camp setups - keeping all the options open for now.  DIY would be first choice if we can make it work.

[snag]

Is there a fairly consistant time that they start rutting hard down there? Up here in Oregon is always seems like the middle of Sept.  
My friend called to wish me a Happy New Year the other day. He says they are snowed in until the county plows. They have 3 to 4 ft. down and enough food for a month. They are about a mile off the main road. He chews tobacco and his wifes main concern was if he had enough chew! I guess he can get a little hard to live with without the stuff.

[snag]

Does the application process start the middle of this month? Their website doesn't say...hasn't been updated yet.

[Ray Hammond]

I would hold out, Whip and try to get drawn. I got drawn my first and third year for the Gila.

The only problem with landowner tags is that often they are limited to the ranch, whatever size it is, if the landowner doesn't take the tags unit wide (they often won't do that as they have to allow the public on THEIR land if they want YOU to have access to the whole unit with their landowner tag- at least that's the way I was told it worked back in the late nineties and 2001 when I was hunting there.)

If you know how to hunt elk you do not need a guide. I would definitely try to spend 10 days to 14 days there (your tag is good for a two week hunt) try to get drawn for the second hunt, its better.

If you are willing to get up early and move ABOVE the elk in the dark and have two guys or more- one a designated shooter and the other 75 or more yards behind the shooter calling it definitely ups the odds in your favor..the trick is that caller learning to "work" the bull back and forth depending on where he is, to angle him by the shooter broadside. ( If you have watched Primos videos at all then you will have a good understanding of the technique)

My only difficulty with doing it yourself is YOU are the chef, the tentmaster, the shower water hauler, the food buyer, the go to town to get what you forgot guy, and all of that EATS up hunting time, and especially if you are trying to get up at 3am to get on top fo the mountain before daylight, it can get old. When I go, I want to spend every waking moment hunting, or at least thinking about hunting, and not about what's for lunch or whether there's enough water in camp.

In the 16's in the Gila, its about a 20 mile trip down to Apache Creek Store to get water and a shower, or ice, or whatever you forgot..and another 15 miles to the nearest bigger town that would have stuff the little store in A.C. doesnt have, or a restaurant. All the guys who live in NM or surrounding states will get the close in camping spots way before opening day comes..so you will be farther back in..and I sort of like that anyway. No lights at night...no buildings..just you, the stars, the wind in the ponderosas, and bugling bulls to serenade you to sleep!

You might want to try bivvy hunting- a military style hammock with screened sides and a tarp cover to keep the rain and dew off...if you get into bulls up on Eagle Peak and its a 12 mile very slow drive back to camp after you spend two hours working down off the mountain, you may want the flexibility to stay out overnight.