Florida Mountains Ibex

[Fatrack]

Hey guys and gals, I was lucky enough to pull a Rifle Ibex tag in NM this year which start mid Nov. I'm trying to figure out some logistics and thought there may be some folks here on Hunt talk that could provide some info or guidance. Here's the deal; I live a solid 20hrs away from the unit. I've driven to NM and AZ several times before to hunt; but the way this year is shaking out, I'm looking at alternatives to the 40+hrs of driving during the middle of season. So, I'm thinking of flying...into El Paso or Las Cruces. However, the big challenge I'm facing is a vehicle once I get there. Back in 2007 I did a similar thing, flew down to TX and rented an "SUV" to take on a scouting trip in NM....I dealt with a total of 4 flats over the course of 3 days and told myself never to do that again. This time, it will be on a hunt and I don't want to screw around with POS rental car tires and such. Anyone out there have any great ideas? I wonder if anyone rents out a Side by Side and could deliver? Or a real truck with at least 8ply tires? Or a friendly local who has a truck they'd rent out? A local who wanted to go on the hunt, and drive Or??? At the end of the day if can't figure something out, I'll just drive my truck; however, I'd really like to cut the travel time out of this trip. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[1_pointer]

Pard messed up a couple of years ago and put in the wrong hunt code. Ended up drawing a nanny/ewe ibex tag. He flew into El Paso and rented a car, literally a sedan for the hunt. He used it on the decent-ish roads at the base and glassed from there. Hiked in from the bottom to actually hunt. Worked for him...

 

[brymoore]

The land around the Floridas isn’t extreme. Renting and SUV or 4x4 truck would work.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Hey guys and gals, I was lucky enough to pull a Rifle Ibex tag in NM this year which start mid Nov. I'm trying to figure out some logistics and thought there may be some folks here on Hunt talk that could provide some info or guidance. Here's the deal; I live a solid 20hrs away from the unit. I've driven to NM and AZ several times before to hunt; but the way this year is shaking out, I'm looking at alternatives to the 40+hrs of driving during the middle of season. So, I'm thinking of flying...into El Paso or Las Cruces. However, the big challenge I'm facing is a vehicle once I get there. Back in 2007 I did a similar thing, flew down to TX and rented an "SUV" to take on a scouting trip in NM....I dealt with a total of 4 flats over the course of 3 days and told myself never to do that again. This time, it will be on a hunt and I don't want to screw around with POS rental car tires and such. Anyone out there have any great ideas? I wonder if anyone rents out a Side by Side and could deliver? Or a real truck with at least 8ply tires? Or a friendly local who has a truck they'd rent out? A local who wanted to go on the hunt, and drive Or??? At the end of the day if can't figure something out, I'll just drive my truck; however, I'd really like to cut the travel time out of this trip. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

I gotta get some of your luck Good Luck! Looking forward to seeing how it goes.

 

[Fatrack]

I gotta get some of your luck Good Luck! Looking forward to seeing how it goes.

When you put in for just about every tag available; ya get lucky once in a while! ;-)

 

[Valley1320]

That will definitely be a fun hunt!!! Definitely jealous

 

[Fatrack]

Yeah, I want to fly...still just a bit hesitant on the reliability of hunting out of a rental. a Portable air compressor and a few cans of fix a flat may do the trick though Any other thoughts on the matter from people who have been there/done that; I'm all ears.

 

[Jdp010]

I've drawn the billy tag twice. Rent a decent truck and you will be fine.

PM me if you'd like to talk.

 

[kad11]

I took a Subaru Outback to the base of the west side of the Florida Mtns earlier this summer when I was down there for work - it took about an hour to go from pavement to basically the end of the dirt road. .

 

[kylemcintyre67]

I would go with compressor and plug kit. That being said I drove all around unit 25 during my deer hunt last year and had no issues.

 

[Pajarito]

Stick to the main roads and you should be fine. Taking a plug kit and a compressor isn't a bad idea either.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Well? @Fatrack

 

[Fatrack]

Hey @Bluffgruff , thank for calling me out...I hate when these types of threads go without an update. I ended up flying down, renting a truck in El Paso and had a great hunt. The roads weren't all that bad and the rental did most of what I wanted it to do. There were some spots that I avoided and probably would have in my own truck too, due to being too rough. For the most part, the roads were good. We scouted for two days, saw lots of Ibex, big groups that each had 2-4 mature billies in. On the second day of the hunt I took a nice 39" Billie. The next day was real fun as we helped a couple younger guys get their Billie

 

[Fatrack]

Here's some pics for ya.

 

[Fatrack]

 

[Fatrack]

 

[Fatrack]

 

[Valley1320]

Thats awesome!!!! Congrats!!

 

[EYJONAS!]

Man....... I live vicariously through you and you don't even know it.

Unreal Billy man congrats

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Awesome! Cool critters. How does it eat?