Greenhead_Slayer
Member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2019
- Messages
- 20
I’m a long time lurker but don’t do the best job at posting up any of my adventures, but I’m working on changing that. This is a few months overdue, but better late than never!
My oldest boy is a hunting fool. He’s tagged along on waterfowl hunts since he was about 3, ran trap lines and dispatched skunks and raccoons, and I’ve been able to shoot a few elk with him by my side. When he was 8 he asked to take hunters education for his birthday present. I obliged, but told him I wasn’t doing his homework for him, helping him on his test, and he had to safely manipulate a firearm on his own. I didn’t think he could pass on his own at 8-years old, but I was wrong. He passed his class and field test with flying colors. I told him to celebrate I’d pay for his license and application fees for a few species in New Mexico. We looked over the odds and hunts and put him in for premium tags with not real great odds, but applied for a ewe BHS in the Pecos as a third choice. Sure enough, he drew his third choice, and I quickly learned hunt choices aren’t structured the same in New Mexico as my home state in Utah!
The original plan was to pack in and set up camp on Friday, October 1st but a storm set in and put about a foot of snow on the ground where we planned to camp. We decided to wait until Saturday (opening morning) and then pack in. At that point the storm had lifted and there wasn't any precipitation, but everything was sure wet and white. We left the trailhead with the horses around 4:00 AM and went in about 12 miles.
The very first basin we wanted to check had about 40 sheep in it, including 1 pretty nice ram, probably in the 165ish range. We got within about 125 yards of the sheep and got my son all set up, but he whiffed his first shot. Luckily, the sheep didn't go very far and he had another good opportunity at 300 yards and made a great shot and piled her up. Where she dropped was about 12,750 feet in elevation. Pretty gnarly country and terrain!
We got her quartered up and loaded up by about 2:00 PM and then rode back out. The heavens opened up and we got poured on for about the last 2 hours riding out. I'm glad we shot when we did and didn't have to do the tent thing with that much rain. It was a really quick hunt which I was a little disappointed in, I'd have loved to have spent some more time in that country, but I'm really glad we didn't have to endure those elements. Trying to find quality gear for a 9 year old has been a battle. I can't stomach paying premium dollar for the name brand items and only have them fit a year! He stayed dry and warm for the most part, but I doubt that would've been the case if we had been up on top during those storms!
My oldest boy is a hunting fool. He’s tagged along on waterfowl hunts since he was about 3, ran trap lines and dispatched skunks and raccoons, and I’ve been able to shoot a few elk with him by my side. When he was 8 he asked to take hunters education for his birthday present. I obliged, but told him I wasn’t doing his homework for him, helping him on his test, and he had to safely manipulate a firearm on his own. I didn’t think he could pass on his own at 8-years old, but I was wrong. He passed his class and field test with flying colors. I told him to celebrate I’d pay for his license and application fees for a few species in New Mexico. We looked over the odds and hunts and put him in for premium tags with not real great odds, but applied for a ewe BHS in the Pecos as a third choice. Sure enough, he drew his third choice, and I quickly learned hunt choices aren’t structured the same in New Mexico as my home state in Utah!
The original plan was to pack in and set up camp on Friday, October 1st but a storm set in and put about a foot of snow on the ground where we planned to camp. We decided to wait until Saturday (opening morning) and then pack in. At that point the storm had lifted and there wasn't any precipitation, but everything was sure wet and white. We left the trailhead with the horses around 4:00 AM and went in about 12 miles.
The very first basin we wanted to check had about 40 sheep in it, including 1 pretty nice ram, probably in the 165ish range. We got within about 125 yards of the sheep and got my son all set up, but he whiffed his first shot. Luckily, the sheep didn't go very far and he had another good opportunity at 300 yards and made a great shot and piled her up. Where she dropped was about 12,750 feet in elevation. Pretty gnarly country and terrain!
We got her quartered up and loaded up by about 2:00 PM and then rode back out. The heavens opened up and we got poured on for about the last 2 hours riding out. I'm glad we shot when we did and didn't have to do the tent thing with that much rain. It was a really quick hunt which I was a little disappointed in, I'd have loved to have spent some more time in that country, but I'm really glad we didn't have to endure those elements. Trying to find quality gear for a 9 year old has been a battle. I can't stomach paying premium dollar for the name brand items and only have them fit a year! He stayed dry and warm for the most part, but I doubt that would've been the case if we had been up on top during those storms!
