Vermejo Elk Hunt

Once again we had the opportunity to take a few young hunters to the beautiful Vermejo Park Ranch. Four hunters, Chris Bennett, Eric Lucero, Julian Carver, and Donald Peters, were lucky enough to be selected to participate in this years hunt. We headed out early Thursday morning and arrived in Raton just in time to check-in the motel, unpack the truck, and get our hunting clothes on for an evening hunt. After a brief meeting with the ranch managers and filling out a few papers we were off to the Colorado border. It didn't take long and we were into elk but with the thick trees the boys were not able to make a clean shot. We made a move around the mountain to try and get in front of the heard and it worked. Chris and Julian were first up and they eased into position below the unsuspecting elk and steadied their rifles. When the boys were ready and the elk were in clear view Scott let out a soft cow call and stopped the elk. Chris touched off the trigger and made a clean neck shot at just over 200yards. We then got on the cow calls and stopped the heard once again and Julian wasting no time dropped a big cow in her tracks. Two great shots! The rest of the evening and night were spent pulling the elk off the mountain and up a large ravine, thank goodness for a good Warn winch. The next morning we were back in the same area and by 8:00am had seen around 200 elk. We decided to try and get above a large heard and work our way down to them so that Eric could have a good opportunity. Before we made it to were we wanted to stop we were face to face with 30 cow elk at 50 yards. Eric and Scott exited the truck and got down on the shooting sticks while Chase was on the cow call to try and stop the heard. They had no intention on stopping but as one slowed down for a look Eric let the bullet fly and the cow was down. another great shot! It sure gets a little exciting when you drive right in the middle of a heard of elk. Next up was Donald. So after taking care of Eric's elk and a gook lunch we were back in the snow. After classing several more elk we put together a plan and worked our way up the mountain. As we eased over a saddle Scott and Donald spotted a few cows grazing on some grass were the snow had melted. Donald eased into position and let the big dog bark. Another cow down. What a great trip. Congratulations to all the boys on making great shots and taking some nice elk. Thanks again to Chad and Ron at the Vermejo Park ranch for all they do for the kids. Truly a hunt of a lifetime!

Javalina Hunt

With weather warming up a bit and some of the snow melting we decided it was time for a little javalina hunting. Erne Navarez and Julian Carver were lucky enough to draw state tags this year and were eager to go on the hunt. We headed out to a ranch just South of TorC in search of a few of these elusive desert dwellers. After some serious glassing and spotting nothing but turkeys, deer, and elk , we headed up the mountain to look down into several big draws. It didn't take long and Roger had spotted several javalina working their way up from the bottom. We quickly pulled out of sight well in front of the pack and put a plan together. Chase took both the boys, with Roger and Scott and camera gear close behind, and eased down the mountain. When we thought we were about even with them we eased over the ridge to take a look. Right there! The pigs were just below us and the boys quietly got into position. Ernie was first up and after a little glassing we had picked out a good javalina just above the others. He settled his cross hairs on the shoulder and touched off the trigger. One good shot and one dead pig. As javalina were running everywhere we spotted one at the bottom of the draw trying to figure out what was going on. He should have run with the others! Julian quickly settled the sights on the vitals and rolled the pig down the mountain. What great shots. Congratulations to both the boys on a very memorable hunt!