WNC2500 Southwest bound again (2023) (tags filled)

[WNC2500]

Truck is 90% packed. 2:30am alarm is set. Look out I-40, I am going to be hammer down.


Coolers empty and ready to be filled!

 

[Valley1320]

Good luck! Following!

 

[brownbear932008]

Good luck I'll be hitting 40 myself next Wednesday for a week of fun!

 

[WNC2500]

Up at 3am
Hit Nashville before morning rush hour. Hit rain for about an hour and I mean a hard rain. Only weather that I hit for 18.5 hrs.
Lots of turbines along 40……
Pulled into Amarillo at 7:30pm. I’ve heard of this restaurant and it just so happened my hotel was beside it. Good steak. Ended up sitting beside a FL FWP guy and we talked hunting.

 

[WNC2500]

Never seen one of these signs before. Don’t have those near me.

 

[TN2shot07]

That’s a long day, looking forward to the hunt!

 

[WNC2500]

Saturday night scouted and saw nine cows and one nice bull

Scenery of NM is beautiful! Supposed to get some rain tonight.

 

[WNC2500]

Rain ended up not being rain

 

[WNC2500]

Opening day: Sunday AM
Saw a nice bull 900 yards away.
2 bulls, 10 cows, 1 coyote and 20 Meriam turkeys. Turkeys were pretty close and paid no attention!
No blood drawn this AM

 

[WNC2500]

Sunday morning ended up walking/hiking 4.5 miles.
Sunday evening walked 5.5 miles trying to track down the elk. Wind was blowing strong north west, and never heard any bugles nor saw any elk this evening.

Saw a good herd of antelope with a nice buck that allowed me to get close (60 yards)


I certainly got a good bit of cardio in today. Wind is supposed to die down tomorrow.

 

[WNC2500]

This AM got up and almost no wind. Starting to hear bugles. Any wind that we do have is favorable to where the bugles are coming from. Bugles are getting closer.

 

[Buckskinbob]

This AM got up and almost no wind. Starting to hear bugles. Any wind that we do have is favorable to where the bugles are coming from. Bugles are getting closer.

Get em!

 

[WNC2500]

Bugles are coming from the southeast so I am headed that way. Got on a old road next to river bed so I can go in quieter. There are 9 cows and 2 bulls. Heading that way but taking it easy. Staying quiet and out of sight.

 

[Valley1320]

Bugles are coming from the southeast so I am headed that way. Got on a old road next to river bed so I can go in quieter. There are 9 cows and 2 bulls. Heading that way but taking it easy. Staying quiet and out of sight.

And???????

 

[WNC2500]

Crap!! The cows have seen me. So, I am backing out. Headed North over some hills and trying to head them off. I am still hearing the bugles.

 

[WNC2500]

Already walked 2.5 miles and still hearing bugles but they appear to be moving away. I am sitting down behind some junipers on this hillside to see if I can get glass on them. I can overlook another hillside, and some meadows. Bugling every now and then and hearing multiple bugles. Uh oh, this could be a decision maker.

 

[WNC2500]

This is my view right now!

 

[WNC2500]

The bugles are coming closer and he sounds pissed off. Hitting the bugle to match him being pissed. I think he wants to fight.
He sounds like he is about 600 yards out based on his area. Cow call is working to bring him in even more.

 

[WNC2500]

OK, he is at 200 yards at the bottom of the above picture. He came through a chute on the right side of the above picture. I am a the top of the hillside above this road (up the hill from the road at the bottom of my picture) so I can possibly shoot him at 200 or closer.

 

[WNC2500]

This will be nice. 200 yard shot is doable. He is coming closer but I don't see him. Waiting for him to come across this bottom in front of the arroyo. He will be at about 140ish I bet.