2017 New Mexico Rifle Elk; Day-by-day version

Big Fin

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This is a rifle New Mexico elk hunt with two Leupold folks; Bruce Pettet, CEO, and his wife, Tracey. A bit of background.

In the TV world we always invite sponsors to join us on hunts so they can see how we use their products, how our audience hunts, and to spend some time learning more about where they are headed and what is on the minds of our viewers. You've seen Bruce on past episodes, along with their VP of Product Development, Tim Lesser.

To accomplish that, we have them apply for tags and hope for the best. Since most of them have few points, we usually end up looking at New Mexico, due to New Mexico not having a point system.

For Leupold, Bruce always instructs that their people go on some of our more challenging hunts, in terms of conditions and terrain. He feels it gives a better understanding of how we use their products. I agree. That is how we have settled on this unit you see us hunting with them in New Mexico. Of all the units I have hunted in New Mexico, this one is the most physical. Bruce and Tracey did not draw, so we acquired unit-wide vouchers that allowed them to hunt the public land, in this case, a Wilderness Area. I know use of vouchers is controversial to some, so that is why I put it out there from the start. It is a reality of the situation in New Mexico and it is also a reality of trying to include guests who did not draw.

That said, we were all going to meet in New Mexico the day before season. That original plan changed a bit. We wrapped up our Arizona elk hunt a few days early, so Marcus and I were able to take advantage of those days and get to New Mexico a few days early to scout and see if things were any different than when we filmed in this unit the last two seasons. Arrangements were made that Bruce and Tracey would pick up Tyler, our other camera guy, saving us the trip to ABQ and allowing us more scouting time and building more footage for background of the hunt.

A couple days before the hunt Bruce called to tell me that business demanded he leave after three days of hunting. Not what he wanted, but "duty calls." Add that to the fact that he wanted Tracey to shoot first, the odds of him getting a chance just got pretty slim.

Here is a video that combines Days 1 & 2. It is Marcus and I scouting the Wilderness Area.


[video=youtube_share;I9pz4u5Y-yA]https://youtu.be/I9pz4u5Y-yA[/video]
 
Been following...RU Nuts? LOL
I heard a guy say "Never Again".

Gotta hand it to you BF. Those are some very nasty canyons.
Nice seeing the real dodge & weave,slip & slide,take it off & put it on that it takes.The sound of footfalls like you have a mic on the soles....reality.

See any nice bucks?
 
Looks like some really fun country! Looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.
 
Day 3, last day of scouting and time to get serious about finding these post-rut bulls. We found them, but in a place that I had vowed I would never again return to. Tyler had hitched a ride with Bruce and Tracey, allowing us to meet up that afternoon and draft a plan for the next day. Fingers crossed.

[video=youtube_share;fEA5PsVjLlQ]https://youtu.be/fEA5PsVjLlQ[/video]
 
im glad you explained how he (bruce) got that tag again....LOL. I was thinking..damn this dude drew that tag twice in the same amount of years Ive been applying and STILL haven't drawn!! Thought my luck was even worse than I thought...hehe. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
 
im glad you explained how he (bruce) got that tag again....LOL. I was thinking..damn this dude drew that tag twice in the same amount of years Ive been applying and I STILL haven't drawn!! Thought my luck was even worse than I thought...hehe. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
 
Is it a pine beetle infestation that has killed most of the timber?
 
Is it a pine beetle infestation that has killed most of the timber?

Fire. Fire is my friend. Fire and I go back a long ways. Find me hunting and odds are you will find scars from a fire somewhere nearby.
 
Day 4 - First day of hunting. Things have gotten really crowded where we hunt. Visited with some of the other hunters and they said something to the jist of, "Yeah, saw it on your show and this looked a lot like the area you were hunting, so this is where we came."

Oh well, teach me.

The three hours to climb out of that hole, in the dark, along some rather sketchy trails, through new reproduction was the most miserable three hours of the season, by a long margin. Not gonna lie, I was sniveling a good part of the way.

[video=youtube_share;qGDuZ6rPb0Y]https://youtu.be/qGDuZ6rPb0Y[/video]
 
So, I am watching the replay from Sunday's TV show. At the end you give a hint that you won't be around on sportsman channel much longer.
what or where are you heading to?
 
Things have gotten really crowded where we hunt. Visited with some of the other hunters and they said something to the jist of, "Yeah, saw it on your show and this looked a lot like the area you were hunting, so this is where we came."

With New Mexico having few areas of such elevation, the fire overlays in ONX Maps and Google Earth led me to this area within a few minutes.

And with data so readily available in the internet-age, I am surely not alone in being able to pinpoint these areas. Whether it's a Stika film, a MeatEater show, or FreshTracks, I am curious to know how these areas are affected by hunting pressure in the years following a TV appearance.

I will be the first to admit that some of my hunting strategies and application goals are being shaped by what I hear and see on TV or YouTube. But is this any different than hearing hunting stories of old about big elk and great habitat? As a new hunter I rely on media such as this to broaden my horizons and encourage me to apply for areas that would otherwise be completely unknown.
 
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So, I am watching the replay from Sunday's TV show. At the end you give a hint that you won't be around on sportsman channel much longer.
what or where are you heading to?

We will let the world know when the current airtime contract expires on December 31.
 
Big Fin is going to be YouTube and Amazon only? or are you adding netflix to the arsenal? I really enjoy the YouTube stuff. I almost strictly watch the Day by Day versions. I relate to the day by day version way more than your short TV episodes. Thanks for what you do Randy!
Matt
 
Day 5 - Second day of hunting.

Following the hike from the night before, we were a bit worn down. The wind was whipping and the wind direction sucked for the area we had chosen for the morning hunt. Add to that, the amount of hunting pressure, warm temps, and the knowledge that Bruce's work duties made tomorrow the last day, we had some decisions to make. Do we fight some tough conditions today and keep hiking, or do we rest up and give it the best possible effort tomorrow when conditions were supposed to improve with cooler temps and lower winds?

Answer was pretty easy, for me. And hopefully that decision would pay off.

[video=youtube_share;-WYDvEozJZ0]https://youtu.be/-WYDvEozJZ0[/video]
 
It is what it is in this day & age with Gore's infernet.
I can go miles & not see a footprint in NM.
Go to a remote glass spot & there's a crowd over the secret canyon,with cameras...lol
 
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Day 6 - Probably the most exciting elk stalk we've ever filmed. Congrats to Tracey.

[video=youtube_share;ciEx4XOLPIk]https://youtu.be/ciEx4XOLPIk[/video]

Thanks for watching.
 
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