The previous fall (fall 2001), we went on a terrible archery hunt in New Mexico, and a great hunt in Colorado. Janice tagged a beautiful 6 x 5 in Colorado. However, I had yet to score a Bull Elk this season, and still had a strong desire to use a tag! When we got back from Colorado, I got on the internet to see if their were any late season hunts available.

I ran across Elite Outfitter’s site. I read the entire site and decided to pick up the phone. I called Johnny Hughes and talked for about 1 hour. What really got me interested was him stating that the ranch we would be on, the owner did not want us shooting anything less than a 300 bull! Ok, this will work!

They unsuccessfully looked for a cow tag for Janice, then we settled for an archery mule deer tag for her. With all of information and plans being positive, we booked the hunt for January 5 through 9, 2002. We packed our gear and headed for Ruidoso for a January 4 early afternoon arrival. It started snowing as soon as we crossed into New Mexico, but the roads stayed clear. Once in Ruidoso, through the local gun shop, we purchased a membership at the Ruidoso shooting club. We checked the zero on my Jarrett and on Janice’s, as a back-up for me.

We were the only hunters in camp. This made for a different kind of hunt for us: no other hunters!. Because we were the only hunters in camp, Johnny put us up at his mother’s house in Ruidoso. I think this house is normally rented to vacationers/skiers, but we had it all to ourselves! This allowed us to be VERY comfortable; sit and talk, watch T.V., build a fire, etc. VERY NICE!

The first morning, we met very early at Denny’s for breakfast, then met up with our other guide, Brian Newell back at Johnny’s house. We then headed out for the Allen ranch, which has a common border with a lot of the Mescalero Apache reservation.

Johnny headed out with Janice in 1 direction, while Brian and I headed out in the other. It was still dark, and I had no idea what the terrain really looked like. We walked for about 1 hour. We topped a rise and looked down the other side. There, only about 175 yards, and right next to a cross fence, was a magnificent 6 x 6 bull. He looked as though he was trying to make a decision…”stay here and graze, or jump the fence because its greener on the other side”. He did not know we were there. I checked range, and sure enough, 175 yards; off-hand territory for me! I leveled my rifle to admire him thru the scope, and to be prepared if Brian told me to take the shot. To my amazement, Brian said, “He may go 310, but I can find you a better bull than that!”. Oh my!!! I had never seen that much rack on a bull within my shooting range, and he wanted me to pass on him? This is going to be a fun hunt!

We watched him until he decided the grass was greener, then grazed his way out of sight. As I watched him disappear, I hoped I had not passed on the biggest bull I had ever seen! But Brian seemed confident, and it certainly was early in the hunt!

We walked for several more hours without seeing anything. We met Johnny and Janice back at the truck for a lunch of sandwiches and chips. They spoke of a really nice bull (350+) that they watched bed down. We made plans about how to get to him. Brain and I headed over to that area. We were able to spot the reflection from his antlers at about 600 yards. There was no way to get closer, and the terrain was such that I would have to take a rest standing….not something I was comfortable with at that distance!

About then, the bull got up and moved out of sight. We watched and tried to find where he was going. He had bedded in the shade. When we had arrived, he was in the sun. We were willing to bet he had simply moved back into the shade. We decided to ease our way in to that general area. The plan was, if we busted him, maybe he would stop to see what we were, within my shooting range. Brian was intrigued by a hunter that assured him I could make the shot if gave me the opportunity out to 600 yards.

We eased on into the area, and sure enough, something busted the brush and the sound seemed to circle around us. I looked up to an overhang about 50 yards away, and there staring at us was THE BIGGEST BULL I had EVER seen. He only stared for a second or so before he busted again…not enough time to establish a shot. Brain said “Let’s Go”.. and we headed out at a different angle than the bull went. Brian thought the bull might get hung up at a ravine, and that is where I could get my shot. We ran into an area that gave us a long distance view. The ravine was only 400 yards, but the bull was already passed that point! I extended my bipods, tossed my range finders to Brian, dropped into a prone shooting position and located the bull in my scope. Brian reported 660 yards. I thought through whether I could make this shot (600 hundred was my limit coming into the hunt). I asked Brian for range again. He reported no reading….he was already well past 700 and probably closer to 800 and still moving at full speed!. Oh well…fling a shot at him just for general principal!!!!! Of course, the shot was well short, as I didn’t try to put in needed hold-over, just shooting out of frustration!

Brian and I scouted some other elk that afternoon, but nothing in the league of that bull we busted out of his bed. He was just HUGE, at least compared to the size of bulls I was used to seeing. The next morning, we went back to the same ranch and the same area. This time, Brian guided Janice looking to fill that archery deer tag, and Johnny took me.

Johnny and I headed out after a very large set of very fresh tracks and droppings, thinking we might see him in front of us. We followed for several hours, but never saw the bull. Looking around, we saw Brian about ½ mile away waving for us to head his direction.

He and Janice had spotted a big bull eating mountain mahogany, and Brian announced to Janice “that is Dale’s bull!”. He was only 134 yards, and Janice could actually hear him eating. Janice stayed to watch the bull, and Brian eased away to find us. We finally got to Brian, and he explained the situation. We quickly covered the reminder of the distance back to Janice. I was very winded, and stopped about 100 yards short of Janice to catch my breath, composure, etc. I could not see the bull, but I could see Janice quietly motioning me to HURRY! The bull had not heard us…but just decided he wasn’t sure of the situation and had moved off about 80 yards. There were several minutes in there that Janice could not see anything of the bull except the tips of his rack as he walked thru the brush. I made my way up the rest of the hill. Janice whispered “214 yards, sit down and SHOOT that bull!” I dropped into a sitting position. The bull was now looking straight at us! All of us were afraid he was going to bolt at any moment! I took a quick glance to make sure the bull was legal (HA! He was HUGE!), then put the crosshairs 3 inches below where I wanted the bullet to hit. BAM! The bull just dropped to the ground! From the time Janice had told me to ”shoot that bull”, until I fired the shot was no longer than 2 seconds. I chambered another round and was ready for a second shot if needed. All 3 of my observers were congratulating me! I just wanted to make sure he stayed down!

After 5 minutes of no movement, Johnny, Brian and Janice headed down and across the draw towards the downed bull. I kept my rifle on him! When they got to the bull, they radioed me to come on across.

I made my way over to the bull. When he first came back in sight for me, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The bull had mass and length like I had never seen. Johnny was estimating him to measure 325 to 330. I couldn’t believe we had been fortunate enough to bag an elk of this quality! We took pictures, and quietly celebrated, then settled in for the work!

Brian and Johnny went to get a 4 wheeler while Janice and I skinned and quartered. There was a lot of snow on the ground, so when we took meat from the bull, it was quickly chilled upon laying it on the snow. We both noticed how thin this old bull was. Janice estimated him to be 8 or 9 years old, meaning his rack was probably in decline. He has a “bump” on the back of his main beam, on the “5 side”, where the main beam may have been in his younger days, when his current main beam was possibly the G5. We both felt good that this bull was harvested at such a mature stage, and that he may not have made it thru the winter! Now he can be immortalized in our trophy room, rather than just a meal for the bears or coyotes! In the past we had carried the entire skull and rack out, with skin still attached. Not this bull. We were going to have to carry the rack separately, just too big! Neither of us were sure how to cape, so we left skinning the skull and around that magnificent rack to Brian, upon his return.

After getting the bull back to the truck, we had a little lunch, then headed out to find Janice her buck.

I was sitting on the side of a hill scouting when I heard hooves on rocks. I was perfectly still, and here comes 2 bucks! The lead buck had his head down and trotted by within 5 yards of me. The rear buck finally made eye contact with me as he passed. He literally jumped 3 feet straight up and turned 90 degrees in the air, and ran down the hill away from me. The lead buck, upon hearing this commotion, did the same thing! I have never seen anything so funny in my life! I know the trailing buck was thinking “that’s the last time I follow that idiot!”

Later that evening, back in town, Johnny and Brian informed us that after measuring our bull, he grossed 359 5/8’! I couldn’t believe it. This bull was only a 6 x 5, and he still grossed 360? WOW!

Janice and I cooked some Axis tenderloin for everyone that night (Johnny said he was going to make chili out of it…Janice responded with “no way!!!!!”). We replayed the hunt several times and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly!

The next morning, we headed out to a different ranch north of Ruidoso to hunt Janice’s buck. Janice learned a lot about stalking, and got to within 50 yards of nice mule deer several times, but was always busted by shadow, change in wind or something. We discovered that archery hunting for deer is just as difficult, if not more so, than hunting for elk with a bow!

It was a great hunt, and we had a great time getting to know Brian and Johnny. We booked a rifle elk hunt on the same ranch for the following fall. The drive back to Texas was filled with that wonderful feeling of the successful hunt! We got the meat to our processor, and the skin to our Taxidermist, Penny Hess. However, we kept the rack with us for admiration until she was ready for the final mounting, which wouldn’t be for several months!

For the next hunt with Johnny and Brian, we would have our new Nesika custom-actioned .300 Jarretts and would be ready for 1000 yard shots, if they were needed! We were determined to be ready!