New Mexico Bull and Cow Elk, Mule Deer #90

One of the best known elk areas in New Mexico is the famed Unit 4, a northern unit having virtually no public land, and an area carefully managed by ranchers and outfitters to provide premium elk hunting.

This is mountainous country, interspersed with both high and low-lying ranches. It is a scenic area, with an abundance of elk and some good mulies. Some of the ranches this outfitter hunts are lower lying private ground with areas of parks and meadows, scattered water tanks, and conifers, meaning some outstanding late-season elk habitat. Others are high-ground ranches, so wherever the elk are, he can get you onto them.

We have worked with this outfitter for about 15 years or more and he has been operating for over 20 years in New Mexico. Nothing fancy here, but some good elk hunting. We have probably sent him over 150 clients. He controls leases on a number of private ranches. Elevations average from about 7,000 feet to as high as 10,000 feet, resulting in a variety of cover and hunting styles, depending on which ranch you hunt and the dates. High country or low, he covers it all, and has some nice mule deer too, plus bears.

Many of his guides have been with him for over 10 years, and some for over 20 years, which says a lot for the quality of the operation. Unhappy clients do not tip well, so guides leave. Here the many successful clients make it worthwhile for a top notch guide to stay on. You get the benefit, so please take good care of your guide!

This outfitter has been featured on numerous television shows with many of the well-known TV celebrities. The outfitter also donates a hunt on a regular basis to the Make A Wish Foundation and Wounded Warriors. (Butch donates monthly to wounded warriors). This is a class guy, a no BS sort, who will tell you how it is, and who enjoys getting clients their elk. Also, all this outfitter’s New Mexico elk hunts INCLUDE THE LANDOWNER TAG! So you do not have to enter any draw! Just buy the hunt and the landowner tag allows you to buy your elk license over the counter. That license is approximately $700 plus a $65 hunt license. High success, good bulls, a class operation and no draw.

He offers a variety of different elk hunts in New Mexico:
• He has archery spot & stalk/stand hunts for bugling bull elk. You can add a mule deer for a small additional charge on these hunts!
• He also offers rifle elk hunts running from October to end of December.
• He has some very affordable cow hunts.
• He also offers an elk/muley combo rifle hunt (you must draw for mulies, but should be 100% draw IF you apply before deadline in late March, or he can back you up with a landowner tag if you fail to draw). He has an option on the rifle elk hunts of killing a bear for a $500 kill fee during the first three weeks of October. License required for bear, of course. They are over the counter, but must be bought 48 hours in advance of your hunt. Good deer, too!

In short, many choices, many different hunts, and the free deer and cheap bears on some hunts are a definite bonus. However, you do get excellent shot opportunities and you do have bear and deer options. He also offers both 1×1 hunts and 2×1 hunts, and we think the $500 difference to hunt 1×1 is certainly worthwhile (this outfitter will not pair two strangers together to hunt 2×1, so if you are a single, you will have to do a 1×1 hunt). They also have the ability to tailor the hunt to your physical ability, so if you have any concerns in that regard, discuss it with us and we will coordinate a plan with the outfitter to match your abilities to one of his ranches. He even does quite a few handicapped elk hunts.

The outfitter manages these ranches to produce good bulls with consistency year after year. Because of his dedication and effort, this outfitter averages around 85%+ opportunity on both bow and rifle elk hunts on his fully-guided hunts, and shoots about 100 bulls each year. He mainly shoots 5×5 or better bulls and has been doing it for years. Dead on the ground rifle averages are typically about 75% and about half of that for bow, which is still excellent. That’s about as good as it gets! Mature 5×5 and 6×6 bulls taken here will generally run 260” to 280”, with a few bulls hitting up to 300+”. Most good outfitters in New Mexico produce trophy elk in that same range. That is the reality. The outfitter also offers very reasonable cow elk hunts with almost 100% success. On all his elk rifle hunts, the shots average 250 to 350 yards, and some much longer. Be prepared to do that! It will pay off. Call us if you want some advice on long range rigs.

Accommodations are in two different lodges, each with 5 double-occupancy bedrooms. There are usually 8-10 hunters in camp per week on all hunts.

2024 PRICING:

FULLY-GUIDED ARCHERY ELK HUNTS: These guided hunts are the typical spot, stalk and call hunts that so many hunters love. He hunts the first three weeks of September – prime bugle time! You can book 1×1 or 2×1 hunts. Because of the many ranches he leases, you can expect to see and be into multiple bulls normally. The habitat here is often fairly open, so seeing elk is pretty common. Stay in ranch-type lodging with ranch-type meals. Deer are free – just apply by March and the draw is close to 100% for bow. Bears are a $500 trophy fee. Licenses are not included.
PRICE: 2×1 $7250 per person; 1×1 $7750 per person

FULLY-GUIDED RIFLE HUNTS

This outfitter has bull elk hunts with rifle in October, November and December. The area of his hunts is in northern New Mexico in a unit that is almost exclusively private land. The entire unit is managed for good quality elk. In our experience, good private land is where the highest success rates are to be found. Another plus is that all his elk hunts include the landowner authorization (often those cost $3,500 to $5,000+ alone). Having the authorization means you do not have to apply in a draw. You buy the hunt which includes the authorization, and then you buy your license over the counter! Regular rifle elk hunts are 5 days in length, are fully guided, and include your meals and lodging.

His October rifle bull hunts are usually the first to sell out, primarily due to nice weather and scenic country, and they are made available first to returning clients. It is not their best month success-wise, but they still come in at about 80% successful. Good weather is the norm in October.

His combination elk/mule deer hunts are in late October. You must apply for a tag in March, but if you fail to draw or apply, they back you up with a landowner tag, so you can be sure you will have one tag for elk and one for muley.

His November rifle bull elk hunts hit the migration and he leases a number of ranches that intercept the migration routes. Weather can be a factor, but these hunts can be “elk central”. In some years, this has been the hunt with the highest success and biggest bulls, as it is the time of year that those big herd bulls travel down to lower elevations, meaning onto his ranches. These hunts usually involve snow, making the elk easier to spot, which is a real advantage. And a number of his ranches are situated on prime winter range habitat, ensuring elk stay there for the groceries they need so badly at that time of year, making the December hunts a good option as well. It is a time that often works well for whitetail hunters, whose seasons are over in their home states. Also, we can often get you into these hunts at the last minute. These late season hunts often involve extensive use of 4WD vehicles to spot game, and then stalks are planned accordingly.

Bull Elk October Hunts
$9450 per person 2×1; $9950 per person 1×1

Bull Elk November Hunts
$8950 per person 2×1; $9450 per person 1×1

Bull Elk December Hunts
$8450 per person 2×1; $8950 per person 1×1

Hi-Country Camp
Private land at over 10,000 feet. Runs on generator power and has running water and flush toilet, with some cabins and some wall tents. The hunting is awesome, as is the camaraderie around the campfire! Approx. 6 hunters per week. There’s some big deer and bears up there as well, if you have a tag. September archery, October rifle. 2×1 only.
Archery $7250 per person 2×1; Rifle $9450 per person 2×1

Cow Elk
These are 3-day hunts with 95% success for decades, and most clients tag out in 2 days. Your hunt is over when the elk is packed out. And if you are worried that you might not be able to handle such a hunt, consider that the average age of his clients is 63, and he takes hunters more than 20 years older than that each year and still gets them an elk (even bulls). His clients take close to 100 cows each year! In November and December, the elk are down low in the sage and agriculture at about 7,000 feet. If you can shoot straight, you will almost certainly get your cow elk. No room or meals, but they are close by (outfitter provides you a list of nearby suggested motels). Guiding and packing are provided. Arrive afternoon of the day before the hunt for safety orientation, planning and test shooting of your rifles. Shots can be long, so you should be capable to at least 300 yards. Practice using a bipod/shooting sticks! Dates throughout November and December. Tags are guaranteed, so no draw! Hunting license approx. $65; cow tag approx. $347.

Motel Cow Elk Hunts
4 nights/3 days hunting – $2650 per person 2×1; $2950 per person 1×1 (meals and lodging NOT included). No charge for non-hunters.

In-Camp Cow Elk Hunts
4 nights/3 days hunting – $3150 per person 2×1; $3450 per person 1×1 (meals and lodging included). Non-hunters are $400.

MULE DEER: In recent years success has declined on these deer hunts. We are currently not selling them.

BULL ELK AND MULE DEER RIFLE COMBO –
OCTOBER 22-26 or OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 2
$10,450 per person 2×1; $10,950 per person 1×1

Observers are $1250 per person.

THIS OUTFITTER WILL NOT PAIR TWO STRANGERS TOGETHER TO HUNT 2×1 ON ANY HUNT. IF YOU ARE A SINGLE, YOU WILL HAVE TO DO A 1×1 HUNT.

NOT INCLUDED: Your transport to and return from Chama, NM 6.875% sales tax you pay on arrival; game processing, skinning, caping and taxidermy (they field dress and transport to processer and taxidermist); gratuities.

LICENSES: Hunting License $65; Elk license is currently approx $700; deer $290; bear $264 (must be bought 48 hours in advance of hunt); antelope is $290.

ALL ELK LICENSES ARE OBTAINED BY PRIVATE LANDOWNER AUTHORIZATIONS = GUARANTEED. PRICES INCLUDE LANDOWNER AUTHORIZATION, BUT NOT THE ELK LICENSE. ALL MULE DEER ARE BY A LANDOWNER SPONSORED DRAW IN MARCH (normally 98 to 100% draw).

TRAVEL
Fly into Santa Fe, rent a car, drive north 100 miles about 2 hours.

OUTFITTER PAYMENT POLICY:
50% DEPOSIT PAID TO HUNT NATION AT TIME OF BOOKING.
30% PAID TO OUTFITTER 120 DAYS BEFORE THE HUNT.
20% PLUS NEW MEXICO STATE SALES TAX PAID ON ARRIVAL.

CANCELLATIONS: If you cancel they try to re-sell the hunt and if they do you get a refund, less 10%. If unable to re-sell deposit is forfeit unless another arrangement is made.