November 2025
New Mexico Elk | The Glunker
For many years, I have been hunting elk in New Mexico by purchasing landowner tags or hunting on a friend's private ranch. All of my hunts except for my first elk hunt have been self-guided. Through Huntin’ Fool, I have been able to hunt five different units in New Mexico, and I’ve always been successful (found elk). The amount of information provided in the magazine has helped my hunting partners and me locate productive units to hunt. The ability to reach out to people who have hunted the units or talk with a Hunt Advisor helps hone in on where to start and be successful.
This year, I decided to up my odds by putting in the outfitter draw. I contracted with an outfitter through which I have been buying landowner tags. My contract with the outfitter was for the two-day hunt and self-guided after. I could not believe my eyes when I pulled up the New Mexico draw results. I drew one of my favorite units in Southwestern New Mexico. I had hunted this particular unit three times before and had been lucky enough to kill a 303" 6x7 in 2020. Knowing the unit reasonably well and the potential of killing a bigger bull, I set my sights on killing my personal best bull. I planned a trip over the summer to take my family and do some scouting. We spent five days in the unit, and we were able to find some very nice bulls, with several north of the 350" mark.
After finding all of the good bulls in the summer, the anticipation of the trip was higher than I had ever had before. I had three other good friends who had also bought landowner tags, so I knew we'd have a full camp and a lot of good times.
I decided to hunt in a different area than where we had hunted in the years past and where my buddies were going to camp. The outfitter's guide knew this area well and encouraged me to hunt this part of the unit with him. We hunted hard for the two days we were together and came very close to sealing the deal on a nice 340” class 6x6.
With the time being up with the guide, I made the two-hour drive back to where my buddies were camped and made a game plan for the following day.
The mornings this year were good but slower than in years past. The moon being dang near full the whole trip had them on their feet and rutting most of the night. They seemed to talk until 8:30ish each day and then bed up. The evenings were slow, and we had many afternoon hunts without hearing a single bugle. We split up most hunts and tried different areas, but on the fifth evening, Greg, Mark, and I went and tried an area that was very hard to get into. We hoped there would be a good concentration of elk and little pressure due to the complicated access. Unfortunately, the pond in the area was dry and we could tell the elk had moved on. On the drive back to camp, we spooked two different bulls in the headlights that were giants.
The following day, I went in after these bulls and chased a toad the entire morning. I don’t want to guess exactly how big he was, but he was bigger than the bull I killed. I had him at 100 yards three different times but could not close the gap. He was very call-shy. That evening, I sat on a ridge above where I had bedded him, hoping to get another glimpse of the beast.
The next morning, I was back in the same general area and immediately heard what I thought was my big bull. The day before, he was glunking a lot as he moved his cows around. He was the only one I had heard glunking on this trip, so I followed him for about two miles that morning. I was silent. I never made a call and was very patient at the right time to close the distance. When I made my move, I got to a point and was pinned down by cows. They didn't see or smell me, but they were 60 yards away and I was stuck. The bull came by, and I was shocked. It was not the same bull I thought I was chasing, but he was glunking like the bull from the day before. And he was big, big. I wasn't 100% sure, but I was pretty positive he was north of 350”, and I knew I'd shoot him. He came by at 40 yards, but I had no shot.
They moved off, and I followed them for another mile until they bedded up. I decided to pull out and come back the following day. And let me tell you, I was pumped. Two mornings in a row, I had been on huge bulls. I was hoping and praying it would all come together.
The next morning, I got into the area and heard elk everywhere. I listened closely and had two bulls glunking, and they were only 700-800 yards apart. I was a little closer to one, so I gave chase. I followed him for around a mile and was within 150 yards and then he went silent. It was just getting light enough that I could shoot, and I was sitting there listening to all these elk in the area going nuts, and the one I decided to chase went utterly silent. I was standing there for nearly 30 minutes or so, just praying, asking God what I needed to do and to give me a sign. I finally decided to change and go after the other glunking bull about a mile away. I turned north and started off the ridge I was on. I hadn't gone 30 steps when the bull I started on bugled, and he was still close. I quickly thanked God and turned around in pursuit. I followed the bull for almost three miles, and he bugled the rest of the morning. I had gone over several ridges and was getting very close. I looked up and saw the bull coming up a little finger ridge right above me. It was the bull from the morning before. I ranged a bush where I thought he'd cross at 65 yards, drew my bow, and he walked right behind the bush I had ranged.
I knew it was now or never, and I always had a cow call in my mouth. I let my bow down and quickly threw a cow call over my shoulder away from the bull. At this point, he was 30-40 yards up the ridge. He immediately bugled and turned down the ridge in my direction. He came down and stopped 50ish yards away, and I could see he had a choice of where to go. If he went to his right, I wouldn’t have a shot, so I threw another light cow call down the hill away from the bull. He turned left, screamed his head off, and started coming. I drew my bow, and he rounded the trees and was so dang close.
The shortest pin on my bow is 30 yards, and I settled it on his chest as he walked right at me and let it fly. It was a good shot, and I saw blood instantly. He ran down and back up the finger ridge right in front of me, crossed over the ridge, and disappeared. I was shaking so hard with tears of pure joy. I could not believe that on the ninth day of a 10-day hunt I got it done. I sat there a bit, thanking God for the opportunity and the guidance. I finally eased up to where I had shot him and didn't even need to take a step to find blood. I followed it over the ridge to my bull that hadn't gone more than 100 yards. As I walked around him, I knew this was a top-notch bull.
Thank goodness Mark was still in camp as Greg and Doug had to go home that Sunday. He and I went back and forth to get the bull out. It sure is nice to have friends there to help. The final tally on the horns and the bull scored 361 3/8” with a spread of 54 5/8”.
Many years ago, one of my friends (Greg) told me about Huntin’ Fool. Because of Greg and Mark, I started elk hunting every year. I would encourage anyone wanting to elk hunt or any other western big game to contact and consult with Huntin’ Fool. Also, ask about their Previous Tag Holder List to speak with who have hunted the unit you are going to. I was able to help two different hunters through Huntin’ Fool this year when they were going to Northern New Mexico. It was awesome to hear their success stories after the hunt. There is nothing better than helping a fellow hunter.