Greetings! I was fortunate enough to get a late season antlerless elk tag for Unit 9 in NM. I know a lot of people have had success on Mount Taylor so I'm getting my hopes up. Does anyone have advice of where to find them between January 1 and 31?

Thanks!

Was doing a Google search and came across my own post from years ago. Why not revive it.

The answer to my original question: Horace Mesa.

I actually saw numerous cows during my hunt on the north side of the mountain. One stopped broadside about 75 yards away from me and watched me struggle with a .30-06 round that was jammed in between the magazine and the chamber, with the bolt sliding about halfway across the case. By the time I dislodged the cartridge, that cow was disappearing into the trees. That day, I learned all about the disadvantage of using a custom rifle made out of parts from WWII. I also learned that that particular rifle prefers the cartridges to be all the way back in the magazine to correctly feed.

Fortunately, I was able to get a second chance when I scared up a few cows near Horace Mesa, not far from a nice overlook that affords a view of Grants and the regional correctional facility. I tracked the cows up a hill and caught a good view of one cow through the trees. She was standing perfectly broadside and the old .30-06 came through for me that time.

The 180 gn Nosler Partition entered right behind the right shoulder and exited from the rib cage on the opposite side leaving a significantly larger hole. When I dressed her, I found that the heart had been reduced to blood pudding. Despite the devastating wound, she still had enough adrenaline to run 50 yards before expiring. She wasn't a large cow, which I was fine with since I was solo and had to load the quarters in my truck with no assistance.

The meat was excellent and I'm hoping to harvest another cow this November when I hunt that unit again.