I took my son when he was 12. We spotted a herd from the truck, actually just drove up on them, then made about a 300 yard stalk for a 90 yard shot. It was about perfect for what we wanted.
I'll be there with a 20-something year-old friend to put meat in the freezer and enjoy one helluva ranch in early December, during the Kansas firearms deer season. (Great time to be gone!)
Takes the pressure off getting enough does in the freezer for the year, so that'll mean more time working the new Lab pup on ducks, a great pheasant population and bowhunting.
Can't beat the price, really. $1,000 includes the guide for three days.
No lodging or meals.
ohiohunter's Link
The guys I know who went had the same guides as when they archery elk hunted in the rut so they had fun and did what needed to be done to shoot their cows. Good luck! C
writer's Link
That's what I paid, anyway.
The hunt is $1,000.
The license totals around $400.
I'm looking forward to it.
Being on the ranch is much more important to me than being in the lush accommodations.
With the price of beef, elk's not sounding too bad, plus I like it better.
And the price was around $1,000. Oh, we gained some very valuable knowledge also. It takes a lot of ice chests to bring back four bone-in cow elk. :) We literally bought every big ice chest in Raton in addition to the ones we brought with us !
I think we're there 8-9-10.
City, I didn't say it was cheapest or the most sporting.
Someone asked a question and I answered it. We can be in Raton within about 6-7 hours, not lose any days to travel, not have to miss many days of work, not have to worry about how to get an elk out of rugged country.
I may well be in Colorado to cover a cool Wounded Warrior elk hunt and I'm pretty sure I could break away and kill a cow on that phenomenal ranch, but I want to concentrate on the article.
I'm going to Vermejo for the meat and to see the ranch again, and shoot some photography for an article I'm working on.
Then, I want to get home and get back to things like bowhunting the late season, if needed, and getting a Lab pup on his way to 400 or so retrieves before he's 10 months old. :-)
House paid --- check
Kids grown and gone --- check
No car payment for several years - check
Two big azz bulls hanging in the basement - check
No desire for more taxidermy - check
Able to write part of the trip off -- check
Don't tell others how to spend their money -- check
They killed both of their bulls of spot and stalk.
They limit the number of permits, and it's about 450,000 acres.
It's not something I want to do every year, but it's been quite a few since I've been on Vermejo.
I'll report back, Link, to see if it lives up to your standards as "without hunting." :-)
The timing is also perfect for us this year, as we always host a Wounded Warrior on a great whitetail hunt the weekend before.
Sounds like a great deal. Just being on that ranch is a really cool deal. I have been on it about a dozen times for various reasons and it is so incredible. First few times were when Pennzoil owned it
I am jealous you will have a wonderful hunt !
Your post above your last post is simply priceless
