February 01, 2022 by Andy Salgado
Our 2021 hunting season was nothing less than what you would expect it to be! Our guests experienced much success and a great outdoor hunting experience while hunting the mountains and high desert and prairies throughout New Mexico with H&A Outfitters and our professional guides.
The beginning of our season always starts off with pronghorn hunts at the Shugart Ranch. 100% harvest once again. 10 clients harvested 10 nice bucks. We had one other pronghorn hunter that drew a tag, and he also harvested a nice pronghorn buck.
We have some good news and some bad news about the archery season. The good news is we had 15 fully guided archery elk hunters for the 2021 season and had an outstanding 87% shooting opportunity. Believe it or not, we only recovered 5 bulls. Now for the bad news! Actually, we had better than 87% shooting opportunity because some hunters missed 2 or 3 times during their hunt and at least one wounded two 6x6 bulls during his hunt. So, a total of 6 bulls were missed, 5 bulls wounded and all under 35 yards, some under 15 yards. We turned down 6-8 bulls within bow range and only harvested 5. Two of our clients did not have opportunity to shoot their bow at a bull within range but they were in bugling bulls throughout their hunt, just didn’t feel comfortable taking the shots and we would definitely rather have that than a wound.
We had 34 fully guided rifle/muzzle loader elk hunters at our camps this season and it was a blast! Especially for the hunts where the bulls were bugling! There was lots of lead in the air. Lots of gut piles and lots of blood trails throughout the month. We had an 88% shooting opportunity and an 80% harvest. We harvested 27 bulls, wounded 3 bulls, missed 7. One hunter missed 3 of the 7 LOL and we turned down at least 7 during the month of October. Good times!
One fully guided rifle bull elk hunter and one good bull down opening morning. 100% harvest. Four fully guided rifle mule deer hunters. Harvested 3 mature bucks. 100% opportunity on mature bucks. Two bighorn sheep hunters, one Rocky and one Desert and two trophy Rams down. 100% harvest.
Seven fully guided rifle bull elk hunters. 5 bulls harvested. Tons of misses and opportunities throughout the hunt on big bulls! 100% plus shooting opportunity on this hunt like always.
Seven semi-guided elk hunters harvested 3 bulls.
Like always I would like to thank all of our guests for hunting with us this year, except for one maybe two. Seems like there is always a couple of sour apples in the bunch! Last but definitely not least a big thanks to all of our guides for busting their butts!
If you would like a chance to hunt with us, now is the time! We are accepting new applications. Deadline is March 15th. Go to the applications page, download the forms, get them to me and we will get you applied for some of the best hunts New Mexico has to offer.
Adios,
Andy
Posted in: All News, Elk Hunting, Mule Deer Hunting, Antelope Hunting
