A first muzzleloader elk hunt further instilled the passion plus a brief history of elk and an update on their status in Texas.
Story and photography by Bob Zaiglin
With time running out on my first elk hunt with a muzzleloader in New Mexico, my guide and close friend Marty Moore and I found ourselves on a rocky outcrop inundated by fog. Several belligerent bulls bugled repeatedly on the opposing slope, but with zero visibility, we were forced to sit tight.
Suddenly, the wind picked up, and the fog dissipated, providing a spectacular view of several bulls hazing a herd of cows. I could see several mature bulls that would satisfy any hunter, but they remained distant and safe. Enjoying the portrait of raging bulls corralling the cows, it was hard to put my binoculars down, but once Marty said “Let’s go”, a rush of adrenalin overwhelmed me as we began to work our way to the animals.
Initiating our descent down the mountainside, we came across a deep drainage not far from the bottom, extending partially up the other side of the ridge towards the herd that provided us excellent concealment. Inside the drainage, we moved rapidly to the bottom of the valley. With my .50 caliber Knight muzzleloader strapped over my back, I paused periodically to make sure I didn’t ram the barrel into the side of the drainage, filling it with dirt.
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