NMPaul
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Thought I would share this in General hunting since it was an unusual hunt.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID34/3767.html#14
http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID34/3767.html#14
Son's ibex hunt and recovery
- Thread starter NMPaul
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NMPaul
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Some pics, just no kill shot.
Long story short.
Had some very bad luck on this hunt. Including Zach taking a shot at a huge billy and getting the "click" no bullet in chamber and window of opportunity closed before could shoot again.
Making a 1.5 hours stalk to get in position for a shot on big billy and for the lack of literally 5 seconds they went over the top of the mountain just as he was getting a shot lined up.
However......................... Zach made a 525 yard shot on a real good billy and it is in a place we cannot get at him. We got some guys with harnesses and climbing stuff yesterday while meat and cape were still good, but, we could not get to it before dark and had to back out. Gonna try to get it out in next couple week. Will need to rappel off the cliff to get him out. He did not fall like we planned.
The people at the Deming information Center were very very helpful trying to find rock climbers to help us. Tag is punched and now we need to recover what we can.
The modifications to Zachs pack to make it fit as per Hanks suggestion.
Getting ready to pack in with visions of big ibex billies in our heads.
Closest thing to a flat spot we could find.
First morning after hiking from camp to our glassing spot waiting for daylight.
This was our blind as we waited for a big billy to show up. This is about 2 hours after the "click" moment. Zach stared holes into that mountain for 7 hours waiting for another shot which never happened.
Next morning after we hiked in to another glassing spot waiting for daylight.
This is the cliff that Zachs ibex now sits. There is a tiny white vertical slash on the top towards the left and he is right under that.
Couple scenery shots.
Long story short.
Had some very bad luck on this hunt. Including Zach taking a shot at a huge billy and getting the "click" no bullet in chamber and window of opportunity closed before could shoot again.
Making a 1.5 hours stalk to get in position for a shot on big billy and for the lack of literally 5 seconds they went over the top of the mountain just as he was getting a shot lined up.
However......................... Zach made a 525 yard shot on a real good billy and it is in a place we cannot get at him. We got some guys with harnesses and climbing stuff yesterday while meat and cape were still good, but, we could not get to it before dark and had to back out. Gonna try to get it out in next couple week. Will need to rappel off the cliff to get him out. He did not fall like we planned.
The people at the Deming information Center were very very helpful trying to find rock climbers to help us. Tag is punched and now we need to recover what we can.
The modifications to Zachs pack to make it fit as per Hanks suggestion.
Getting ready to pack in with visions of big ibex billies in our heads.
Closest thing to a flat spot we could find.
First morning after hiking from camp to our glassing spot waiting for daylight.
This was our blind as we waited for a big billy to show up. This is about 2 hours after the "click" moment. Zach stared holes into that mountain for 7 hours waiting for another shot which never happened.
Next morning after we hiked in to another glassing spot waiting for daylight.
This is the cliff that Zachs ibex now sits. There is a tiny white vertical slash on the top towards the left and he is right under that.
Couple scenery shots.
NMPaul
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Pick up from there. After my wifes elk hunt we finally were able to coordinate the ibex recovery with the guys we tracked down in Deming. The one guy got down from the first attemt the day Zach shot it and told Miguel to erase his phone number out of his cell phone. He was not there this time.
Anyhow, we drove out to the mountain and hiked in. They went to the top of the mountain and Zach and I went to the bottom. We got some pics of the ibex in the cave.
The only stupid/dangerous thing we did was be under the cliff the guy was rappelling off of. Loose rocks came screaming down like quail on steroids. The first time we heard that whirring noise as rocks came down from a couple hundred yards we were diving for cover. That did inhibit some of the pics I was able to take.
The mountain as we hiked up to it.
Best pic through the spotting scope of the billy in the cave
Ropes off the edge
I dont think I could have convinced myself to take that first step off the cliff. This guys name was Jimmy.
dropping in
This is from the cave we were hiding in as the rocks were whirring down on us. Cant imagine a 5lb rock hitting me in the head from 200 yards.
trying to lower the ibex. It was hanging up so it had to be hauled up
Side view of mountain. That slab of rock on the right was what they were rappelling off of
back at the truck. Zach asked me every day if the guys had called to set up a time. Billy was 42". His first was a little over 50" It is amazing how 2 weeks of daydreaming had Zach and I thinking he was another monster. Even glassing him in the cave with the spotting scope we put about 10" extra on him
after a little cleaned up.
The drive home was pretty stinky even with all the windows open for 4 hours.
Anyhow, we drove out to the mountain and hiked in. They went to the top of the mountain and Zach and I went to the bottom. We got some pics of the ibex in the cave.
The only stupid/dangerous thing we did was be under the cliff the guy was rappelling off of. Loose rocks came screaming down like quail on steroids. The first time we heard that whirring noise as rocks came down from a couple hundred yards we were diving for cover. That did inhibit some of the pics I was able to take.
The mountain as we hiked up to it.
Best pic through the spotting scope of the billy in the cave
Ropes off the edge
I dont think I could have convinced myself to take that first step off the cliff. This guys name was Jimmy.
dropping in
This is from the cave we were hiding in as the rocks were whirring down on us. Cant imagine a 5lb rock hitting me in the head from 200 yards.
trying to lower the ibex. It was hanging up so it had to be hauled up
Side view of mountain. That slab of rock on the right was what they were rappelling off of
back at the truck. Zach asked me every day if the guys had called to set up a time. Billy was 42". His first was a little over 50" It is amazing how 2 weeks of daydreaming had Zach and I thinking he was another monster. Even glassing him in the cave with the spotting scope we put about 10" extra on him
after a little cleaned up.
The drive home was pretty stinky even with all the windows open for 4 hours.
