# New Mexico - Youth Ewe BHS Pecos Hunt



## Greenhead_Slayer (Oct 16, 2007)

Well, I learned a few important lessons this last week.

1) New Mexico does indeed consider all of your hunt options on your applications!
2) If you apply for a BHS ram only for your 1st and 2nd options, and apply for a ewe only tag on your third option, you can indeed draw your third option.
3) New Mexico does not offer a way to surrender or return your tag for a refund unless the tag recipient dies or has a serious injury.

The great news is my 9 year-old son drew a Pecos youth-only BHS tag in October. The mediocre news is I applied him in the guided pool and he drew the 3rd option, which is a ewe only tag. Long story short I'm committed with an outfitter, an insanely high-priced BHS ewe tag, but one super excited 9-year old! I'm thinking my thought process was if he drew it I'd surrender the tag for a refund or something, or I just flat-out didn't pay attention to the hunt codes. 

It'll be fun and I'm excited to go experience the Pecos. Hopefully, it's a good taste of a ram tag there at some point in the future! Anybody hunted that unit before?


----------



## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Congrats on the tag - should be quite the experience!


----------



## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Not the Pecos, but did the Rio Grande Gorge. Who's the outfitter? You'll either go in only a few miles for the ewe, or maybe 10 miles depending on where they are.

Either way, they're almost "tame" and the shot shouldn't be that far.

I had my daughter in for the Gorge for ram and ewe, but she struck out.

You drew your third because NM looks at all your choices before moving on to the next app. So, your 3rd choice could be my 1st but because your app is ahead of mine, you could get it and I don't.

I'm 4 years I'll in a row now in NM without drawing any tag at all.


----------



## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

I decided to bite the bullet and pay for an insanely high-priced ewe tag in Colorado a few years ago, and it was one of my favorite hunts ever! No regrets. It should be a great experience for you both.


----------



## Greenhead_Slayer (Oct 16, 2007)

High Desert Elk said:


> Not the Pecos, but did the Rio Grande Gorge. Who's the outfitter? You'll either go in only a few miles for the ewe, or maybe 10 miles depending on where they are.
> 
> Either way, they're almost "tame" and the shot shouldn't be that far.
> 
> ...


The outfitter is Gila DNA Outfitters. I’ve never hunted with David, but have applied regularly in the guided pool for elk and sheep with him. He’s been good to work with application and strategy wise.

We are excited, it will be good adventure.


----------



## Greenhead_Slayer (Oct 16, 2007)

We just got back from our hunt and had a great time. The original plan was to pack in and set up camp on Friday, October 1st but a storm set in and put about a foot of snow on the ground where we planned to camp. We decided to wait until Saturday (opening morning) and then pack in. At that point the storm had lifted and there wasn't any precipitation. We left the trailhead with the horses around 4:00 AM and went in about 12 miles. 

The very first basin we wanted to check had about 40 sheep in it, including 1 really nice ram. We got within about 125 yards of the sheep and got my son all set up, but we whiffed his first shot. Luckily, the sheep didn't go very far and he had another good opportunity at 300 yards and made a great shot and piled her up. Where she dropped was about 12,750 feet in elevation. Pretty gnarly country and terrain! 

We got her quartered up and loaded up by about 2:00 PM and then rode back out. The heavens opened up and we got poured on for about the last 2 hours riding out. I'm glad we shot when we did and didn't have to do the tent thing with that much rain. It was a really quick hunt which I was a little disappointed in, I'd have loved to have spent some more time in that country, but I'm really glad we didn't have to endure those elements. Trying to find quality gear for a 9 year old has been a battle. I can't stomach paying premium dollar for the name brand items and only have them fit a year! He stayed dry and warm for the most part, but I doubt that would've been the case if we had been up on top during those storms!

Kill shot: Meet Google Drive – One place for all your files


----------



## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Congrats to your boy! Anywhere close to Serpent?


----------



## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

So awesome! I was thinking about this hunt just the other day while day dreaming about sheep hunting!!


----------



## Greenhead_Slayer (Oct 16, 2007)

High Desert Elk said:


> Congrats to your boy! Anywhere close to Serpent?


No, we were closer to East Pecos Baldy. I wanted to check out Serpent, but with the weather I kind of whimped out going in that deep.


----------



## gander311 (Dec 23, 2008)

Super cool. Thanks for sharing. And congrats to your boy. What an amazing adventure for a 9 year old to have on his “outdoors resume” already!


----------



## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Greenhead_Slayer said:


> No, we were closer to East Pecos Baldy. I wanted to check out Serpent, but with the weather I kind of whimped out going in that deep.


Now he just needs to pull a Rio Grande Gorge ram tag next year. Might as well, right?


----------

