Valles Caldera National Preserve Considers Elk Hunt Fee Of $7,500

Valles Caldera National Preserve is considering a proposal to charge a $7,500 fee for up to 15 of the 77 elk hunt permits they are allowed to handout. As it would be expected, this proposal has sparked quite a stir across New Mexico’s hunting community.

The Valles Caldera National Preserve is one of New Mexico’s premier elk hunting playgrounds. The new proposal would set aside 15 of the elk permits allowed in the preserve for ’special hunts’. These special hunts would include a three night stay at the Valles Grande lodge, and three catered meals a day.

The controversy surrounding this proposal stems from the Valles Caldera preserve being public land. Sportsmen say that charging $7,500 for these permits goes against the ethics of hunting permits, in general, which enable fair rights to every hunter, not dependent on finances. Quite simply, all hunters could not afford these permits, so they should not be allowed.

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Calling The Wild Turkey……..When And How Often??

By: Scott Ellis

2005,2006,2007 Florida State Turkey Calling Champion

2004, 2007 Florida State Gobbling Champion

Quaker Boy Game Calls Pro Staff

One of the most asked questions about hunting the wild turkey is “when do I call and how often?” I feel that there is an art to calling turkeys. It’s all based on feeling him out and knowing what he wants to hear. How do you know this? Well I think it will come to you the more you work gobblers in different scenarios. Right off the roost, mid morning with hens, with out hens, public land bird, private land bird. In my opinion, whether calling a hot to trot two year old or a four year old hard hunted public bird, it’s a matter of getting his attention and keeping his interest just enough to get him to investigate. If you over call him, he will stand his ground and wait for this hot hen to meet him for their rendezvous. If you under call him, he will move off to the next hot item. Read more

Dad’s Rifle - A Family Heirloom

By Bob Lane

In many hunting families, guns are handed down from generation to generation. When a family member no longer desires to, is unable to hunt, or is deceased, the rifles, pistols, and shotguns are often passed on to the hunting offspring or grandchildren of the former hunter. The sentimental value and memories attached to the firearms often far outweigh the monetary value of the guns themselves. Read more

Slow Elk

By Becky Sather

Growing up in a big city I never got the chance to enjoy the simple pleasure of hunting. Moving to Prineville Oregon, a major hunting town, the year of my high school graduation was a huge culture shock. I worked at a gas station during hunting season my first year in Prineville. Seeing so many people; male, female, rich, not so rich, young, and old filling up their vehicles to go out in the woods to shoot at Bambi confused me. Filling up the homebound hunter’s vehicles that had the head of Bambi proudly strapped to the truck in a spot just right for the deer to stare at me—extremely confusing. Read more

Bringing Wolves Back Violated The Public Trust

An opinion piece reared an ugly head in the environment section of New West on September 16, 2007 by George Wuerthner. From the article, this is what it says about Wuerthner. Read more