Outfitter offers prime trophy antelope on 95,000 private acres

This pronghorn antelope hunt offers an outstanding opportunity to take a Boone and Crockett caliber animal. The outfitter takes only 10 hunters a year on 95,000 private acres northeast of Albuquerque. Because the hunting pressure is so light, the bucks get a chance to reach their prime. The 2006 season produced eight bucks that netted at least 82 B&C, big enough for the all-time record book. The biggest grossed 89 B&C, and it was the first year in four years that the biggest didn't score at least 90 B&C. Any student of the record book realizes how superb those numbers are. The 2005 hunt produced seven bucks big enough to make the all-time B&C list. The largest buck taken in 2004 netted 92 2/8 inches, but the hunter refused to enter it in the B&C competition, and it has been exceeded since by another buck.

Usually all 10 hunters kill a buck, and even the smallest bucks killed most years will score more than 80 inches. Most ranches in New Mexico must take some public hunters because they include checkerboarded land with some BLM, state or federal land mixed in. This ranch is completely deeded acreage, so there are no public hunters to interfere with your hunt.

The outfitter takes six bucks the first season in August and four hunters during the second season in September. He said hunters on the second hunt typically kill just as big bucks as those on the first hunt.

"Some of the bigger bucks we don't even see during the first hunt," he said. "I think they're hanging out in the cedars until the rut, and that's in full swing during the September hunt with bucks running allover the place. Three years ago three of the four bucks taken on the second hunt scored 85 to 86 Boone and Crockett."

You don't have to draw a license to take this hunt. The hunt price includes a voucher that allows you to buy a tag from the state. The $290 state tag is not included in the price of the hunt.