The Devil Dog Elk Hunt is sponsored by the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and held on Ted Turner�s Vermejo Park Ranch located near Raton, NM. 5 of us wheelers, 1 assistant for each, took part in this hunt and we were lodged at the NRA�s Whittington Center. Early in the morning on the 27th of January as I got ready to leave it started snowing and kept it up for the next 280 miles. I was sure that with the snow and cold weather it would prove to be a terrible hunt but thank God I was wrong (again) it was clear and beautiful in Raton. We arrived during the late afternoon with all the rest getting there before sundown. Once we found the right cabin and got partly settled in it was decided that we would all meet up at the K-Bob�s in Raton to make plans for the next day and lastly to stop by the supermarket to pick up some groceries. The next morning found me out on the front porch with a cup of coffee looking over the NRA�s 1000 yard Rifle Range when just off to the range�s right I spotted a small bachelor herd of 3 Bull Elk. Out came the binoculars after looking the Bulls over it was decided that there was 1 raghorn, 1 5x5 and 1 6x6. After a hour or so we were all ready to head back into Raton but on the way to town we came across a couple herds of Mule Deer, mainly doe�s with fawns but a couple of 3x3 bucks plus a grounds keeper that told us of a 6x9 drop tine Mulie Buck that has been seen.

Then a little futher down the road we came across a couple herds of Antelope. Once we found the New Mexico Game & Fish we went about getting the Elk license/permit and the Disabled Hunter�s permit that would allow us to shoot from a vehicle that is parked with the engine off. We also asked directions to the Vermajo Ranch and about meat processors. After business in town was completed we returned to the cabin to retreive our rifles then head out to the target range to fine tune our sights. When the big bore�s were done out came some shotguns for a few rounds of trap shooting. Following a break for lunch some of us loaded up in trucks and took a tour of the Whittington Center. There were differant ranges of every kind of gun, handgun ranges, small bore, big bore with targets set at ranges between 100 to 1000 yards plus a couple of trap & skeet ranges.The group I was with came across several differant herds of Mule Deer and as the sun set we came up on that rumored drop tined buck. As it got dark we headed back to the cabin and after supper came time for tales. One hunter was from GA and told of his electric golf cart that was converted into a 4x4 with a winch. Another was guy was from TX and was a recent returnee from Iraq. He was also trying to orginize a disabled hunt camp. I got telling about the Hellava Hunt and NM�s Mobility Impaired Antelope and Elk Hunts. Reed Weer was from the PVA�s Washington office and is the head of the PVA�s Shooting Sports and tries to attend every PVA Trap Shoot. And the last guy was from PA and he told stories about his Whitetail Deer hunts held on most military bases in the Eastern US. The next morning at about 3:00 we were all loaded up in our vehicles and headed out to find the Vermajo Ranch. We only made a couple turns where we shouldn�t have but we still got there with about 45 minutes to spare before shooting light. Once on the ranch we met up with our guides and just generaly shot the breeze mainly about how warm it was for January. When time to depart got closer we all loaded up in our guide�s truck, most where crew cabs err 4 door, I was in the last truck to leave and it was starting to lighten up enough to see a little. About 5 minutes after we left we passed through a gate and low and behold across the field was a herd of 12 to 15 Elk and all were cows. Those Elk were about a mile away so the guide did his very best to use the terrain to hide us as we snuck up on them. At 300 yards we came to a creek that couldn�t be crossed so I picked out the cow I wanted and steadied the rifle on the truck�s window frame. Set the crosshairs on the upper part of her front shoulder bone gently exhaled and squeezed the trigger. The gun went boom and a spilt second later I was awarded a good solid �THAAWK�. She bolted down hill into a depression so the guide knew where to look so after about 15 minutes of watching that depression and not seeing anything moving the guide took off towards her. After field dressing her the guide and my Dad drug her back to the pick up. Carefully the truck was walked back to the road and on that ride I was picked on about shooting a baby still on the teat. OHh does that meat taste good and you can cut it with a fork or even a spoon for that matter. After a short drive we came to a barn and it was only about 8:30 and there was already Elk hanging and skinned. Another one was getting skinned and mine made a 3. I was really impressed with the way they skinned. They split the hide from the chest cavity to the anus. Cut the hide on the front legs to the knee then cut the legs off did the same to the hind legs. Then tied the rear legs to a D-ring cemented in the floor tied a winch cable to the severed rear legs then peeled the skin off the Elk like peeling a banana. The meat never touched the floor. Oh yea the Elk was on its back. While that was going on the other 2 Elk came in. There was also a herd of 8 Mule Deer that passed within 20 ft. of the skinning room. By 10am all us shooters were headed back to the cabin to repack our clothes and say our farewells.