FISH CATCHING TRAVEL
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Sorry for no fishing stuff this week as the Boss and I took a little trip. We headed out for a couple of days in the mountains around Ruidoso NM. It is one of our favorite places that we can drive to in 1 day, and we are enjoying the mountains more each trip.
Our morning hike in the mountains.
Having been out there a few times this trip was to really explore the 4 wheel opportunities, and they were great. I actually had a question from a reader a few trips ago about the possibilities and this trip we learned something, and saw some really great country.
Wild Horses. Really unique and beautiful.
We stay at the Inn of the Mountain Gods, which is a Mescalero Apache Tribe Casino nestled in the foothills of the real mountains. As it sits in the heart of the 500,000 acre reservation I had some questions about access. We met Sean, a resident of the reservation, and he filled us in on where to drive. So for you who might want to make the trip and do some great exploring here is the basics.
A good part of one of the tracks. View on our drive.
There are main gravel roads throughout the reservation that are well kept, and then there are roads I found on the GPS that are labeled BIA roads, which are Bureau of Indian Affairs roads. While marked, they are definitely from rough to real rough. They are used basically for rounding up cattle and then during the hunting season. While we did not have to use the 4 wheel drive driving those roads, and calling them roads is an exaggeration, it would not be wise to even think about driving them without 4 wheel. They wind through the mountains in the middle of nowhere, and as an example one we took was probably 10 miles long and took well over an hour. Also there is no cell phone service so being prepared is a must. And one final thing we learned, the reservation shares a border with the Lincoln National Forest, making the 4 wheel opportunities limitless. In fact when we finally headed back we were on the edge of the forest and could have just kept on rolling.
We saw tons of turkeys, really a good looking bird.
There was plenty of wildlife and lots of cattle. The reservation has tons of cattle and on our trip we met a couple of Native American cowboys on horseback searching for cattle for the fall round up. We had just seen some amazing horses, and found out from them that they are wild. What beautiful and majestic animals. We also saw tons of Merriam turkeys, which are cool. (Note they have guided trips for the Merriam at a great price if you are looking to add that to the types of turkey you have hunted, you can find it on their site, along with Elk and Bear hunts. I will be applying for a cow elk hunt next year.) While we did not see any elk on our drive, they are there by the thousands and we have seen them in the past, being hunting season they were obviously automobile shy. And though Mule deer are prevalent, and we saw some in town, we did see several significant whitetail scrape lines, and from the size of the trees they trashed they were probably some pretty good bucks. And we were fortunate enough to see 2 Golden Eagles, one of the great birds in America. Of course we did not see a bear or a lion, a rare sight but they are there also.
So that is the short version, but trust me, we will be back. Not sure how it might be with snow on the ground, but I hope to check that out this winter. As I do not have a winch it would seem to be prudent to have one when driving where there is no cell service or easy help. Do be advised that while on the reservation there is no hiking, hunting, fishing, etc. allowed, there are of course exceptions, in other words it is their land and you can’t just get off the roads and run wild. Please respect them and their tribal lands, it is sacred and belongs to them. There is a great 3.1 paved walking trail at the Inn, see first 2 pictures, along with plenty of cool places to walk lakeside. And should you want to catch a few trout in the lake you can get a permit there. Also you can apply sometime after the first of the year for hunts, which are done on a draw basis. As we begin to think about real retirement we are always looking for places that fit the bill and I know one thing, sitting on top of a mountain where the only sound might be an elk bugling or nothing louder than the wind sounds great.
To read more prior to going there here is a couple of websites that will help and educate you on what the tribe and the reservation is all about.
Tribal website: http://mescaleroapachetribe.com/
Inn of the Mountain Gods hunting info: https://innofthemountaingods.com/outdoor/
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I got this from Steve and will check it out and you should too.
Thanks for the info. A friend of mine showed me one he just got and had not used yet and they look like killer. I have not really looked at their site but will do it as soon as I get done with this post. Good to hear from you, and the rest of you check out their site.
Here is the link. If you like trout fishing it might be the place for you, love the concept on the new plastic. And as soon as I get a chance to try them I will give you all a report.
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And I heard back from SA Joe on his ongoing steering issue.
Man ain’t boat ownership grand! Rarely do we get the simple solutions to boating issues and looks like you sure didn’t. But when it comes down to it the steering is actually the most important item on a boat. (Of course the plug is right up there!) If you are out of gas you are stuck, if it won’t start you are stuck, but if it malfunctions at speed you might be dead. Thanks for keeping us updated.
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That is all I have to spout off about today. As you can see we love it there, and also appreciate how great the folks are. As far as fishing I will be fishing soon so stay tuned. Of course this weekend it will be watching my Hogs suck, the Cowboys maybe sucking, and the Astros beating the Dodgers. The World Series is a great thing for Houston, it may not make it all better, but it sure will help give the community a lift. Go Astros! So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
