Elk hunting with VTH at Rio Costilla Park is an experience like no other. With their ranch management policies in place for over 20 years, clients have the opportunity to pursue trophy bull elk from a large resident herd roaming freely over 88,000 acres. Imagine a frosty morning, with dawn yet to break, you and your guide are planning the opening day hunt. Dawn breaks in its entire fall splendor and the morning chill turns to an adrenaline rush as the first bull shatters the silence with his primal bugle! The stalk is on!! On average VTH harvests 300 class BC bulls, but your chances of a once in a lifetime 360 plus bull are a strong possibility.
In addition to hunting Rio Costilla Park’s 88,000 acres, Val is also one of the limited licensed outfitters on the Valle Vidal and the Uracca Wildlife area.
An Elk hunt can be combine with Black Bear, Mountain Lion, or Buffalo if you are looking to harvest multiple species on your trip to New Mexico.
Imagine the excitement that builds knowing you’ve booked a hunt on the famed Rio Costilla Park Cattle Ranch with VTH where you have a chance to harvest a Mule Deer buck scoring from 140-180 BC. With limited tags, lack of hunting pressure, diverse terrain and habitat, clients have a great opportunity to harvest one of North America’s most sought after trophies, a mature buck Mule Deer. VTH clients will base out of the Hidden Jewel Lodge hunt spot and stalk out of 4x4, on foot or horseback to harvest their buck.
If you are interested in harvesting multiple species you can combine your deer hunt with Mountain Lion or Buffalo.
Antelope hunts are conducted in north Eastern New Mexico on large private ranches. VTH clients base out of hotels within a close proximity of the ranches we hunt. The hunts take place the third weekends in both August and September. What better place to introduce the youth or novice hunter to a big game hunt. Hunters will see lots of Antelope and have opportunity to harvest a mature buck from 13-16 inches.
This weekend hunt can be combine with a Black Bear hunt if you want to extend your time in New Mexico and harvest multiple species.
Black Bear are abundant and populations are rising in New Mexico due to the remote forests and vegetation. Rio Costilla Park with its dense forests of Aspen, Ponderosa Pine, Pinon and Scrub Oak foster the growth of large bears with multi colored coats from jet black to dark chocolate with all combinations in between. Val utilizes hounds in pursing bears on the ranch, so bring your camera and prepare for a memorable hunt on the fall colored landscape of Rio Costilla Park Cattle Ranch.
If you want to book a hunt for multiple species this fall consider booking a combination for Black Bear and Antelope.
If you are seeking a high mountain adventure for a unique North American trophy, consider a hunt for a mountain lion. There are significant numbers of Mt. Lion in NM and especially in Northern NM and the 88,000 acre Rio Costilla Park Cattle Ranch. You will enjoy this hunt as you traverse the mountains in search of this elusive cat. With our well trained hounds and guides, clients have enjoyed great success on these hunts. We base out of the Hidden Jewel Lodge and hunt out of 4x4, on foot or snowmobile. Come prepared for medium to steep mountainous conditions, snow and 7-10,000 foot elevations.
This hunt can be combine with a deer or elk hunt on the ranch at certain times during the year.
Val's Trophy Hunt has expanded their hunting opportunities to a new ranch located just 50 miles from the prestine RCCLA. This ranch is a 16,000 acre ranch and is loaded with Elk, Mule Deer, Mt. Lion and Bear. We are booking hunts for this ranch for the 2010 and 2011 season. This ranch is a section of the Moreno Ranch and has not been hunted in a few years.