We arrived at the lodge located just North of Mora NM and were greeted by Ron and his wife Traci. After introductions we were treated to a tour of the lodge. The lodge is a two story house that the brothers purchased and remodeled to cater to their clients. The first floor has two dinning rooms, a nice spacious kitchen, two living rooms and a full bar in the game room. The upper floor hosts two large double rooms with two double beds, three single rooms and two restrooms. The over four thousand square foot lodge can accommodate up to ten hunters at a time.
The décor of the lodge is very rustic, with lots of mounts throughout the house. There are also Southwestern and Native American décor. Most of the art work is from local artists including another of the Trujillo brothers. There are many pieces of furniture that are hand crafted by the same Trujillo brother. Below is the hand crafted liquor cabinet made from old barn wood.
Phillip Trujillo arrived later, he had been out scouting for bear and mountain lion for the morning hunt. Along with Phillip we met Danny Alcon, the head hounds man for Racks and Furs Outfitters and Donovan Velasquez the head guide. Danny and Donovan are both very professional and take great pride in doing their best to have a successful hunt for their clients.
After a great meal of fajitas and dessert we retired to one of the living rooms to visit and make a game plan for the morning hunt. Visiting with everyone was wonderful and the Trujillo family made us feel just like family.
Opening morning we arose at 4 am to be greeted in the kitchen by Phil who had coffee and breakfast burritos ready. After a quick meal we loaded up and headed to the high country to meet Danny and a couple of other hounds men for our first hunt of the season. Once the dogs were fitted with their tracking collars and loaded top of the rigging boxes we were headed out.
The total number of dogs we had with us was 18. Danny explained that when a mature bear is being ran that it would rather fight than tree. He explained that a lot of the bears in this area had been pursued many times and by the time they are a mature animal they have learned that it is easier to put their back up against a tree and fight the dogs if there area only 4 or 5. He explained that with more dogs the bear will climb a tree rather than fight lots of dogs.
As we made a small caravan of three trucks with dogs and us in the Jeep up the mountain the dogs struck bear scent where one had crossed the road. After the hounds men had looked at the track and observed the reaction of the dogs it was decided to mark this spot for reference and move on. This occurred three more times with the same decision each time.
After almost an hour of traveling up the mountain another track was crossed. This time the track was a large one and two dogs were released. The dogs worked the track for about ten minutes and then they struck a hot track. More dogs were released to join in the pursuit. Standing on the side of a mountain looking down over a large canyon listening to the hounds below was a very exciting event. As we listened to the chase move further down the mountain and away from us the hounds men watched the screens of the GPS tracking devices. The sound of the dogs then started to grow louder as they reversed course and were headed back up the mountain. The pitch and intensity of the baying changed and more hounds were released to join the chase. The hounds could hear the chase below and when they were released they crashed through the brush down the mountain as fast as they could. As we stood listening we could tell when the new recruits joined the fight. About 5 minutes later the sound of the dogs changed again and the hounds men indicated that the bear was treed.
A guide was sent down to the tree to access the situation. About 15 minutes later he called back on the radio and said the dogs had treed a real nice mature bear. The decision was made to head down and see if this was a bear that we wanted to harvest.
The tree the bear was located in was almost a mile down the mountain from where we were located. We went down the side of that mountain at almost a dead run to get there as fast as we could. Phillip was in the lead and John was following him as up followed up with the camera. About half way down John fell and rolled head over heels down the mountain for about 10 yards. He managed to escape injury but did untrack the string from his bow. Luckily we had decided that we would also bring the 308 as back up. The sound of the dogs baying growing louder as we approached definitely got the adrenaline flowing.
Upon arriving at the tree the sights and sounds of the bear in the tree the dogs jumping on the tree trying to climb up after the bear and the bays of the hounds was something that is as exciting an experience as I have ever had.
The bear was located about 30 feet up in a large pine tree. He sat on a branch and just watched the dogs and us with great curiosity. Once the dogs were gathered up and tied away from the base of the tree and I had the camera rolling the okay was given for John to shoot.
At the shot the bear jumped and let out a roar. He then started to descend the tree on his own and the guides were telling John to shoot again fearing the bear would reach the ground and attack either the dogs or ourselves. About half way down the tree the bear died and free fell to the ground. Once the bear was on the ground and it was determined he would not rise the hounds were released again to allow them to actually rush the bear. This is done as a reward for a job well done. The entire chase from the time the first dogs were released until the bear was harvested was an hour.
After all the congrats were given and the quick celebration of the a successful hunt the dogs were lead away back to the trucks. We took the trophy photos and videos and then the work began. Phillip and Danny made short work of skinning out the bear and preparing the hide to be packed out. This was the hardest part of the entire hunt. With the excitement and adrenaline we didn't realize just how steep the mountain was and how far we actually had to go to arrive back at the trucks. After many stops to catch our breath and give our legs a break we finally made it back to the road.
Once back at the lodge we were greeted with a great lunch prepared by Ron and Traci consisting of homemade sub sandwiches. We rested up a bit and then headed out to explore and hopefully find a mountain lion.
We spent the rest of the weekend with Racks and Furs Outfitters exploring the wonderful mountains and learning more about the area. We were treated to wonderful meals every day, including home made tamales and enchilada for our meal on Saturday night.
Phillip and Ron run a first class operation. Phil knows the area and the wildlife very well and has access to lots of public and private land to hunt everything from elk to prairie dogs. You can stay in the lodge or if you would prefer a wilderness experience Racks and Furs can accommodate you. Ron and Traci operate the lodging side of the business and are gracious hosts who provide a wonderful experience and meals that will keep you fueled for a long day of hunting.
The lodge also is available for a Bed and Breakfast experience if you would like to get away for a few days. The area is full of wonderful attractions and the history of the area is very diverse.
Hunting with Racks and Furs Outfitters will leave you feeling like you have just spent time with family. They go out of their way to make sure your stay and experience is one of a kind and that you have the time of your life.
For more information on Racks and Furs Outfitters or to book a hunt contact them through their website www.racksnfursbednbreakfast.com
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