january deer hunt question

graffalanamous · Dec 12, 2007

Had a question about a dear hunt I have coming up in January. New Mexico Game and Fish says my hunt is a "Quality" hunt which means hunters have an improved chance for harvesting game and a desireable hunting experience etc. My question is why does a January bowhunt present an increased opportunity to harvest an animal? Isn't the rut over well before hand? What advice does anyone have for a late season bow hunt like this?
Thanks for all your help

RabidRattleSnake1 · Dec 12, 2007

What unit are you hunting? I'll be down in 21. The quality in my opinion doesn't mean a lot, but that is just me. Kinda depends on where you are hunting.

graffalanamous · Dec 12, 2007

unit wide 16, but I know 16E and 16C best

hunt1 · Dec 12, 2007

The rut starts at the end of December and runs into January in southern NM. So far I have only seen a couple bucks with does...when the rut kicks in it is an awesome hunt/opportunity. The colder temps haven't been consistent this year, but last year was timed perfectly for the January hunt.

gilamonster8 · Dec 12, 2007

Can you say rut

RabidRattleSnake1 · Dec 13, 2007

It can be a lot of fun, hell any time you get out it is a lot of fun. Anyway the only thing I am worried about is crunchy snow. It can make it hard on us this year. I mess around in 16D mostly. One of my coworkers took a 23" wide 27" tall fork this year in 16D. It is a buck way past his prime, but a really cool buck all the same. Hope you have a good time. Nice thing about 16 is you will be able to look at elk the entire time.

NMHUNTNUTT1 · Dec 13, 2007

I think generally the rut starts in early to mid December. In 2005 I hunted 2B in January but was up scouting in early December , I believe around Dec 5. I videoed some great bucks tending doe at 45-50 yards and they really didn't give a care that I was there. I had never experianced such a great time looking over deer I'd only dreamed of.When we went back in Jan, that year the hunt didn't start till the 8th and ran through the 15th. We found big bucks but they were no longer with the doe. We did find smaller bucks with doe but only because the rut had pretty much finished up.I have a January bow hunt this year and am looking forward to it as the deer will still be a the tail end of the rut around Jan. 1st.
My advice to you is if your going to hunt this Jan, I'd try if at all to be in the hills at the very beginning of the hunt as the first few day of January the bucks may still be chasing second estrus doe. Best of luck , I'll be in 38...