Help with NM draw

DanBucks · Jan 6, 2006

I want to put in for an elk draw in New Mexico, but have not ever hunted elk there. Anyone willing to help point out on a reasonable unit/area to start? Will probably just start out this year with a cow hunt. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks and good luck to all this year.

DB

NMWilds · Jan 6, 2006

LAST EDITED ON Jan-06-06 AT 05:16PM (MST)[p]Your in a good position as you're willing to go on a cow hunt. There is not such stiff competition for these tags as there is for the bull hunts, so you can apply in some of the higher quality units and still have a reasonable chance of drawing. I like the Gila Units a lot. 16A, 16D, and 16C would all be fine choices. 34 has great elk numbers. 16B is a fun hunt in the Gila, but it is a wilderness unit and you should only do it if you have horses. You can put up to 3 choices on your application, so you might put any of the "Quality / High Demand" units as first and second choice, and then follow up with a lower demand unit such as Unit 2 for a 3rd choice and you'll be very likely to be drawn for at least your 3rd choice. Good Luck John

nmbighorn · Jan 7, 2006

If your a non res put in for the valle vidal you stand an excellent chance to draw a tag you should also put in for valles caldera you can ahve two apps in the drawing at the same time the latter being drawn first hope this helps nmbighorn

archeryelkaholic · Jan 14, 2006

Sorry I don't agree with the need for horses in the wilderness. I hunted there then entire archery season last year plus over a week before the season scouting. Backpacked. Walked over 300 miles.

Hunting this unit on foot is no problem but you damn well better be in shape and have good equipement.

Arhcer

archeryelkaholic · Jan 14, 2006

The valle vidal has 2% draw odds as a non-res.

rsearcy · Jan 14, 2006

What about Unit 34? Is this a good hunt and what are the odds like for a non res to draw?

ELKMAN · Jan 14, 2006

RS,

It is a tough draw, and it is getting harder!

There are some good bulls, but nothing like the Gila units etc.

I know a resident that is 0-13 in the muzzle bull draw. I also know a guy that got drawn for muzzle in 04, and bow in 05! Just have to play the odds.

They also have the nice invention of a 5 point rule on a side for that unit.

DonVathome · Jan 15, 2006

At least put down a bull tag as your first 2 choices, you might draw, bow tags are either sex, keep that in mind.

TimHerald · Jan 16, 2006

You can get a cow tag on the Jicarilla Apache Res for about $400. It is as sure a bet on a cow hunt as you could possibly get.

Good Hunting...Tim Herald
www.grandslamhunts.com

maddglasser · Jan 25, 2006

In my oppinion don't waste your time with cow if you want a bull. The Gila still has a FEW units that are reasonable draws

GrizlyHunter · Feb 12, 2006

Pick something and put in is my advice...but I'm biased.

Believe it or not me and my buddy applied for elk in New Mexico last year for the very first time and got drawn. It was for the Valle Vidal (once-in-a-lifetime), first rifle season, Non-Resident, Unguided. According to the drawing stats that were recently published we got the only two tags for our situation.

Pick something and put in!

Good Luck!

wmidbrook · Feb 12, 2006

Can someone hunt on a bull tag in NM and also buy a Jicarilla Cow tag the same year since it's an Indian Reservation?

ELKMAN · Feb 12, 2006

Gator · Feb 12, 2006

Hey Bill I called Ernie, and had him save those tags for me for this year 06, Same deal as before. talk to ya soon

wmidbrook · Feb 13, 2006

Good to know about the Jic cow tags...they went up 100 or 200 depending on the area--I was hoping they'd have a cow hunt that overlaps with archery season but their proclamation doesn't have a cow hunt during sept. I still probably call them up to find out.

Gator, I'll talk to you later...glad to hear you've got first dibs on them.

GrizlyHunter · Mar 15, 2006

For the tags we drew last year in the Valle Vidal our odds were of being drawn were 0.39%. (That's just above 1/3 of 1% odds.)

The bad part is that we probably used up all of our LE elk tag luck.

GH

jbone · Mar 16, 2006

I thought that for hunting the Jic you had to have a guide. Thus, not only do you have $400 for that cow tag but now you have a guide fee as well. Plus, I thought, and I may be wrong, that the guy fee was paid for the entire hunt regardless of the day of kill.....am I wrong on any of this? Thanks.

JBone

legendsguide · Mar 17, 2006

unit 2 has an awesome december cow hunt. also they have a small # of bull tags on the same hunt. we killed 7 bulls and 9 cows last year. great hunt and easy country

GrizzlyHunter · Mar 22, 2006

legendsguide,

That's a lot of elk! Any size to the bulls? Who is "we". And how many points did it take to draw those tags?

Thanx!

GH

jbone · Mar 22, 2006

Well, I don't know about you all, but the Jic charges $500 for a game park cow or $600 for a reservation cow elk. This does not include the mandatory guid fee. As such, say it is $200 a day. The minimum you would pay for a cow elk hunt is $900 plus tip. $900 for a cow elk??????? What is the out of state price for CO? Plus, you get the option of having multiple tags in CO, and you can do it yourself without a guide. Just my thoughts....I do not personally think it is economically wise to hunt the Jic......if I win the lotto tonight, please disregard my earlier statement because I will be the winning bidder on the $30K min bid for the mulie tag....and will be that way until I can get a couple of good herds on my sections of land.... Here is the link for your enjoyment.....http://www.jicarillahunt.com/pdf/2006-07_NTM_Hunting_corrected.pdf

Good luck all. Not trying to be too sarcastic......the prices boggle my mind.

JBone

NMHUNTNUTT1 · Mar 23, 2006

Grizzlyhunter , no point system here in NM . lIKE LEGENDS SAID , UNIT 2 has a GREAT elk hunt offered in Dec , its actually the only Dec hunt for bulls here in NM now . My brother works in unit 2 and legends does know his info well(see his clients results@ nmbiggamehuntning.com), after the snow falls in southern CO unit 2 overloads with wapiti and legends knows the Honey Holes....It will become a very popular unit in the next few years and is only bound to get harder to draw , take advantage now while the gettins good....