Gila Muzzleloader

[QtrHorse]

Got lucky this year and drew a unit 15 tag for the early hunt. Does anyone have any experience they are willing to share with an out of stater? Suggestions on areas, what to expect to see, terrain, access etc. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[30inchbuck]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-29-06 AT 08:33AM (MST)[p]One great tag.

Area holds some of the biggest bulls in the state.

Very hard to draw.


Terrain is a lot of PJ. Meadows - has some steep country ect.

Very large unit.

You can find elk almost everywhere.

Access is fairly good lots of good roads - not much private.

Apache Creek has some showers at the local gas station - costs like $2.00 - There is a place with a cooler south of Apache Creek.

The big elk are in the hard to get to places. They will be screaming!

I have seen some bulls in that area that would get close to 400. I would shoot anything over 350.

This unit is very big. I would recommend hiring a guide. I think M Chapman is the best for that area.

If no guide or outfitter - might have to settle for smaller bull - Slaughter Mesa - Sand Flats are good.

Arizona border is also good.

 

[QtrHorse]

30inchbuck,
Thank you for the reply. It sounds like good advice and I like the sound of still having bugling activity to help out. If I was to bring my horses along to get to some of the better places would it be worth it. It would be a long haul for them. Where might a starting place be with them? Or would a guy be better off hiking in and spike camping? We are in pretty good shape for packing. Thanks again.

 

[Muley73]

I hunted on the muzzle hunt a few years ago. We called in two huge bulls a couple days before the hunt and where really excited. We passed on a couple 300 class bulls the first day and then the moon was full and it got warm. We never heard another elk the rest of the week. We did see a few more bulls but nothing big. The locals still did well because they knew where the elk go when it gets like that. If I did it again with out paying a guide I would try and concact a local that would be willing to spend a little time showing some good traditional areas. There is usually high school age hunters that are more than willing to share their knowledge of the local hot spots on any good unit in the west.

 

[Muley62]

You don't know it yet but you have been given some first class advice so far! I hunted 15 the first time 17 years ago, tags were $213 and 155 people applied for 150 tags, there were left over archery tags! Things have changed.

I have guided in 15 for the last few years on a private ranch. I have noticed that by the time you get to the muzzy hunt the serious rut acivity is in pockets. Areas that were hot one day can go stone cold in a few days. Be flexible and cover lots of country.

I think 30incher meant Mick Chappell as a guide. If so, good choice.

 

[30inchbuck]

Yup, I meant Mick Chappell.

He has a good reputation.

Note so sure about horses. Not many places you cannont get to by foot. When I say that by foot equals 5 miles or less.

I have hunted the unit twice myself - unsuccessful both times - I gain significant knoweledge both hunts.

I think it takes about a 7 days in the timeframe of the hunt to figure out a unit.

Another idea is go down one week in advance - do your scouting then.

Do not overlook the lower elevation PJ.

 

[QtrHorse]

Thanks to all for the information. I prefer DIY hunt since that is what I've always done in the past with reasonable success. Leaving the horses behind was my original preference due to the hauling distance and they tend to tie you down to one area. Looking at the forest service map it appeared that most areas could be accessed using 30inchbuck's 5 mile or less guideline. That is similar to what I do here at home, it just depends if the pack out is uphill or downhill as to how far I go. Mostly what I am interested in coming to NM for is for a very different hunting experience than what I normally do. And to have a chance at a very special bull. Around where I live a guy can get a chance at a 300 incher every couple years, but not much better without the right tag. I can see the hunt coming together as follows: Take two weeks vacation for the travel down, scout, hunt and travel back. Try to pick 4-5 good looking areas during the scouting time. Hunt one spot each day until I connect, find a really hot spot to concentrate on, run out of time. Does this sound like a good approach to you guys who have hunted there before? Also, I'm prepared to come home empty handed if I don't find the right one. Like I mentioned earlier this is all about the experience and the "chance" at a special animal.

 

[Muley62]

Sounds like a great hunt! Scouting information on rutting elk seems to be good for about two days. So come down early, hunt hard, be flexable and have fun.

good luck

 

[Horniac]

QtrHorse:

Congrats on drawing a great tag! It is a big unit since they combined 15A and 15B a few years ago. Have hunted 15B side for both muzzleloader and archery. The muzzleloader hunt is not a slam dunk hunt. The rut will be over for the most part during your hunt which makes it tough to locate animals as you won't be hearing much bugling. Glassing vantage points are limited as most of the country is pretty thick. Unless you get some weather, it will still be pretty warm during the day so the elk will not be moving much except early and late.

The access is good with lots of roads so you don't need your horses but there are still lots of areas you can walk into and get away from everyone. The horses would be an asset to have in camp though to help you get a bull out if you were lucky enough to get one down.

Some of the outfitters fly this unit so hope that any bulls you have located before the hunt starts are not blown out when they start flying the canyons.

As I said, 15 is a big unit and my experience has been in the south-west corner of the old 15B. Things may be different in other parts of 15 but that has been my experience in that area.

Never hunted with Mick but my cousin has and as stated earlier he has a good reputation and knows the area well. If you have an extra $4,000 and want to leave the horses home and perhaps save a week or so of your vacation it could be the way to go for you. http://www.nmtrophyhunts.com/elk.html

Good luck on your hunt!

Horniac

 

[NMHUNTNUTT1]

I agree with all of the shared info . I too agree with the lower country to the west side of Quemado towards AZ state line . Road #19 off of 60 , it forks into 306.The country through out that area is great elk country , but people know about it , I learned about it from some locals during a Feb cow hunt . They said it would have plenty of elk and they were right , and in 2004 two of my buddies both killed nice bulls on the bow hunt there about 2 miles apart . I've never crossed over to Slaughter but have heard great things about it , but have hunted Fox . In the above posts it was mentioned about getting into some rougher thick stuff for that hunt , well then Fox fits the bill. You will be in elk country pretty much throughout the whole unit , its just a matter of narrowing it down .Congrats on a great tag....

 

[JH]

howdy for sure a great tag i am currently living in quemado for the summer as a wildland firefighter for the forest service the unit is full of elk, almost everywhere we go it seems like i see rubs signs, and we are always finding horns, the slaughter mesa area is good, but also look out towards mangas, and another place to pay attention too is around jewett gap and best of luck to ya

 

[QtrHorse]

Thanks again to all who responded with some great information. It's going to be a long summer waiting to come down and have a look around. Would having an ATV handy to retrieve a bull be of any help or is the area closed to off road motorized travel? Also, what type of weather conditions are typical for the area during the hunt?

 

[buckraker]

I drew 15 myself for ml,the second hunt. Best of luck to you.
Larry

 

[30inchbuck]

ATV travel is restricted for the most part. There are some roads that would make it easier on an ATV than in a truck. Off road is restricted.

My experience is has been dry with temps ranging from low 40'at night to high 70's in day.