Roads

[gadawgs]

I bought a landowners tag in unit 15 new mexico for the upcoming archery season and since I have never been there I flew out from Georgia this weekend to do some scouting. While it is some beautiful country I was extremely disturbed by the amount of roads and four wheeler trails in the unit. It seemed like the furthest you could get from any road was only a few miles. I left a little discouraged because I guess I was expecting a little more wilderness. I have always felt-not just in hunting but in life in general-that effort should be rewarded not necessarily with a kill but a least a quality experience. With all these roads any yahoo on a 4-wheeler gets equal opportunity as a person who busts his hump to try to harvest an animal. Not only that but it surely has to have an adverse effect on the elk movement. I guess the whole point of this is to vent a little and also to ask is this something I should be overly concerned about or is this common in most non-wilderness areas? BTW this is my first ever elk hunt and I just want to know what to expect.

 

[pigbulls]

Unfortinatly Elk hunting has become very popular, so yes just about any where in the western half you are going to encounter people. There are some remote areas in each state although even those places are seeing more and more people each year.
Stay positive and hunt hard, find the most remote areas in your unit and hunt them, but dont overlook some of the more obivious places

 

[ELKMAN]

The roads are going to be unreal, if the rain continues!

Bring a shovel!

 

[crazyaboutcoues]

Believe me...You can get away from roads and people if you do your homework. 15 is a huge unit, 75% of the hunters hunt in two general areas, 50% road hunt. You have a great tag, one that i've been applying for for the last 5 years with no luck.

Good Luck on your hunt.


www.gilawildernesshunting.com

 

[bowedark]

If you have landowner tag. You'll be hunting on the landowner's land so the roads should not be a problem. Landowner tags just good for that piece of land & not good for the entire unit.

I know there is lot of landowners selling landowner tags and not letting them hunt on their land that's why you see a lot of people getting into trouble. You had best checked with the game & fish & see what the restrictions are with the tag you have.
GOOD LUCK on your hunt.

 

[gadawgs]

The tag is unit-wide so I can hunt the public land as well.

 

[bowedark]

GREAT

 

[canislatrans]

May I suggest that you get some maps of the area and locate some areas the have the most distance from any of the roads. Areas at least a mile from any road is a good start. And I would not bother whith the water holes if the rain does not stop dumping over there. Good luck to you.

 

[maddglasser]

We hunt 15 as well(guide) and we count on everyone to use those roads. I can tell you sometimes there is not enough roads when you packing out a bull. When you go there build a few more! Seriously though look aruond in the Hosre mtn area, A few less roads and some toad bulls!

 

[NMRaptor]

In general, 15 is popular because of the size of bulls it produces. If you're looking for a wilderness type hunt then maybe another unit would be better suited to what you're looking for. You can get landowner tags up in 44/45 or 52 at about a quarter of the price for a 15 tag and probably see more elk.
-Raptor

 

[fatrooster]

GO GATORS!!!!!!!!!! fatrooster.

 

[LL]

I saw your post on MM and I too am headed to unit 15 with a unit wide tag. I was wondering if you might give me a few suggestions on where to look also. I am a seasoned bowhunter with 12 archery bulls under my belt but the 350+ bull has always eluded me. I am getting older and the hills are getting a bit harder to get around but I still have a few good years left. Have you spent time in the unit this year and have seen some areas that you might be willing to share with me? Thanks in advance for any help you may be willing to give.

Lance

 

[gadawgs]

LL I went out there last weekend and saw a lot of elk but nothing to write home about. I wish I could offer some advice but I need to be the one asking not giving seeing how this is my first elk hunt.

Fatrooster I would rather cheer for the Iranian National team than the Gators. I hate the Gators as much as I hate the roads and four-wheelers in unit 15.

 

[fatrooster]

gadawgs, I just couldn't resist the jab, lol. I was raised in Jacksonville, Florida and my Dad came from the Tallahassee area and went to college there making him a Seminole fan. I have many friends who are Bulldog fans and to actually see somebody from Georgia on this website makes me a little homesick. I now live in Elko, Nevada for the last 11 years and went on my first elk hunt last year harvesting a 300 class bull. I can tell you that I had the time of my life and it was a great hunt. I wish I knew a little something about New Mexico and could help you out but I don't. I can tell you a couple of general rules though. Use the crowd to your advantage.They are gonna push the game into the out of the way hidey holes. Look for the nastyest hardest steepest place to hunt and you may find the elk. Also, get into shape! It will pay off for you. I wish you luck even if you are a dawg fan. fatrooster.

 

[rost495]

Can't comment on 15, but have had the same sentiments in another unit in NM. Funny part is the best elk I saw while mule deer hunting 2 years ago was walking parallel to the road about 100 yards off in in a bottom. Not bugling etc... as I'm sure they learn quick, but still about a 330 bull. In fact we were headed out and just pulled off to check a spot out. I wasn't out of the truck 5 minutes glassing a bit.

I also find areas that are a mile or more between roads and have NEVER seen another hunter off the road more than a few hundred yards.

Comments added that I talked to a lot of locals and most ride, and the few that don't say that they usually kill within a mile of the road or less since most others are too lazy to walk 200 yards usually.

Whats funny is we sat and watched a 160 class buck 2 years ago. We were on top of a saddle and you could see and hear vehicles all around us. That buck stayed in scrub, when it calmed down he fed out and around. Unfortunately the next morning was fogged in and before I could find him and elk hunter busted through and (ya know we have to cover miles to find elk a lot of times and I dont' blame him as he didn't know about the buck and me) ran the buck off into a deeper hell hole that I never could find him in the thick stuff.

Point is they are still there, just hunt harder and smarter than the rest(ain't hard to do)

Best of luck!!

Jeff