New Mexico Archery Elk Unit ??

huntntrail · Dec 12, 2006

Hi I'm new, I've been a lurker for a couple years now though, highly enjoyable, anyway in need of some advice. Wanting to put in for a New Mexico archery elk tag. I'm a non-res.wanting a decent chance of drawing and a chance to kill a good bull. Willing to backpack in for several days...not afraid to work my arse off. Suggestions on units and dates would be highly appreciated..thanx

lchcguide · Dec 12, 2006

Welcome,

If you are looking for a good chance at a nice bull I would look at 16B. Odds are pretty decent, and the area has great potential for big bulls. My bro-in-law killed a 340 bull two years ago at the same water hole his friend killed a 350 bull the day before. 16B is a wilderness hunt so this would be a hunt that you must work for. We only pack in about 6 miles and we have never seen another hunter. The only people we have seen is the game and fish department.

GilaJeff · Dec 12, 2006

I agree witht the 16B recommendation. I have hunted there before. The unit is not all wilderness, but the biggest portion of it is. The unit is highly variable habitat-wise. You can hunt the pinon-juniper zone, all the way up to mixed confier. Some areas get hunted very heavily by outfitters and do-it-yourselfers. Other areas hold elk who have rarely seen humans. Also, there are several areas where you might be wasting you time hunting. You have any time to scout? If you get drawn, send me an email and I can help further.

huntntrail · Dec 12, 2006

Thanx alot for the info, I think I will put in for 16B. I do have some time to scout and if drawn I'll be making some backpacking trips over the summer. Every bit of infomation is highly appreciated...So I'll wait and see and hopefully be in contact. Just another quick question....in lookin through the NM hunting regulations I've noticed that 16B Sept 11-18th is an S hunt rather than a Q or HD hunt...any reason why? I can see it's a couple days shorter, and the later one, the rut is probably stronger...but is there another reason? Which hunt date wise would ya'll recommend?

NMHUNTNUTT1 · Dec 13, 2006

I killed my first elk with a bow in 16B , hunted this unit, second archery hunt four years in a row.All though I never killed a big bull there , a couple guys from our camp did , but it is a great unit. We would base camp at Meown Firebase and pack into and hunt up in Diamond. I agree with an above post , theres elk there that just do not see people , its a true wilderness hunt. Meown Firebase is easily an hour and a half from the nearest gas station , so you won't have to deal with road hunters around that area either.But if you do decide and get lucky enough to pluck this tag , you better scout. I've talked to many a bowhunter thta cussed the unit ...

lchcguide · Dec 13, 2006

WE hunt the Diamond Creek Area. To be more specific and helpful I would say to give South Mesa a try. We scouted this summer and saw lots of sign. It was a rough early hunt this year because there was water in every canyon. We saw lots of elk just no action within bow range.

huntntrail · Dec 13, 2006

Have you guys mostly hunted water holes in the past? Any opportunity to get up somewhere to glass and spot and stalk?

ixsolracxi · Dec 13, 2006

LAST EDITED ON Dec-13-06 AT 07:10PM (MST)[p]>Thanx alot for the info, I
>think I will put in
>for 16B. Just another quick
>question....in lookin through the NM
>hunting regulations I've noticed that
>16B Sept 11-18th is an
>S hunt rather than a
>Q or HD hunt...any reason
>why?

I believe the reason the 16B (and the other 16s) Sept 11-18th hunt is listed as S is because g&f just split that unit into 3 seasons versus the usual two seasons, Sept 1-15 and Sept 16-24, and they have no info to go on to give it the Q or Q/HD status, that will most likely change next year...good luck on your draw

solrac