solid archery unit in new mexico?

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What unit do you guys think is a good solid unit to archery hunt? looking for a good chance to draw but at same time want to have a chance at good bulls. Good bulls being in the 330 range. Just looking for your thoughts!! Thanks.
 
We hunted 16a we seen some that were nice bulls but couldnt seem to get close enough with a bow.
 
it was 2006 and we hunted the first hunt from the 1st to the 15th. But I would put in for the 3rd if I was to do the unit again.
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-01-08 AT 04:51AM (MST)[p]15 and 16d is the best archery unit for big bulls......16a is over rated.
 
There are plenty of good units in New Mexico. yeah, 15 and the 16s get all the press, but they're far from the only good units. Chances are very good that, even if you draw a unit 15 or 16 tag, you're not going to get a bull over 320. They're there, but getting them is another story. Here are some other units with very good elk hunting. 34,9,6 and many of the units in the northern part of state have big elk numbers.
 
Thanks Caelknuts. You're right!! they are hard to get! Just want to be in an area where i have a chance at one,,, or two. But as you know,, you have to be in a good unit to kill a big bull. I'll look into those unit! thanks for the info.
Brian
 
You will not have a good chance to draw any of the Gila units, or other trophy areas, for that matter.
 
And Warren is right. You won't have a good chance of drawing any elk tag in a premium unit. The odds suck, like single digit in most of them as non-guided. In fact some, like unit 15, are low single digit odds.

There is a lot of good elk hunting in New Mexico that doesn't take place on the Gila units or the other handfull of units known for producing big bulls.
 
I guess I will just have to take my chances with a harder draw unit. Dont want to drive to NM and just hunt average bulls. Thanks for the info guys!!
Brian
 
Warren
Just curious is you have hunted there before? Im not looking for a top trophy unit unit. There has to be units in NM that have good bulls and good draw odds. Which ones have you hunted and how did it go?
 
9 is a fun hunt but you are not going to find 330 bulls if your lucky you might find one but doubt it 9 is more of a dink unit. 13 is a tough archery hunt hell it is just a tough hunt muzz or bow. Not alot elk you can hunt this unit for a week and not see an elk but if you do find one they are huge.
 
I wish I had that kinda money to hunt Mexico!

Timberline
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"Live for somethin' or die for nothin'"
 
Years ago 52 was a popular choice. I don't hear much about it any more. Is it still a solid unit? I was looking for a muzzleloader hunt that starts on the 4th of Oct. I am also looking at 44/45. What is your opinion between these units?
 
I think Donv hunts there a lot. From what I know the unit has great#! We were going to put in for that unit last year but changed our minds. didnt sound like it had many big bulls.
brian
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-10-08 AT 10:46AM (MST)[p]52 has a ton of elk but they are not big. But it is a fun unit.
dd- Hate to say it but if there is even a remote chance of a unit holding some nice bulls the odds are going to stink.
 
I agree 100% nmelk13. Thats why we didnt put in for unit 52. With the number of elk in 52,, that would be a super fun hunt. Im just looking for bugger stuff.
Brian
 
We hunter 13 1st muzzleloader about 8 years ago. Unless things have changed a lot I wouldn't consider it a premium hunt. We saw a few bulls before the hunt. Killed two 300 class bulls the first day. We had five more guys hunt the remender of the hunt without seeing a bull.
 
I think the draw odds are a bit better in 16E and there are many bulls in the 300-320" range and some up to 340" that I have seen. I think the trick there is getting around the private land. A couple years ago you could access public land via the private ranches and we had a lot of bulls to ourselves in the first archery season. Some were moving from private to public daily and you had to wait them out. Give G&F a call and find out if the ranches in that unit are still allowing access. If so, that is a good choice to try. Not sure if access is still allowed though, heard the ranch owners complaining because of the pressure added to their paying clients. We saw many bulls of this caliber.
 
12 & 13 can be very tough, but they have some super bulls. There is a lot of private that takes up much of the good elk country. As was said previously, you can hunt for days and not see a bull. We hunted there in 2002, the bad drought year, and my partner never saw a bull that was bigger than a 5 pt. I was fortunate in that I killed a 386 bull on the 2nd day, which was one of 4 different 6 pt bulls I saw. I think his experience was more in line with what you can expect than my experience.
 
52 does have good elk numbers, but like others said big bulls are few and far between. I see 1-2 bulls, 300ish per wekk of hard hunting. I also talk with guys who hunt other units that are supposed to have lower elk densities and they see quite a few more elk, so I wonder about there stats. Many guys I know who have hunted elk a lot more places then I have were not impressed with the elk numbers in 52, they liked the hunt but were not impressed. Lots of medium 5x5's in 52.
 
Any northern New Mexico unit has good bulls. There are big bulls in all the units, just not like down in the Gila! You will find 330 Class Bulls in the Northern Units you just have to hunt a little harder. Unit 6c is a good unit you have to hunt fence lines that border the Valle Caldera but don't dare cross those fences! The Proc. says there is low elk #'s in this unit, but that ain't true! for this reason you have a good chance at drawing a tag! It's just such a big unit you have to learn where there at. A problem that archers have in most northern units is there are guys that like to use there Bow Magnums!!! units that are good to hunt is 51, 52, 6a, 6c, 44/45. I know these Units very well and you can kill a good Calibur Bull you have to put in your time. Of course your Unit 16's and 15, 13, 34, 12, 17, 13 are Awesome units, But good luck drawing one!!!
 

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