Unit 27 New Mexico

R

Roughneck

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My wife and I drew mule deer tags first time in this area. I would like to know more about this area. What would be the best option for us. How much BLM land Vrs private? Is the Hurd count pretty good. Just want to ask around anything would be helpful.
 
I had the same tag in 27 year before last. I could only spend 2 days hunting and didnt see a mule deer or cut a track. Plenty of coues deer a couple nice bucks.
 
LAST EDITED ON May-18-16 AT 05:20PM (MST)[p]>Mule deer, why is this area
>a quality unit for mule
>deer? as anyone had lucky
>here.




I believe the only thing that drives S, Q, and HD is the number of non-resident applications to a unit.

I hope I am not giving you bad information, but I believe that is the case.
So just because a unit is Q, doesn't mean it's a great unit.



I hope someone else can speak to this.
 
Quality hunts are determined by the state game commission. High demand hunts are determined to be high demand if 22% of the people that applied for the last two years were nonres.
 
Then this area should. Even a good area for mule deer? Have any of you hunted this unit? I hear the codes deer are up north of unit in the thicker stuff and the mule deer are down south of the unit? What's my better options. Even plan on. Heading up there in September and October. The scout.
 
Have heard of good mule deer in this unit. Never hunted myself. According to New Mexico wildlife it is supposed to be quality but can not confirm from personal experience
 
I hunted muleys there 2 years ago for 3 days. The only ones I saw were on private land the day before season opened while driving in--2 does and a spike. I heard no shots and spoke to no hunter that was successful. I was hunting South of the Geronimo Trial road.

I didn't see any muleys scouting a few weeks prior either.

Beautiful country though. I saw bears, javelina, Gould's turkeys, Mearn's quail and some coues deer.
 
There are nice muleys to be found in this unit, for a NM hunt. My suggestion for this hunt is to find water down low in the flats.
 
My son got one on the youth hunt....I had the archery hunt and was unsuccessful but I did have an opportunity. It's a challenging unit between private land and illegals. I will say, I did NOT encounter illegals but I was prepared for it at all times and saw a mountain of evidence of drops and pickups.

 
Nice buck! Private land?

As to the illegal alien and drug smuggler issue. No doubt it's an issue. I didn't run into any, but I heard plenty of stories from other guys I ran into out there. There's even a sign as you enter the National Forest warning about such things. I slept with a pistol right beside me.
 
Mulies in the open flats and foothills and coues are in the hills for the most part.
Lots of illegals, both human smugglers and drug smugglers. It is getting worse every year. You will most likely see some and be very close to some at some point during your hunt.
 
10/4 nice pic and thank you for the info. Now I am gonna be on my toes. We will be sure to have our pistols on us all the time. So the Flats is where it's at for the mule deer. We are going to head up in September and October to check it out. Is it alll pretty good roads to haul a camper trailer?
 
I've hunted the unit several times. My son had the youth tag this last year. Illegal traffic was down right scare this trip. Ran into drug trafficers on 2 seperate days. The second was literally face to face with pistol in hand. It was a sketchy situation especially with kids. He did shoot his first coues deer and we made some great memories but it is definitely an issue on that unit.
 
Me and my buddies have hunted 25 and 26 a bunch of times. I have run into illegals, but they are super scared of coming anywhere near us. When we saw them they are hightailing it the other way. To be honest you should be a thousand times more scared in Albuquerque City limits than down in the boot heel. Please correct me if I am wrong, but when was the last time a murder made the news down there that was directly the result of a border jumper killing a US citizen? The only one I can remember is a few years ago and it is the only one I remember. Now think of the last time you heard of a murder in ABQ? How many have there been this month? 5, 6, more?

Go enjoy your hunt and don't worry too much about the blood thirsty, illegal aliens looking to slash your throat in the middle of the night. Those guys are looking for cement work, not your life. You are a thousand times more likely to run into trouble at a Wal-Mart in ABQ that out in the desert in southern NM. Wal-Mart is a scary place!!!
 
LAST EDITED ON May-25-16 AT 03:56PM (MST)[p]Never hunted it,but did a lot of property checks down there a few years back.
After the convoy of BP suv's would head to I-10 about an hour before sunset,there would be a convoy of blacked out black suv's doing the same at sunset.
Every time I was there.
Cartel specials. They are spooky.

I was always armed and every on foot person or solo vehicle would avoid me.
The illegals were not a concern to me,but I would run into them on private property often.
It has gotten way worse in the last couple years down there. Below I-10.

I know many ranchers who cannot go about their daily chores solo anymore,let alone the hired help. Every one is armed now.

I personally, would never go south of I-10 anymore,let alone hunt.
Then again I avoid Albacrackie,like a plague.
 
I have ran into issues in these southern units myself. It's nervy leaving your vehicle for hours at a time as you never know what you'll find when you get back or even if your vehicle will be there. And I highly suggest you have pistols at a minimum. I won't hunt them much anymore except day trips for javelina and then ibex hunts. Stay close to civilization when camping. Bad stuff happens after dark. You will see blacked out vehicles, sometimes with Kevlar tires. If you do, avoid...running drugs or people or both. I've seen it in 25 and 26. Oh...and I hate to say this but do not rely on BP for help in these units. They often turn a blind eye to this stuff for reasons I'm sure you can figure out. Had a major major issue three miles from the BP station in 25...with the aerial aircraft up and running and no help to be found. Be aware and do not let your guard down...even if there is a BP presence.

On the lighter side, there are some dandy bucks in this unit. Just have to dodge the private and illicit traffic and you have a chance at a slug.

Good luck. Hope the hunting is good but above be safe and keep your eye out.
 
Again guys thank you for the info. We hope to kill 2 nice bucks. I hope the traffickers do there job and leave is alone we just want to hunt. The both of us are going to have our pistols on us plus rifles. I was talking to game and fish and he was saying there was buck pulled out of there that scored a 218. Can anyoneone back that up?
 
LAST EDITED ON May-28-16 AT 06:01PM (MST)[p]My hunting buddy, rabbidrattlesnake, used to work with the guy that took one of those pics/was on the hunt.
 
I have hunted this area for the last 4 years with my son on his youth hunt. There is plenty of mule deer in this area I don't recommend hunting in Geronimo trail up high in the hills this area is full of coues deer.I never seen a mule deer on my son's hunt up high in the hills at geronimo trail but I recommend hunting in clover dale lots of mule deer. Also the hills past Lordsburg on I-10. Seen lots of mule deer in this area also. My son killed a nice 8 point buck last year. As for illegal immigrants I've never had an encounter with any one out there just a bunch of hunters. I think the ranchers are the ones I would worry about they think they own every blm and public lands out there at least that is my issue when I go hunting to area 27. Good luck!!!
 
Thanks, i have gone on 2 sxoyting trip and had know luck. Set camrea's around stiens peak and mountain nothing. Havent had any luck there so i should try clover dale?
 
We have hunted 27 numerous times. We saw tons of mule deer. We were way back in public land near Rattlesnake Mountain. We had lots of deer coming off the Grey ranch. Hang in there, there are deer there, but you need to get away from the roads. We have seen very little illegal activity. The last thing they want is a confrontation with hunters. They want to be anonymous and disappear. Just keep an eye out and don't do anything stupid.
 
I was wondering where rattlesnake mountain is? We have a hunt over there in November 7. I always gone to clover dale to hunt didn't have much luck in other area in unit 27.
 
My son has a hunt up there in November 7. We been doing a lot of scouting I've seen a lot of mule deer nothing really big but not bad to shoot. I've been scouting steins and I have to say I'm surprised of the deer I've seen in there. There has to be some giants mule deer in this area cuz there is plenty of bucks in this area. I suggest stay up high and glass to the lower hills and flats and you will be surprised. Do you know where stagecoach road is if not you could find it on your onX maps get up high in between stage coach and glass. We usually go to cloverdale but I'm going to take my chances in steins this year. If you have any question I'll be glad to help!
 
I have also scouted steins area as well. Havnt seen much bucks. It was hot when i was up there. I would love to get in touch and to talk you.
 
This unit is a very difficult hunt. To much private land, but if you hunt your ass off you can get it done. My wife and I filled both our tags with a 10 piont and a 8 piont. They are by no means the biggest bucks, but well worth the miles of hiking and glassing from sun up and sun down.. If you ever hunt this unit do your home work. I want to thank a new friend of mine who came to hunt with me Magnum 44 thanks again glad to make a friend and memories. This is why we hunt thanks and good luck to all..
 
Hell ya rough neck that's what hunting is all about my friend. Making good memories looking forward to hunt with you and Aubrey again. It was a pleasure to serve you guys as much as I could. Great shooting Rough Neck and Aubrey. Your cool as hell bro! Stay up big dawg.
 

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