16D Bears

shedneck · Apr 26, 2017

Anyone care to share their experience with or bear hunting in 16D. I will be hunting elk there this fall and I will have a bear tag in my pocket just in case.

leftturnabq · Apr 26, 2017

Haven't come across very many bears where we hunt in D, but you never know.

shedneck · Apr 26, 2017

I think even the possibility of seeing one is worth the relatively cheap price of a non-resident tag. Thanks for the reply.

Ltsheets · Apr 26, 2017

I have hunted it the last 2 seasons. I never saw a bear while hunting but had pics of probably 8 or so different bears on trailcams. I would def have a tag with you when you hunt. One bear was a GIANT.

shedneck · Apr 26, 2017

Thank you for the reply. I imagine that with my elk season dates that we will be doing a lot of glassing where the terrain allows, so turning up a bear in the glass isn't out of the question, huh?

leftturnabq · Apr 26, 2017

Definitely not out of the question, but for me, in that unit, my focus would be 100% on the elk hunt.

shedneck · Apr 26, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Apr-26-17 AT 11:36AM (MST)[p]100% agree. I may never get to hunt 16D again in my life, so my focus will be entirely on the elk, but for $260 I will not be without a bear tag. I'm guessing a bear isn't as rare to a New Mexico resident as it is to a guy like me in Eastern Nevada where we do not see bears. A big bear on my New Mexico hunt will get some attention.

leftturnabq · Apr 26, 2017

Fair enough.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how your hunt goes.

DoeNob · Apr 26, 2017

I shot my first bull with a bear in lap in 16D. Everything has to water.

shedneck · Apr 26, 2017

That is one of the greatest hunting photos. Thanks again for sharing.

mozey · Apr 26, 2017

Before you buy the bear tag, first check the NMDGF bear harvest report (http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/hunting/harvest-reporting-information/) to make certain the zone is still open--some years they hit their harvest limits much quicker than other years. If the zone is not closed, then make sure you have a bear tag. If you have a few days left to hunt after you get your bull, and the zone is still not closed and you haven't otherwise seen a bear, you might head over to 16e...

shedneck · Apr 26, 2017

Thank you for the reply. That's great advice. Are there more bears in 16e than 16d?

mozey · Apr 26, 2017

I can't speak to 16d because I've never hunted it, but I have seen some real bruisers in 16e that weren't too far from the 16d border.

mozey · Apr 26, 2017

If and when that happens, send me a PM at that time and I'll send you some coordinates.

hunting1 · Apr 27, 2017

>That is one of the greatest
>hunting photos. Thanks again for
>sharing.

X2! That is awesome!

DoeNob · Apr 27, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Apr-27-17 AT 08:46AM (MST)[p]>I can't speak to 16d because
>I've never hunted it, but
>I have seen some real
>bruisers in 16e that weren't
>too far from the 16d
>border.

I'd imagine in the Pelona's for sure, but are they in the Lueras also? I hunted E in 2012 and we didnt' see any bear sign in the middle and east of the unit, never got to the west side.