New Mexico Unit 51 Archery?
- Thread starter muzzy125
- Start date
Wailing4Wapiti
Active Member
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- 148
LAST EDITED ON Jul-18-13 AT 02:47PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jul-18-13 AT 02:26?PM (MST)
Jeff,
51 is a fun hunt. Trophy quality is typical for Northern NM or Southern CO. (Mostly skinny horned 5 X 5s) One good part about the hunt is there are elk pretty much across the entire unit and they are pretty responsive to calls, especially during the second hunt. However, they are also very aversive to roads. Unfortunately, poaching is such a year round issue in that neck of the woods that the elk (and other game animals) have learned to stay out of sight of the roads for the most part. I've hunted the unit probably 10 times with archery tags over the past 20 years and I think I could count the number of elk I have seen from my vehicle on one hand (Not including some we have glassed a mile away on an opposite ridge). In all the night driving we have done, both driving back to camp during season and spring & summer scouting when I used to live in NM, I have only seen one set of eyes in my headlights.
So the real key to hunting 51 is twofold: Avoid the high traffic areas (I.e. Road to Trout Lakes and fingers off of it, Around Canjilon Lakes & around Hopewell lake) and get off the road. Most places I've hunted in 51, once I got 3/4 mile away from any road, I started finding fresh sign and usually elk.
Good luck.
Jeff,
51 is a fun hunt. Trophy quality is typical for Northern NM or Southern CO. (Mostly skinny horned 5 X 5s) One good part about the hunt is there are elk pretty much across the entire unit and they are pretty responsive to calls, especially during the second hunt. However, they are also very aversive to roads. Unfortunately, poaching is such a year round issue in that neck of the woods that the elk (and other game animals) have learned to stay out of sight of the roads for the most part. I've hunted the unit probably 10 times with archery tags over the past 20 years and I think I could count the number of elk I have seen from my vehicle on one hand (Not including some we have glassed a mile away on an opposite ridge). In all the night driving we have done, both driving back to camp during season and spring & summer scouting when I used to live in NM, I have only seen one set of eyes in my headlights.
So the real key to hunting 51 is twofold: Avoid the high traffic areas (I.e. Road to Trout Lakes and fingers off of it, Around Canjilon Lakes & around Hopewell lake) and get off the road. Most places I've hunted in 51, once I got 3/4 mile away from any road, I started finding fresh sign and usually elk.
Good luck.
Gator
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 18,142
Scout the tanks and the ones with the most tracks around is the ones I would hunt, sit water morning and evening, the rest of the day hunt the thick stuff. The last week of the season is usually the best for them to start bugling more.
"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]
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