I put in for my NM elk tag today. I put in for the archery hunt in unit 53 and 1 in 55 and a muzzle loader hunt in 55 as well. What can I expect out of the units? This will be my first time elk hunting. I am hoping to have a guy from work go with me as he put in for the same units as well. Any advice, tips, stories, etc. will help out. Thanks
NM Unit 53
- Thread starter vthokee
- Start date
primeroarcher
Member
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- 39
Steep country for sure as stated above. Lived in 53 my whole life and like to think if u could hunt here u could hunt anywhere. Lots of road hunters ....just the way I like it. I have had good luck and worked my tail off to get chances @ bulls but it don't always pan out.Good luck. Hope you draw. What part of 55 if you don't mind me asking?
I am fine with having to work a little bit to get to the elk. I am not to concerned with trying to kill a record book bull this year. This will be my first year elk hunting so anything I learn will be considered a success. I hope to get 53, I put in for it because of the draw odds from last year. Looks like I should get it. If not I put in for a hunt in 55 as well. They dont allot a bunch of tags but the pecentage is in my favor vs other units. What is the weather like in 53 during the archery hunt?
T
TreeEM
Guest
I have always killed in 53. Gotta know where to go but most important gotta adapt to things. There are alot of areas that people recommend that a ton of people go to. You can find good bulls in 53 but dont expect monsters. I love hunting that unit.
RabidRattleSnake1
Active Member
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- 644
Hunted 53 about 10 years ago for bighorn sheep and about 8 years ago for deer. We saw lots of elk, but nothing big. Didn't see anything over 275" for that matter and we were packed way in there. We didn't see another person the entire time we were there so I know we were by ourselves. IMO it is not a place to hunt elk. Deer on the other hand..............
cosmic_cowboy
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 1,010
I live in 53 and have been hunting it for 42 years.
Very steep and challenging unit but we do have a fair amount of elk.
Weather for the bow hunt is usually hot and dry but you never know
could be raining.... PM me if you want some more Info.
Don't know what you put in for in 55 ? Its all private except VV and WMAs
CC
Very steep and challenging unit but we do have a fair amount of elk.
Weather for the bow hunt is usually hot and dry but you never know
could be raining.... PM me if you want some more Info.
Don't know what you put in for in 55 ? Its all private except VV and WMAs
CC
H
highcountryhero
Guest
I hunted there last year. It depends on what altitude your at but it was spitting snow every night on the first week. Windy and nasty where we glassed from, I would be prepared for anything. Also wouldnt kill a bull in that country unless its over 400. That country is nasty and steep and theres a reason theres Bighorn running around. We saw some small bulls in the thickest places. Its definitely not an elk unit or a unit for anything if your not in peak shape. GET A PACKER IF YOU DRAW, OR A HELICOPTER.
Iowan
Active Member
- Messages
- 541
We hunted the unit two years ago and while hiking through some scattered developments (earth homes and yurts - sp?) we came across two dudes in a hammock. That will just about ruin your hunt. There is a lot of developement scattered around the lower elevations and it snowed so bad we could not be packed in. The hunt sucked, I would rather rabbitt hunt than elk hunt where there is development. It is the only unit I have ever hunted that I would not even consider going back to - not because of the hunting but because of all the sprawl and developemtn aroudn the mountains - just not my kind of elk. We did get a chacne to hike in to scout before the snow hit and it is the roughest terrain I have ever been in and I am not sure we were in the worst of it. If you think you are bad ass enough to hunt that unit the way it needs to be hunted you are most likely wrong.
cosmic_cowboy
Very Active Member
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- 1,010
As you can see from above posts 53 is not for everyone....
Vthokee returned your PM
CC
Vthokee returned your PM
CC
I have hiked a bunch of the wilderness areas where people don't want to go. Or just don't have the gas in there legs. I'm not getting to hunt 53 this year for the first time in a while. PM me and I will be happy to share some good info. If your willing to put in a little (ha, a sh** load) of effort.
J
Jagdman
Guest
New to the board.Found this post and would tell you all that I have hunted there many times. Family member shot a 380 bull up at Bobcat pass last year with a muzzle loader. Basically the south side of midnight in the crossover sadle. I had to hunt cow elk in the same place during late cow, it was miseable cold and wet, but we saw a very large herd with some very large bulls. Tried for bull this year but had to settle with another cow. But it's OK, fills the freezer and will have my 16 year old grand daughter with me on her first big game hunt
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