new mexico draw unit 17?

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What do you guys think of the 2nd archery hunt in this unit? lots of elk? good bulls? any info would be great!!! thanks.
Brian
 
Not a large population. Trophy bulls. If they are not vocal, it can be hard to hunt. Not much areas to glass.
 
Not so worried about the odds... I dont want to drive to NM and just shoot any bull when I do that every year here in Idaho. If I dont draw, it really wont bother me. But if I do draw, I am coming down there to hunt for bigger bulls. Would like to talk with people that have actually hunted the unit or know it really well!! Would like a contact so if i do draw, I can get a little help. If you have hunted this unit,, what did you see, how big, stuff like that. Thanks again for any info. Brian
 
As an unguided non resident you had a 3% chance to draw the second archery hunt in New Mexico's unit 17.
Unguided non resident muzzy in 17 had 5% draw odds.
I think that you are puttin the cart in front of the horse a little there bud....
HH
 
True,, but the 1st NR was 11.4%. and like I said,, if I dont draw,I dont care. and I didnt ask about a muzzy hunt bud.
 
Also,,, What do you mean putting the cart in front of the horse????? Im just asking for some info on a unit??? Isnt that what this web site is for???
 
Ya, But i didnt ask about the muzzy hunt. If you dont have any info for me bud just dont say anything.
 
I would feel a little silly asking for specific details and asking for someone to spend their valuable time pouring out their hard won info for my benefit whn your odds of drawing that tag are so dismal.

Sorry you got so offended....
HH
 
I dont feel silly at all!!! Just asking for some help on applying in a unit where i have a great chance of shooting a good bull. Ive gotten a lot of help on here so I really dont know where you are coming from??? If you think its a good unit that produces good bulls,,thats all I need to to know. If you have never hunted there or dont know,, just dont respond.
 
Tough crowd... and a unit with tough terrain. Not a great unit for numbers but there are big bulls and they tend to bugle and rut hard later in that region than earlier. Every unit in the region has monsters in it though they are tough to find and far far away from four wheeler country. You could do better in terms of quantity of elk in the other adjacent units as well as opportunity on mature bulls, but there are a couple of nice bulls taken out of 17 every year. A lot of rugged terrain that I would scout before spending the time hunting as the public land elk can and will move a lot in these units (as in miles over night or during the day) depending on rainfall, feed, pressure etc. If you get a half mile off the road in NM you will be away from the majority of secret spots and hunters...
 
Sorry I came off as an ahole last night.
Really didn't mean to.
I'd love that tag myself, I've put in three years running.
Garth pushes it as a top pick and it has long been known as a top unit.
Just damn tough to draw.
I suppose LO tags are very expensive.
Good Luck
HH
 
No worries HH. Water under the bridge!! Hope you draw a good tag this year.
Thanks for the info nmelktrout!
Brian
 
I know a guy who got to hunt it. He did see a 330 class bull after a long, hard hunt, but said there was never a shooting chance on anything remotly mature. He thinks it is tougher to hunt and find bulls than 15, 16D or 16A. He personally recommended the other units over it to me due to more big bulls and better rut activities with fairly similar draw odds. He has had the opportunity to hunt a lot in those units and has helped kill a few biggins in the other mentioned units. It seems pretty hard to get a tag and I know if I do get one I want the best chance I can get at a good bull, so I go 16D, 15 and the first 16A hunt. Just my input though, not trying to sway anyone.
 
Thanks ClarkW!! I leaning towards those units myself. What do you guys think of unit 23?
Brian
 
Where do you live in Calf? I lived in Mt Shasta for a few years. Loved it up there! Have a friend in Woodland where we might go pig hunting this year.
Brian
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-10-08 AT 09:00PM (MST)[p]If you just want to go hunting in N.M. then get a 23 tag. 17 IS THE BEST TROPHY UNIT out there. To say 15, 16A or 16D does not have the potential is a complete lie!. ALL OF THE GILA AND CIBOLLA units have 400+ potential- even as good or better than AZ or UT. 13 is also an awesome unit, but before hunting hunting any of them, be prepared to do mucho homework and then you may find elk! They are very hard to hunt. To say the rut hits late, is a misstatement, the rut is wide spread because of the low numbers in both of the Cibolla units, but when right, you WILL find monster bulls. We applied 6 hunters last year for archery and 6 drew! I think the odds, whoever writes them, are a little misstated. BE PREPARED TO WORK BEYOND BELEIFE!
Travis
www.southwesthuntingadventures.com
 
Thanks Travis. I'm so stranger to hunting hard!! I hunt alot in the salmon river breaks of Idaho. VERY HARD hunting!! Sounds like you dont think much of unit 23?
Brian
 
Second archery hunt in the North Gila region we still had mature bulls running and watering with each other. They were talking a bit and starting to shove each other around but didn't seem to get fired up on us until later...was a tough early archery season for us due to heat and lots of available water from earlier rains. Granted a few bulls were with cows early on but there were also a few still coming hard to calls in early October. Geographically, this is a huge region where bulls in one unit may be tearing it up while the next unit can be silent. Late September is typically when we see the most activity although if you can pinpoint water that is being hit regularly you will find plenty of elk regardless of rut activity. The fish and game officer in Magdalena had only checked 3 bulls killed that scored over 330" as of October 20 from the North Gila region (including 17). There were a couple of monsters taken out of the 16s this year but most of the public land unguided bulls I saw were 280 to 320 class. I too am convinced that there are monsters in every one of these units but you really have to work to find them and stay on them. There are some brutes killed in 17 every year but private land seems to be a big contributing factor. I thought unit 9 in Arizona was the best big bull unit out there...
 
i have hunted in 16B twice, 16A once and 13 many times. I have killed 2 bulls in the 320-340 range and a few smaller bulls. the 16 units are way easier to hunt without prior experience than 13, and 17 is probably somewhere in between. it took 3 years of hunting 13 before i found pockets of country that held a few good bulls. there are giants in all these units. i have seen 370"+ bulls virtually every year have hunted in those units, but never released an arrow at one. avoid 13 unless you have mega time to scout or know someone who can do it for you.... i think the density in 17 is better and from what i hear herds are on the increase there. 15"s and 16's are probably a better choice if you don't have alot of time to commit. private land major issue in 13 and to some extent in 17.
 
I would stay away from 23 unless your looking to just hunt Elk. Unit 17 has great glassing opportunities as well as high country pines. I would also recommend 16E and 16C as sleeper units for 350" class bulls, especially if your willing to cover country on foot or horseback.


www.gilawildernesshunting.com
 

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