Caldera!

MtnMatt · Apr 18, 2019

I managed to draw a nonresident, non-guided rifle tag. Heading down for several scouting trips over the summer and already ordered aerial photo/topo map. Any advice on the Valle Caldera would be greatly appreciated!

roadrunner · Apr 18, 2019

Get in shape if you aren't already.

MtnMatt · Apr 18, 2019

Ready to go tomorrow if the season was open!

Bowdeadly · Apr 18, 2019

Bring some friends to use as pack horses. Only 1 road in there and you cannot drive off it. Good luck it should be good.

nmwapiti · Apr 18, 2019

Bring your mtn bike with a trailer. It will be your best friend!

cosmic_cowboy · Apr 18, 2019

We call it "Jurassic Park for Elk" It will stay great for a few more years then it will be just a normal unit 6 hunt. Another blunder by NMGF.
Jack

DayMan · Apr 18, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Apr-18-19 AT 09:20PM (MST)[p]Jack,

What is going on with the Caldera that will make it like the rest of 6? I thought things were good there, but I haven't been up there in quite a while.

DayMan

ixsolracxi · Apr 18, 2019

my daughter drew a cow tag last year, all we saw was a really nice 7x7 she could have taken at less than 150 yards and 12 other 6x6 bulls...not even mentioning the dinky bulls, never saw a cow...you're in for a good hunt, if we drew that tag I know exactly where I would be

RioHuntNutt · Apr 19, 2019

Its an amazing place to be .I was fortunate to be on it this past October for the muzzle loader hunt and words cannot put into a reality what a magical place it is. I'm not sure what cosmic cowboy means by the G&F will mess it up but I have hunted 6A,6C & now 6B..You can say the 6s' are by far my favorite deer and elk units but I also live fairly close by so I've learned the country.
For me that hunt is one for the books, bulls were literally screaming non stop....We got to the spot were we parked @4:30AM and bulls were screaming crazy, not 30 seconds would go by without bulls challenging each other , IT WAS AMAZING!!! We bumped numerous elk on the way in, maybe 50 maybe 250 who knows as it was dark but we could hear them clear, cow calling ,bugling, trotting thru wet grass , the clack of antlers, I heard elk noises Ive never heard before ,its the very best nature/national geographic video you could ever imagine times 10!!!
By the time it was light enough to see the bulls were in a stupid frenzy , some chasing each other some locked up , some staying clear of the fighters.I lost count of all the mature bulls we came across, but by the time our bull was down(10:10AM) we had passed 7 mature 6x6 bulls.We never ran into other hunters tho we did hear a couple shots across the othere mtns close by....Saw some mule deer , a big ol bear it was truly a hunt of a lifetime....
Congrats .....have an amazing time

GoBigorGohome · Apr 19, 2019

Get ready to walk or bike. It's a good unit. You?ll have a blast with that tag.

cosmic_cowboy · Apr 19, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Apr-19-19 AT 06:25PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Apr-19-19 AT 05:51?PM (MST)

My point is I liked the rules on VC the way they were. Instead of keeping it limited or OIL they now have 265 Elk tags for a very small area. With all tags being ES or Antler less. How long before it takes its toll ? I give it a few years then it won't be SPECIAL anymore. Sad.... The Baca was a special place. For an example VV has 215 tags and more than twice as big as VC. VV has 95 Bull tags and 120 cow tags.... Simple arithmetic. Also food for thought... Because the VC is a National Preserve now it will be the first Wolf release site in the North, will take a few year BUT the wolf huggers are already planing it.Then its over.
Jack

nmwapiti · Apr 19, 2019

The caldera is just shy of 89,000 acres.
The valle is just over 100,000 acres so it's only slightly bigger. Plus the Valle is surrounded by private where hundreds of landowner tags are issued every year. The Caldera is surrounded by National Forest. There is no shortage of elk and no tag over issue in my opinion. Have a great hunt, the Caldera is an amazing place and will continue to be so!

roadrunner · Apr 19, 2019

Well, the wolf lovers are in for a big surprise. The locals around the VC ain't the same breed of cat as they are down near the Gila...

Hunted the VC in 2014, the last year it was a lottery before being incorporated into the public draw. Hunted VV in 2017 and tagged along with others in 2013. These two units are by far the best hunting experience you'll ever have.

cosmic_cowboy · Apr 20, 2019

>the Caldera is an amazing place and will continue to be so!

I hope you are correct nmwapiti... Time will tell.

Jack

Husky13 · May 5, 2023

My wife drew a HP cowtag this year. Looking for a good starting point to her her her first ELk, any info helps.

roadrunner · May 5, 2023

What's "HP"?

Gator · May 5, 2023

might be Handicap person

NMPaul · May 5, 2023

Great hunt. I kinda like the earlier hunts a little better than rifle. I think ML may be best hunt in NM. They very well could be still fired up, but, if it snows or gets cold early could shut them down. Happened to me one year. We have had some amazing hunts there. Mountain bike is super handy if weather permits.