Drew deer tag first try

madtinker

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I haven't hunted since I lived in Idaho back in 2002. We moved to New Mexico at the start of the pandemic and I put in for deer and elk. Found out this week I drew both tags! I am not out to get a big deer or elk. For me to continue hunting in future years I need to bring home tasty meat that my wife will agree to eat year after year.

My deer is for Unit 38. My oldest is only 7 but we are excited to get out scouting in the next few weeks.

I am not here to ask "where do I go?" - I can read a map and do my research on water and habitat, etc. What I'd really like to know is where to avoid. 38 is a big unit and they gave out 125 tags, but there is only one large chunk of National Forest - The Cibola. I am guessing that no matter how nice it looks prior to season start, it is going to be mobbed with hunters on opening day. Of course if I am wrong, it would be nice to be hunting a larger area.

Having never hunted in NM, there's a few things I don't know. How many 'hunters' out there just drive the roads? How far from the road do I need to get to be alone? I will be looking at isolated pockets of BLM and State Trust land that have water, food, and cover, but are hopefully small enough other folks won't bother with them.

Any other advice would be welcome. Thanks!
 
Congratulations! I’m hunting 37. I had a job once that took me all over that country you’re about to hunt. You’re going to find road hunters all over NM, it’s easier to carry beer when you’re in a pickup and not walking.

In my experience many who do venture out on foot do not go far, especially after that first day. Only serious hunters are out in the field on day 3, 4 and 5 if they haven’t tagged out. Get out early on that first day and go two, three miles off the road. I go until I find something to shoot. Last year I seen some really nice bucks when I was driving through at night between Willard and Mountainair. I don’t know if this helps, have fun and good luck.
 
You have to bring home meat you so you can get permission to keep hunting? That's sounds terrible. Hope you get one!
Terrible if she's just nagging, but maybe they are one of those rare couples who can negotiate and will still like each other and be married next year.
 
You have to bring home meat you so you can get permission to keep hunting? That's sounds terrible. Hope you get one!
Nah, what I mean is if I bring home something tough and gamey that my wife won't eat I likely won't hunt again. Coming home empty handed would be fine, but I'd rather get a little fork bambi that even my wife will like the taste of. As I get the family more used to eating wild game I won't have to worry so much about taking small bucks.
 
Nah, what I mean is if I bring home something tough and gamey that my wife won't eat I likely won't hunt again. Coming home empty handed would be fine, but I'd rather get a little fork bambi that even my wife will like the taste of. As I get the family more used to eating wild game I won't have to worry so much about taking small bucks.
Don’t pay these guys any attention, they’re just busting your balls. Go have fun.
 
Nah, what I mean is if I bring home something tough and gamey that my wife won't eat I likely won't hunt again. Coming home empty handed would be fine, but I'd rather get a little fork bambi that even my wife will like the taste of. As I get the family more used to eating wild game I won't have to worry so much about taking small bucks.
Don't worry buddy I haven't had one make it through 3 seasons yet
 
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Nah, what I mean is if I bring home something tough and gamey that my wife won't eat I likely won't hunt again. Coming home empty handed would be fine, but I'd rather get a little fork bambi that even my wife will like the taste of. As I get the family more used to eating wild game I won't have to worry so much about taking small bucks.
If the meat you're eating is tough and gamey then you're not taking care of it properly. An 8yr old buck is as tender and flavorful as a yearling.
 
No I just don't put up with much bullshit. Most guys will compromise their hunting to keep em happy I won't. Never will. There's plenty of women out there, you only get so many hunting seasons
I tend to agree, I hunt and fish as much as I can but i reciprocate as well. Fished in Alaska, cost me a three week family vacation there. Hunted in Arkansas, cost me a week vacation in Branson, Missouri, same goes for Arizona, Disneyland, Disney World, Texas and Sea World, Australia, New Zealand Puerto Rico and on and on. Great family time, memories and stories and I don’t feel so guilty about spending the time and money away from the family when I hunt and fish.
 
If

If the meat you're eating is tough and gamey then you're not taking care of it properly. An 8yr old buck is as tender and flavorful as a yearling.
I've read a lot of different opinions about caring for game, and its obviously important. The things everyone agrees on: keep it clean and get it cool. Beyond that everyone seems to have different ideas about hanging/aging/trimming. What do you find works best?
 
Hit or miss, depends where you shot it, how far it ran with all that adrenaline pumping through it before it dropped. What it’s been eating and drinking to survive, how hot it is, when did you get the hide off, how much hair and body fluids got on that meat, lots of factors involved I believe. You’re on the right track though.
 
No I just don't put up with much bullshit. Most guys will compromise their hunting to keep em happy I won't. Never will. There's plenty of women out there, you only get so many hunting seasons

Agreed. This is why have been divorced for 10 years and will never marry again.
 
I've read a lot of different opinions about caring for game, and its obviously important. The things everyone agrees on: keep it clean and get it cool. Beyond that everyone seems to have different ideas about hanging/aging/trimming. What do you find works best?
You are on the right track, Cool and Clean. 1,000 ways to skin a cat. Aging for up to 7 days is great, when in a meat cooler. As long as the meat stays under 40 degrees and out of direct sunlight, it's great to hang for a few days. Hang quarters or deboned meat in game bags under the shade. For whitetails I prefer hanging the full deer for at least a couple days. Some prefer to hang with hide on, but I'm not a fan.
 
As a suggestion, the first time you decide to cook your elk/deer for her, go to the supermarket and buy the toughest cut of steak they have. Cook them for dinner together and have her do a comparison. That back strap will never taste better.
 
I dry age all my wild game 6-8 days at an ideal temperature of 40 degrees. If weather is good i will do it garage or shed. If too hot I use a cooler with frozen 2 liter bottles I swap out every 12 hours. Keep the meat dry. If you have to clean dirt off it dry it off asap. A week of that the tissues start to break down, and a black layer forms on the outside of the meat. Trim it and any fat off them cut it up. My wife and kids love antelope, deer, and elk I prepare this way. Grind my own burger, steaks, back straps on smoker are too die for. If you want recipes let me know.
 
Nah, what I mean is if I bring home something tough and gamey that my wife won't eat I likely won't hunt again. Coming home empty handed would be fine, but I'd rather get a little fork bambi that even my wife will like the taste of. As I get the family more used to eating wild game I won't have to worry so much about taking small bucks.
If you kill a deer, have it processed....BUT go to the store and buy some fillet mignon and ask the butcher to package THAT up the same as he does your deer. Cook the fillet for your wife. She'll love it AND you'll get to hunt year after year because she will love the meat. You're welcome.....

My wife does not care for game meat. I don't hunt for her. I hunt for myself. I feel your predicament with the small kids. I was there too and usually, I only went on 1 out of state hunt a year. My youngest is 21 now and I am only 50 so I go on whatever hunts I want from here on out. If she doesn't like it, she knows what car she can take to leave. LOL. We only have one life...hunt when you want if it is something you enjoy.
 
Bull elk tag? Which unit/dates?

Good meat is your goal so even if it's a cow tag, I would probably just use that deer tag to start a fire at your elk hunt or scouting trip.

Hunt the deer tag only if there really is no other way you could have dedicated more time to the elk meat project.
 
I haven't hunted since I lived in Idaho back in 2002. We moved to New Mexico at the start of the pandemic and I put in for deer and elk. Found out this week I drew both tags! I am not out to get a big deer or elk. For me to continue hunting in future years I need to bring home tasty meat that my wife will agree to eat year after year.

My deer is for Unit 38. My oldest is only 7 but we are excited to get out scouting in the next few weeks.

I am not here to ask "where do I go?" - I can read a map and do my research on water and habitat, etc. What I'd really like to know is where to avoid. 38 is a big unit and they gave out 125 tags, but there is only one large chunk of National Forest - The Cibola. I am guessing that no matter how nice it looks prior to season start, it is going to be mobbed with hunters on opening day. Of course if I am wrong, it would be nice to be hunting a larger area.

Having never hunted in NM, there's a few things I don't know. How many 'hunters' out there just drive the roads? How far from the road do I need to get to be alone? I will be looking at isolated pockets of BLM and State Trust land that have water, food, and cover, but are hopefully small enough other folks won't bother with them.

Any other advice would be welcome. Thanks!
Get in contact with Bigfoot-guy has been all over hell and back in NM.
 
I dry age all my wild game 6-8 days at an ideal temperature of 40 degrees. If weather is good i will do it garage or shed. If too hot I use a cooler with frozen 2 liter bottles I swap out every 12 hours. Keep the meat dry. If you have to clean dirt off it dry it off asap. A week of that the tissues start to break down, and a black layer forms on the outside of the meat. Trim it and any fat off them cut it up. My wife and kids love antelope, deer, and elk I prepare this way. Grind my own burger, steaks, back straps on smoker are too die for. If you want recipes let me know.
Sounds great! Simple and effective.
 
If you kill a deer, have it processed....BUT go to the store and buy some fillet mignon and ask the butcher to package THAT up the same as he does your deer. Cook the fillet for your wife. She'll love it AND you'll get to hunt year after year because she will love the meat. You're welcome.....

My wife does not care for game meat. I don't hunt for her. I hunt for myself. I feel your predicament with the small kids. I was there too and usually, I only went on 1 out of state hunt a year. My youngest is 21 now and I am only 50 so I go on whatever hunts I want from here on out. If she doesn't like it, she knows what car she can take to leave. LOL. We only have one life...hunt when you want if it is something you enjoy.
And that's what it comes to...I am doing this for myself and I can cook beef for her whenever we want steak. My oldest kid likes venison, so at least she'll help me eat it.
 
Bull elk tag? Which unit/dates?

Good meat is your goal so even if it's a cow tag, I would probably just use that deer tag to start a fire at your elk hunt or scouting trip.

Hunt the deer tag only if there really is no other way you could have dedicated more time to the elk meat project.
My hunt is in Colin Neblett, Oct 15-19. Low, low harvest odds. If I get the elk I probably won't even go for deer, but I am planning on it just in case.
 
Finally went scouting yesterday. The game warden gave me a couple recommendations, but I hiked a good eight miles and glassed what felt like a lot of area, and all I found was a bull elk (a really nice 6x6), a couple of does, and a single spike buck.

I noticed a big difference in rainfall between different areas only a few miles apart. Vegetation was scrub oak and juniper, but deer sign was few and far between. Up higher on the ridges there was lots of elk sign, and the elk I saw was fairly high up. The deer were down lower.

Questions I have:

Will deer generally be lower, or does it depend more on food and water? If food and water are the same, will they be high or low?

What is deer's favorite food in this area? The scrub oak didn't show much sign of being browsed, nor did the juniper. What plants should I be looking for?

If the deer aren't there now, will they move in later in the year? Or are they there and I need to look harder?

Based on what I saw, and the high chance I won't get another scouting trip, my plan now is to e-scout for open basins and plan on hiking the rims and glassing, spending a day in each drainage until I find where the deer are.

Happy to trade specifics of locations to compare notes if anyone else has scouted the area.
 

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