2B Last Rifle

[Gator]

Any-one hear how that one turned out, It really looked like it was going to be a good one with the snow hitting when it did.

 

[chasendeer]

A friend of mine had the tag and hunted with an outfitter that has been highly regarded. The hnt was not verry good and the outfitter was a joke to say the least. He only saw 5 bucks. I'm sure you will hear more about the outfitter in the near future.
Jay

 

[jlboykin]

We also hunted the last rifle in 2B. We had pretty terrible luck, as well. We hunted hard and didn't see a single shooter. Several days we would see well over a hundred does and not a single buck. We ended up seeing 15 bucks the whole trip. Most were not over 2.5 years old. The oilfield is opening up a lot of country and I can't see it helping this unit. Most of the bucks that we saw in the backs of pickups were very young deer. Saw one deer that was probably in the 160 inch range. I'm pretty sure he was shot by a road hunter b/c he the deer was whole in the back of the truck (not quartered for packing out). Pretty disappointing for trip for us. I don't think the migration had started on a large scale, yet.

 

[30inchbuck]

The oilfield has not opened up a single canyon or access point in this area in the past 15 years. The oilfield has been helped in a lot of areas regarding habitat and water sources. The problem is that this is a MIGRATION HUNT. Call it what you want but that is what it is. Go out into the Rosa next week when the does start coming in and the big ones will be roaming right next to compressor stations, watch water trucks drive by, and operators stop and admire there beauty.

2B is becoming more of a meat hunt and yes some nice ones are taken but it is not a trophy deer hunt like a lot of you guys think. Lots of little bucks are taken - mostly by road hunters. You could find some decent bucks - just had to get out and walk behind the gates.

G&F to make this a trophy hunt would need to cut the tags in half or 1/3 of its current allocation. Let more of the forkys grow up and such.

Sometimes the weather is just right and deep snow falls in CO to have the bigger guys come down early, does come into estrus ect. and some nice trophies are seen by all.

 

[ridgewalker]

You think the late hunt was bad..I hunted the early hunt..2 years ago, we hit it pretty good and saw a lot of bucks..not this year..hiked 13 miles one day and didn't see a deer.. averaged..5-10 deer a day..saw about 7 bucks the whole week..my buddy shot a good one on the late hunt in one of the same areas I hunted, but it was the only mature buck he saw..it is a MIGRATION hunt..and that is a gamble..I first hunted the unit in 2001..the gas wells and wild horses seem to be 10 times as plentiful..I'd imagine that this can't be good for a migratory herd.. Still love the area though..I have seen some BIG bucks on previous hunts.

 

[jlboykin]

This was the first time we've hunted in this area, so I don't know what it looked like in the past years. But, I would guess that there were probably 20-25 rigs drilling in the unit while we were there. They might not be opening up new country, but they are making access available everywhere. You can't walk any stretch in this unit without crossing multiple roads. Agreed that the number of tags would have to be cut to give the resident herd any chance of maturing.

We did know it was a gamble on the migration going in, so we weren't surprised the hunting wasn't great. We did expect, wrongly, that the resident herd would be better. I'm sure the hunting pressure from the past month didn't help.

The geography in this area was very cool. If you explored around this unit, you could find pretty much any time of terrain that you wanted. There are some very dramatic canyons on the west end of this unit. It is worth driving around if you draw this hunt just to see the country.

 

[30inchbuck]

Out of the 20 to 25 rigs - how many where on exsisting locations? or on exsisting roads?

Being in the area for the past 20 years I have seen very few new roads built. When you are out there seeing does and small bucks in evening and morning. Where where they? my guess is feeding on locations or right-of-ways.

Sportsman across the country and especially in New Mexico need to get off of this idea that O&G is evil and cuss everything that they do. Yes I am part of the industry - but I am a hunter and conservationist first. I have seen the strides and hurdles the O&G industry has faced and addressed.

While everyone needs to do there part, O&G is a necessity in the world currently. Sportsmen need to unite with the industry and together can minimize effects and actually create better habitat for the animals we love to pursue.

 

[jlboykin]

Most (not all) of the rigs that we saw were drilling new locations.

You're preaching to the choir, I don't have a problem with O&G. I'm born and raised around Midland, TX so I've been around the oilfield since birth. If you are in that industry in that area, I would like to ask you a couple of questions. I will PM you.

 

[chasendeer]

I was given the OK by the hunter to give the outfitters name. Bryan Adair. What a joke was the best way to describe the service that he got. From the first guide having a $30 set of walmart bino's.

 

[nripepi]

I'm in agreement that the locations benefit wildlife in general supplying them with feed. The locations are all covered in tracks where deer feed at night. The development might make it more difficult for a buck to mature though because it makes access easier. When some of the locations are built, they put in a small pond in a drainage that seems to really benefit the resident deer and elk populations and I think that is one of the major benefits.

 

[Largo3]

You guys make it sound like there would be no deer if it wasn't for oil and gas. Look at any study on the affects of increased roads and access and you will find that every one shows it is bad for deer.

I agree that we have to drill but we have to watch how it is done so we impact the deer as little as possible and not fool ourselves into thinking it is good for them.

 

[30inchbuck]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-20-08 AT 08:52AM (MST)[p]O&G developement is better than what we have done with the areas over the past 50 years. Supress fire, no more logging ect. the old sagebrush that is choking out new growth is really starting to effect the feed. Which is why pipeline right-of-ways and locations are seeing the deer feeding on them.

Granted if the enviromentalist would allow chain dragging like they did back in the 50's then yes that would be the best senerio. However that is a no-no now.

Mule Deer numbers depand upon Habitat-Habitat. And all i am saying is that with the current cattle grazing, fire suppression and general human interference we have degredated the habitat. Between the cost and the enviros we cannot reverse what we have screwed up for so long. At least O&G development is creating better habitat. As far as access, I know in the past 15 years the number of miles of new roads is very minimal. I could drive the same roads back then as you do now. Some new side roads ending up on some new locations but relativly no increase in access to areas. And actual roads you can drive while hunting has severly decreased with the locked gates.

With the current O&G companies in the area drilling multiple wells from the same pad (directional drilling). Installing water pipelines to minimize water truck traffic. Basically going above and beyond current regulations they are doing their part.

2B is not managed by the G&F to be a "trophy area" I would have no problem in going to the G&F and wanting it changed. Take tag numbers from 1300 rifle tags to less than 300. Then with all the does out there it would be a great hunt. Would not be able to draw it, but if you did. WOW.

I can remember when this unit was over-the-counter and just killing a forky was a chalange. Has deer numbers improved in 15 years - yes very much. Trophies are out there. Just not a big buck with every group of does.

 

[Gator]

Catching about 300 stud horses will be a start,(that should be happening as of right now) Heck the closing of the gates is a great thing walking in and riding in will just make the area better for bigger bucks, the road hunters pounded the roads hard up there, Two of the best Bucks I saw up there was right down by the bridge heading toward the Jicarilla Res. soon to be famous Jicarilla bucks LOL we walked in from up top and got a ride back out with some workers.It snowed good during that time It sure would be great if they could chain some small area's and work some of the stuff far from the roads to start, I saw some cuts(about 3 mile walk in) several hundred yds long they maded to lay in pipe to connect a couple of pumps way back in a canyon close to the Jicarilla the grass they had planted in that cut was just starting to come up NOW that is going to be a good place next year. Now if we can get them to plant some of the good stuff it would be even better, Saw alot of small bucks and passed on some 24" buck that I normally would shoot but was hunting BIG or NOTHING ended up with Nothing but it still was a good trip, meet some great guys and hunt with some new friends.
Saw a couple of 300 class bull elk hope they don't take this place over like they have in other spots. Saw 15 or so wild horses everyday it will be a good thing that they have a program in the works to sterile them so no more can have colts.
Can't say it a bad hunt it just isn't the BIG BUCK behind every tree that most think it will be.

 

[sportsman01]

Well, being a Farmington native, everyone there knows exactly why the resident deer in unit 2(2B especially) aren't big. There are a couple reasons. First let me say that I'm all for O&G as many of us in F-town have deep ties with the industry....
Deer aren't big in 2b for a few reasons....First there IS ROAD ACCESS EVERYWHERE. Like it or not 30inch you literally can't go 1/4 mile without crossing a road unless you crawl down or up to a bench. Even those are litered with pipe line crossings and old pads. They don't hurt the animals whatsoever, but give everyone access to every piece of country between Lybrook and the CO line.
2nd, 95% of O&G workers are hunters and their job gives them a 365 day scouting trip every year. Combine that with the local cell phone coverage and every big deer in the country is monitored and scouted year round. Outfitters, DIY hunters and everyone else benefits from this info. When there's a big buck spotted, lips move, cell phones ring and sooner or later everyone knows about it.
You see more big deer as the migration kicks in, but even those deer don't go long without being tracked.
I won't mention the poaching that goes on out there because heresay and rumors never do anyone any good, but I do know of several O&G that have been busted poaching big bucks from 2b/2c. That doesn't help out the resident or migrating herds either.

Just some observation from 15+years of hunting that area. good luck and good hunting to all!

 

[racklover]

You guys don't know where to go. I hunted it three years ago and saw very few hunters off the road. Multiple 180" to 200" deer. If your on the roads with every other indian you will see hundreds of does and small bucks.

 

[jlboykin]

Where are the pics?

 

[Magnus100]

My nephew are heading that way for the Jan 1 to Jan 11(for us) archery hunt. We are driving down from Spokane Wa and any hints would be great.
Thanks,
Mike

 

[JRABQ]

I drew the late rifle hunt in 2007, had a tough time also. Lots of does & forkhorns, a few willow-horned 3 and 4 pts, never saw a shooter. The number of deer we saw was impressive, so it was quite disappointing not to find any nice bucks. We accessed a lot of roadless country by foot and from the lake. 2007 had a warm and dry November, no migration to speak of. Looks like 2008 weather was very similar. From what I could gather, 2006 was a totally different story, with lot's of early snow. Almost everyone I talked to who hunted in 2006 had a great time, with lots of nice bucks killed.

JR

 

[oldcowboy5192]

Try laguna Seca Mesa.

 

[junior]

You guys had better listen to SPORTSMAN...he has nailed it...
Also have to say, the O&G Guys put my son on what few resident deer are in the unit, during his youth hunt!

Only tag I will try for as a non-resident would be the late archery hunt!

 

[biggamehunter7mm]

I hear cabeza and cervesa mesa's are the places to be!!

Chris