34 elk muzzleloader

desperatehills · Apr 20, 2022

I am retiring next month and moving to AZ. Since I will be closer I thought I would apply this year. With 2.5% odds I did not expect to draw. Well the tag gods decided to give me a retirement gift. If anyone would like to share their experiences in the unit I would love to hear them. Sounds like Stevie Wonder could guide Ray Charles to the elk there. I might stand a chance.

BrianID · Apr 20, 2022

I haven't drawn the tag but have spent some time in the unit. Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles probably wouldn't kill an elk on the hunt but I'm guessing you have more physical ability and elk hunting experience than those two do.

If you are retired, then you will have time to take some camping trips this summer. You can drive around roads and see elk all summer. Get out there in September and just listing to the elk bugle is also worth your time.

Plenty of bulls like the one I took this picture of last year. It is possible to kill a giant bull in the unit but that will either take a lot of work or some luck. Enjoy the hunt.

NMPaul · Apr 20, 2022

Lots of elk. age class is getting younger. Should be great hunt if your expectations are not unrealistic.

Bigfoot 1 · Apr 20, 2022

There’s some BIG elk in there off the south side of the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation.

desperatehills · Apr 21, 2022

My expectations were to make a small donation to New Mexico wildlife. This tag is completely out of the blue. I have a black belt in killing 320" bulls that measure 290". If I kill a real 320 bull I will be super happy. With that many elk in the unit you guys should expect to see my smiling face here this fall standing behind another 280" bull. Patience is not my strong suit.

WapitiBob · Apr 21, 2022

Bigfoot 1 said:
There’s some BIG elk in there off the south side of the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation.

And jackasses made atv trails in there right off the 16 road.

Monster bulls · Apr 22, 2022

My wife got lucky and drew 2nd rifle cow hunt in December. Hopefully we can tag out. 1st time in 34. We always hunt 51-52 & 15.
time to put rubber to the trails and start scouting.

wweaver79 · Apr 22, 2022

Sent you a PM. ? draw !

Monster bulls · Apr 22, 2022

wweaver79 said:
Sent you a PM. ? draw !

Wweaver I’m unable to open your PM.

tallpine13 · Apr 22, 2022

Good unit with lots of elk. Muzzle loader is a great hunt there. Off subject they should definitely look at moving the COER for that unit so the ranches on the out skirts don’t have a free for all from oct 1 to end of January. Also another unit that I think these new super muzzy’s and early hunts has kind of damaged. It would greatly increase quality but I see why they do it that unit doesn’t lack numbers but as NMpaul said…. Age is dropping and in 10 years it will be a great opportunity unit with tons of elk but age will be young bulls.

nmmuley · Apr 23, 2022

tallpine13 said:
Good unit with lots of elk. Muzzle loader is a great hunt there. Off subject they should definitely look at moving the COER for that unit so the ranches on the out skirts don’t have a free for all from oct 1 to end of January. Also another unit that I think these new super muzzy’s and early hunts has kind of damaged. It would greatly increase quality but I see why they do it that unit doesn’t lack numbers but as NMpaul said…. Age is dropping and in 10 years it will be a great opportunity unit with tons of elk but age will be young bulls.

Surprisingly g&f is proposing making all of unit 34 a secondary elk zone, thereby eliminating all Unit wide properties and tags. All private land in 34 will become ranch only and elk tags will become unlimited on these ranch only properties. All ranch only properties in unit 34 will now be able to start rifle hunts on Oct 1st and can literally kill as many elk (bulls/cows/calf’s) as they see fit between Oct 1-Jan 31.

It won’t be long before all these new “ranch only properties”, that used to be unit wide properties located in the current primary zone, will be pooled together and leased by an outfitter and enrolled as a “coop” ranch-only property in eplus (been going on for yrs in current 34 secondary zone). The chances of killing a bull in 5 days on many of these smaller ranch only properties is 50/50 at best. However, when you pool them all together and can freely hunt all of them during your 5 day window with a rifle starting Oct 1st, your chances of harvesting a mature bull go up substantially. I can see a tremendous amount of mature bulls being killed out of the unit in a very short period of time. Heck the public land 34 rifle hunt this yr doesn’t start until Oct 22. Our age class of bulls in 34 has been trending downwards for yrs, this will surely kill it.