5B mule deer

[NMBOWHUNTR]

My little bro-in-law drew one of the 15 tags out of 1500 applicants for the 5b rifle hunt!
He is 17 now and will be 18 by the time the hunt starts so had to apply with the big boys this year. He is super stoked and I know its a fantastic unit for muleys and just want to get him on a good buck.
I have been taking him hunting for a couple years now with no success. I have put him on the animals but just havent connected so hoping a nice muley will be his first.
Any advice would be appreciated

 

[SDBugler]

NMBOWHUNTER

Congratulations on the tag!! My son drew the only NR tag for the later youth hunt last year and we had a blast. We got lots of help from lots of great people on the NM forum here.

Go to this thread:

http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID34/2722.html

Then send me a PM with your email. I will give you some pointers and also scan my maps to show you some areas to start out.

 

[Gator]

SD Bugler will steer you right so listen to what he tell and where to go. Good luck on your hunt.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

 

[NMHUNTNUTTG]

CONGRATS ON A SMOKIN TAG!!!!

 

[NMBOWHUNTR]

Thanks guys I appreciate the help. Its a funny story though, originally he didnt even want to put in for deer this year. He was really fixed on bagging an elk and all the other game our great state has to offer but I talked him into applying for the trophy deer hunts with the worst odds of drawing.
I remember telling him "You're not going to get the tag anyway but we might as well try!"
Naturally he didnt pull squat for tags except for this less than 1% odds gem.
We tried to play it as safe as possible for elk, no bull tags just cows, no crazy units with bad odds, just easy to draw tags and nothing.
Funny how things work out.

 

[JFBNORTHERNHUNTER]

i'll be hunting that unit right before the deer hunt and i've hunted that hunt for some 20 years and seen 200 and bigger deer. better be ready to walk if you want a 200 class deer. i'll be more than happy to point you to some nice spots and relay any info i see on the elk hunt before the deer hunt.

 

[critterells]

If there is only one non-resident tag for the late season junior hunt, then my 16 year was the lucky winner this year. My 9 year old drew a Valles Caldera cow elk hunt last year and we had a blast and fell in love with the country. I am just starting my "virtual" scouting and have ordered maps (I had some from the Valles Caldera hunt) and I "took a spin" around the area on Google Earth.

Honestly, I think I like the planning as much, if not more than the actual hunt. I read SDBugler's thread from last year and am in a similar situation in that I will not be able to scout before hand because I am coming from California. I will also probably be coming out with the entire family and spending some time in Santa Fe since it is Thanksgiving. We hunt a lot of pigs here in California in very steep country with lots of oaks. So I am able to find vantage points easily and use binos on tripods to scope lots of country. My experience in pinion juniper is that it is more difficult to scope because generally a little flatter terrain and definately thicker cover.

I sure would appreciate some assistance--maybe confirming that what I am seeing on the maps/google earth is really what is on the ground, ideas of places to stay/eat if we do not camp, other fun things to do in the area (did I see cliff dwellings near by?) because the adventure is just as important as the hunt. Maybe even coordinating with some of the junior elk hunters (there is a youth encouragment hunt at the same time) to swap information. Thanks.