NM Unit 53

[JRutt]

Hello everyone, looking for some insight on unit 53. I was fortunate enough to draw the second are hunt there for elk. From reading past forums on the unit, some people seem to not like it and some people seem to love it. Seems like it has its ups and down years. I have done E scouting everyday since the results came out. Have my eye on some possible areas around Greenie, Ortiz, Van Diest, and Black Mountain. Planning on spending every weekend in July/August to get some boots on the ground there. Seen some decent bulls come out of there online, and have read that I need to be ready to hike. Have no goals for the size of bull I would like to harvest, would just like to get into them.

Any info would be very appreciated, thank you all!

Good luck to everyone this year!

 

[Aerosith]

Hello everyone, looking for some insight on unit 53. I was fortunate enough to draw the second are hunt there for elk. From reading past forums on the unit, some people seem to not like it and some people seem to love it. Seems like it has its ups and down years. I have done E scouting everyday since the results came out. Have my eye on some possible areas around Greenie, Ortiz, Van Diest, and Black Mountain. Planning on spending every weekend in July/August to get some boots on the ground there. Seen some decent bulls come out of there online, and have read that I need to be ready to hike. Have no goals for the size of bull I would like to harvest, would just like to get into them.

Any info would be very appreciated, thank you all!

Good luck to everyone this year!

Rifle or Archery?

 

[Servehim]

I fell in love with elk hunting in unit 53 when I was a young man. I had zero experience elk hunting but had an encounter up there that hooked me for life. I had been sitting a wallow with no action, heard what I thought was a Texas novice hunter bugle ( sounded like an elephant) after a while I thought I'd go track down and introduce myself to whoever was making that terrible attempt at luring in an elk. Well it turned out it wasn't a hunter, it was a young bull. I got within a couple hundred yards and I heard a big bull bugle behind me with a beeline on this small bull. Im right in between the two of them. That big bull passed 15 yards from me with his rack back and nose up.....my heart was beating so hard my arms went numb and I couldn't even pull my bow back . Hooked forever on those majestic critters. It was near Van Diest bordering the VV. That was 40 years ago .

 

[JRutt]

Rifle or Archery?

Second Archery

 

[JRutt]

I fell in love with elk hunting in unit 53 when I was a young man. I had zero experience elk hunting but had an encounter up there that hooked me for life. I had been sitting a wallow with no action, heard what I thought was a Texas novice hunter bugle ( sounded like an elephant) after a while I thought I'd go track down and introduce myself to whoever was making that terrible attempt at luring in an elk. Well it turned out it wasn't a hunter, it was a young bull. I got within a couple hundred yards and I heard a big bull bugle behind me with a beeline on this small bull. Im right in between the two of them. That big bull passed 15 yards from me with his rack back and nose up.....my heart was beating so hard my arms went numb and I couldn't even pull my bow back . Hooked forever on those majestic critters. It was near Van Diest bordering the VV. That was 40 years ago .

That's an awesome story! Im sure I'm going to like the unit as well. I enjoy the high country, don't mind the tough hike, and just happy to be in the woods carrying around my bow! but that's a really cool story, hoping to have an encounter like that.

 

[ortegageno]

Stay away from Red River, Cabresto area, Midnight, Greenie peak and surrounding areas as the Texans that flock into Red River will be flying up and down every road and trail in that area on their UTVs. That is a tough unit for elk. For some reason all the elk disappeared. Hell we couldn't even turn up a darn cow last Dec.

 

[JRutt]

Stay away from Red River, Cabresto area, Midnight, Greenie peak and surrounding areas as the Texans that flock into Red River will be flying up and down every road and trail in that area on their UTVs. That is a tough unit for elk. For some reason all the elk disappeared. Hell we couldn't even turn up a darn cow last Dec.

I appreciate the info brother thank you. Hopefully I can share some good news with you in a couple months. Might send you a PM down the road if I think of any questions. Thanks again!

 

[Servehim]

We would hike from Anchor mine into the Van Diest peak area, back then not many were willing to put out that effort. If I had that tag I'd explore that option again. Hunt the edge of the Valle Vidal, granted things might have changed but I doubt it.

 

[JRutt]

I was looking into that area on google earth, looks like a good area. It's worth a shot! Thanks for the advice!!

 

[coryb]

I would steer clear of the major trailheads in the red river area. I have a cabin at one of the trail heads and each year I hear from people that walked for days with no sign or sightings. I’ve only ever seen elk up near Wheeler once and that was 15 years ago. The upper red valley and a lot of the area around Bobcat Pass is impossible to hike with the blown down trees from two decembers ago.

I would try garrapata, San Cristobal, near the Vidal border, Guadalupe or Ute if I had the tag.

53 is a tough, steep, high elevation unit with low success rates. Get in great shape and work hard if you want the best chance.