Unit 15 elk

nmhunter1975 · Jun 22, 2007

Drew a unit 15 tag and was wondering how things were on the west side of the unit north of Luna. We have hunted 15 before but always near the lake. Wanted to take a look in this area but dont know if we will have the time to make it down there. Dont want to be down there with all the other hunts going on and wont have time togo before. Just might have to pull something out my a$$ and make a miracle happen and get down there during the other seasons but dont want to be in the woods and mess something up for someone else.

NMHUNTER

HOPE TO SEE YOU IN THE WOODS

NMRaptor · Jun 22, 2007

Increase in wolf action in those parts.
-Raptor

maddglasser · Jun 25, 2007

There is a lot of pressure there. But if you are willing to go steep and deep east of Luna is awesome- when scouting remember "steep and deep" if you find it, you will know where I am talking about.

tmbrlinewarden · Jul 3, 2007

RE: Unit 15 elk-Game Warden Honey Hole

Opinions are like A-holes, everyone knows one and they usually stink, But I was the Game Warden in Quemado for a few years and I'll go ahead and give out a honey hole recomendation since I've been away from that area for a while. There are good bulls on every inch of that Unit, that Luna country, or East to centerfire bog always has nice bulls. I've thought to myself if I drew a 15 tag I'd work the BLM country north of the forest in 15A (is it FR23 that comes south down from the highway to Springerville?)It's PJ country, not the ponderosa that makes folks feel like their in elk country- but I don't remember seeing more pig bulls walking around without a hunter in sight in all my career (with folks racing south to hit the forest boundary all day long). Also, many of those private ranches in that area are smaller ranches that prefer unit-wide landowner tags and have to open their place to public hunters (which is not often advertised by the landowner I can assure you) You'll have to research which ranches would be open, that info is public and can be obtained therough NMDGF, I think you can even get it at our website.

Late season tags (November), go east 15B- horse peak, wagon tounge. I guess that's no secret.

Someone out there's probably cussing me for putting this out. good luck to all, if anyone busts one in there on my reccomendation, I'd be interested in hearing of it.

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?I want as game protectors men of courage, resolution, and hardihood, who can handle the rifle, ax, and paddle; who can camp out in summer or winter; who can go on snowshoes if necessary; who can go through the woods by day or night without regard to trails" Theodore Roosevelt-1899
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nmhunter1975 · Jul 8, 2007

RE: Unit 15 elk-Game Warden Honey Hole

hey tmbrlinewarden thanks for the info. we plan on going in aug to check things out. so i guess i am going to have to check out that area. if we do get one i will let you know.

NMHUNTNUTT1 · Jul 10, 2007

RE: Unit 15 elk-Game Warden Honey Hole

timberline , were you there in 2001?

pcha · Jul 11, 2007

RE: Unit 15 elk-Game Warden Honey Hole

Here is one of the bulls I recently saw on a scouting trip in 15. Not the best picture. There were 16 bulls in one bunch and this isn't the big one in the group.

lchcguide · Jul 19, 2007

RE: Unit 15 elk-Game Warden Honey Hole

PCHA, Nice bull and if you are nice enough you will take me to him on September 15th. If not I will take Wardens advice and scout the north end of 15.

pcha · Jul 20, 2007

RE: Unit 15 elk-Game Warden Honey Hole

lchcguide,

If I get the bigger one that was with this bull then sure after I am tagged out if I run into you maybe I'll take you to find this guy. But from my short scouting trip over to 15 I don't think that there is a shortage of bulls in this unit. Saw 18 bulls within an hour on the first afternoon of the trip.

lchcguide · Jul 20, 2007

RE: Unit 15 elk-Game Warden Honey Hole

I hope you have a good trip and I will be looking for you and your bull. Best of luck.

nmhunter1975 · Aug 20, 2007

Well went down this last weekend but didnt get to the Luna area. Scouted the area I have been looking at on the computer and maps. Found some good county with lots of sign. Just to bad its going to change after all the hunts before mine. To all the bow hunters headed out the first part of Sept. bring your ATV's. Real wet down there water is everywhere.

NMHUNTER

HOPE TO YOU SEE IN THE WOODS

stinkystomper · Sep 20, 2007

RE: Unit 15 elk-Game Warden Honey Hole

I buy a landowner tag for 15 every year. I've taken several bulls 340 to 365 but it always seems like the 420's we see leave the area around oct 10 th (2 days before the hunt usuaylly). I am hunting in the general direction that you speak of but am having a hard time with the small ranches purposely chasing the elk off with their four wheelers. Know of anywhere I can get away from people and get the monster. I have 3 lungs and can squat a ton of weight. In short, Walking for days is my game. Thanks

stinkystomper · Sep 20, 2007

If you head down the reserve highway toward quemado you will come out of the bottoms and wind through some steep canyon with steep cliffs on the side. Once you get on top you need to drive until you see a sign that says adopt a highway blah blah bla sign. Key word being carajeo. They are the ones who clean it. Anyways, 1 mile before this sign, or 1 mile before the turnoff to the anthony carajeo ranch you will find a bull I estimate to score about 410 crossing the road every morning around 3 am. You have to be going at least 50 mph to see him or he runs in the brush and waits for you to pass. In the AM he heads to the west of the highway. I have seen him 9 times this year and a bunch last year but can never seem to locate him during the muzzloader hunt. 2 weeks ago I located him for my dads bow hunt in 15 and he was 1.5 miles to the west of the road but was back on the road for my usual quick encounter at 3am in the morning. Hope this helps. Also been seeing a big 390 bull IN aragon. He seems to stay in 15. Didn't look for him during the daytime.

stinkystomper · Sep 20, 2007

Oh, forgot to add. I would stay away from quemado lake (usually). Its very popular. Fox mountain and the surrounding lowlands are heavily pounded by the locals and everyone in bad shape(every year). Theres not much in that area except campers and outfitters. Stay off the arizona line as well. Lots of people there think Arizona is a magic word. As far as big bulls go the whole unit is great just stay away from the heavily trafficed areas and you will probably get a bull. Toriet lakes always has a lot of elk but it sometimes has pressure. Check for camps the night before and hunt there if noone is camping. I've killed bulls 4 yrs straight 330+. I have 2 strategies I use. 1....driving like a bat out of HE*& 3 days before the hunt (not the night before) starting at midnight. If you drive fast enough on decent roads you will drive through the elk. This sounds bad but it isn't as long as you don't slow down and stare, just keep going. The elk will simply move a few hundred yards and go back to grazing. You ALWAYS find these elk on opening day within 1 mile of where you saw them in the early AM. Trust me. I killed a 350 bull at the corner of the quemado lake turnoff and the quemado/reserve highway(a place I usually stay away from because of too much pressure). The bull almost got ran over by a semi just after day break. He ran 200 yards into the brush and went back to business as usual. I killed him the next day just 1/2 mile off the road towards the lake side of the quemado/reserve highway at the base of the steep looking hill. However this area is usually heavily hunted. So keep this in mind. method #2---It seems the elk like to go to the areas where they have been pushed to during the archery hunts. Scout the last bow hunt for concentrations of bow hunters don't look for elk. After the hunt, concentrate on where the bow hunters weren't. That is how I found the 368 bull by I killed last year.