Unit 27 coues tag

[jsc]

I was surprised to find out that I drew a nonresident New Mexico unit 27 coues deer tag for late November. I have never hunted coues deer and never hunted New Mexico, so i'm sure it will be an adventure. I am really excited for the opportunity, but not exactly sure what to expect for this hunt. If anyone would be willing to share their experience on this hunt or any advise on what I am in for on this hunt it would be appreciated.

thanks
Curtis

 

[freaknasty]

I got the janruary bow tag for that unit

 

[BrianID]

I don't know the unit all that well but have hunted in surrounding units multiple times. You do have a good tag but deer densities are not high in the unit. For coues I would look at the areas with higher elevation. The good thing about your tag is there isn't too many other hunters so you may see a few hunters but if you spike out and camp for a couple days, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't see any other hunters. My guess is there are a fair number of coues bucks that die of old age in 27. If you don't find a big one, I think you have a very good chance of finding an older buck if you put in the work. I doubt there will be any significant rutting activity until the end of December so most bucks will still be in bachelor groups or by themselves.

As far as illegal crossing activity, I wouldn't be worried. You probably won't see any illegals but you may. I've spent a lot of time the last few years calling coyotes in the desert along the NM/Mexico board and rarely see any illegals. Just be aware of your surroundings. Most of the "coyotes" crossing the boarder illegally want to avoid you just as much as the coyotes that hunt rabbits in the desert. East of unit 27 there is currently a fair amount of construction of "the wall". I wouldn't be surprised if the wall construction was actively taking place along the southern boarder of your unit during the hunt.

Have a good hunt and don't forget to come back and post some pictures regardless of your success.

 

[Muleman]

Best coues unit in our state BUT.........access to public land where coues are sucks. Only a couple of roads to access the coues country and everyone has to use same routes. You WILL see illegals or signs of illegal traffic. Just ignore them and keep your distance they will do the same. You will have a good hunt despite all that just be ready to glass and walk a good way to get to the lightly hunted country.

 

[Hiker]

Congrat jsc, You will love hunting the gray ghost.

 

[jsc]

Thank you for the reply's so far. I live a bit away from the unit so I know I have lots of research to do. It sounds like a backpacking hunt is probably the way to go. Are the access issues do to public being landlocked, and

I don't know the unit all that well but have hunted in surrounding units multiple times. You do have a good tag but deer densities are not high in the unit. For coues I would look at the areas with higher elevation. The good thing about your tag is there isn't too many other hunters so you may see a few hunters but if you spike out and camp for a couple days, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't see any other hunters. My guess is there are a fair number of coues bucks that die of old age in 27. If you don't find a big one, I think you have a very good chance of finding an older buck if you put in the work. I doubt there will be any significant rutting activity until the end of December so most bucks will still be in bachelor groups or by themselves.

As far as illegal crossing activity, I wouldn't be worried. You probably won't see any illegals but you may. I've spent a lot of time the last few years calling coyotes in the desert along the NM/Mexico board and rarely see any illegals. Just be aware of your surroundings. Most of the "coyotes" crossing the boarder illegally want to avoid you just as much as the coyotes that hunt rabbits in the desert. East of unit 27 there is currently a fair amount of construction of "the wall". I wouldn't be surprised if the wall construction was actively taking place along the southern boarder of your unit during the hunt.

Have a good hunt and don't forget to come back and post some pictures regardless of your success.

I am hoping to avoid any issues with the illegal trafficking

I don't know the unit all that well but have hunted in surrounding units multiple times. You do have a good tag but deer densities are not high in the unit. For coues I would look at the areas with higher elevation. The good thing about your tag is there isn't too many other hunters so you may see a few hunters but if you spike out and camp for a couple days, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't see any other hunters. My guess is there are a fair number of coues bucks that die of old age in 27. If you don't find a big one, I think you have a very good chance of finding an older buck if you put in the work. I doubt there will be any significant rutting activity until the end of December so most bucks will still be in bachelor groups or by themselves.

As far as illegal crossing activity, I wouldn't be worried. You probably won't see any illegals but you may. I've spent a lot of time the last few years calling coyotes in the desert along the NM/Mexico board and rarely see any illegals. Just be aware of your surroundings. Most of the "coyotes" crossing the boarder illegally want to avoid you just as much as the coyotes that hunt rabbits in the desert. East of unit 27 there is currently a fair amount of construction of "the wall". I wouldn't be surprised if the wall construction was actively taking place along the southern boarder of your unit during the hunt.

Have a good hunt and don't forget to come back and post some pictures regardless of your success.

For sure I will post up. I am glad to hear that the illegal trafficking issue may not be as bad as I thought. I just want to stay safe and hopefully not have my vehicle or equipment messed with.

 

[Reuben_Soady]

Coues are not mid-western whitetails, desert ghost indeed.

Hey Curtis, I've hunted javis in GMU 27 a few times , but not farther south than Animas. It's quite the frontera down there. There's lots of BLM and State land in addition to the National Forest, and there's a little private land that is accessible too. Consider that you might best access some of the New Mexico management unit from Arizona. GE and OnX are your friends.

While looking for javi's, I saw a herd of bucks and does down about Animas but they were two-thirds mile away, and I decided they were probably muleys. Not a lot of water down there...

There may still be a family run diner on hwy 338 in Animas.

It may be "breathless teen-girl hyperbole" but I too worry about my truck getting snagged or getting in a situation I wouldn't want my kid involved with. I've considered being dropped off and have the truck brought back to somebody's ranch for safekeeping, or at least have a grownup babysitting the truck. ymmv...

Have fun, it's beautiful down there.

 

[NMhunter4life]

I have hunted the border in the bootheel a fair bit over quite a few years. Some years you will be covered up in illegal drug runners (saw 30 packing bales of dope in 2 days) and the next year in the same location you will not see any and no active sign. They change the routes they take periodically. They are usually packing drugs, not human trafficking. I have never had them mess with my vehicle or camp, but I have had them camp less than 300 yards from me. I did not sleep well that night.
It is a good unit with decent numbers of deer for New Mexico and the genetics for big bucks.