Unit 34 Mule Deer

caseyl

New Member
Messages
2
LAST EDITED ON Apr-19-19 AT 12:54PM (MST)[p]I drew this unit for the 2nd rifle season (Nov 9-13 I believe). This will be my first time in this unit or New Mexico. I would really appreciate some input for some places to start looking from anybody who has hunted this unit. I ordered a topo map and will look over it when I receive it but I would really appreciate some pointers. Will the deer be low, mid or higher elevation? What numbers do I expect to see, hunters/deer? Size? Is it better to pack in and camp a couple miles or would a trail head be suitable? TIA
 
Congrats on the tag. I will be up there to do some scouting/planning during the summer and again in late October elk hunting. I'll make sure to pass along info on any sign and/or encounters I have.
 
did you research 34 mule deer at all before you applied? or did you just look at draw odds in gohunt? I grew up in that unit and stopped hunting it cause it is such a shitty deer unit. good luck. you should be able to find a forky but trophy animals are few and far between and usually on private.

BTW prepare yourself for an onslaught of comments relating to your very first post being a I drew a tag I know nothing about and now want help.
 
I worked out there for the majority of the hunts last fall and based on what I've seen, as long as you hike off the road into a roadless area a mile or two you're unlikely to see people. I saw tons of people driving up and down roads looking for bucks. Unit is tough at the time, large elk population has increased lion and bear populations, on top of that the unit has become elk habitat as disturbance has been minimum on the fire and cutting front. It is thick country but they are there if you work for them. You can find large bucks if you pass up bucks and work super hard but a 130? 4x4 is pretty dang good from the sizes of bucks I've seen on the hoof and the ones coming through CWD checks
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-19-19 AT 08:03PM (MST)[p]I haven't hunted there since 2010, but would see a lot of does. I would hunt the BLM and State land avoid the National Forest. Study the map and use the aerial photography on the internet. If I had that tag I would blast the first legal buck

Be excited about getting to hunt New Mexico too. It's a fun unit. You're already ahead of me in the 2019 draws.

Buy some apple cider and local pistachios in Mayhill too.
 
I did tons of research before applying. I've never hunted there and just asked for some pointers. You must be a local douche.
 
>I did tons of research before
>applying. I've never hunted there
>and just asked for some
>pointers. You must be a
>local douche.

Good luck getting any help now lol.
 
Local douche here. haha.

This is a tough hunt even for those that live here or are familiar with it.

I would never suggest it to anyone driving a long ways or with no first hand knowledge or help lined up.
NMGF dumps an insane number of tags into this unit. Very few bucks get an opportunity to get any age. Lots of blue collar hunters that are willing to work their ass off on this hunt and you will be miles in and glass up hunters.

All that being said, it is beautiful country. If you have low expectations, and just plan on going , working hard and hope for the best you could have some success. We have gotten some pretty quality bucks the last few years, but, spend a lot of time in the unit, and I think the rifle hunts are the harder hunts to kill a good buck in.
If you rely on glassing, stick with the lower country. There is plenty of it. There are some good bucks in the higher country as well.
 

New Mexico Guides & Outfitters

H & A Outfitters

Private and public land hunts since 1992 for elk, mule deer, sheep, pronghorn, black Bear & lion hunts.

505 Outfitters

Public and private land big game hunts. Rifle, muzzleloader and archery hunts available. Free Draw Application Service!

Sierra Blanca Outfitters

Offering a wide array of hunt opportunities and putting clients in prime position to bag a trophy.

Urge 2 Hunt

Hunts in New Mexico on private ranches and remote public land in the top units. Elk vouchers available.

Mangas Outfitters

Landowner tags available! Hunt big bulls and bucks. Any season and multiple hunt units to choose from.

Back
Top Bottom