Where did the Deer Go in Unit 6

JFBNORTHERNHUNTER

Active Member
Messages
397
Hey all,
First off hope everyone doing good and staying healthy. Now to the point of this post. My father had the muzzle hunt in 6 this past weekend. He did kill but had to settle for a 2x2 with a big body. We passed up a smaller 2x2 on Saturday holding out for something more mature however we were not seeing the deer numbers nor mature bucks as years past. We hung out off 76 and 103 in the 6A portion the first part of the hunt and spent the rest of the time in the Jemez area. We hunted the Dome area and 126 near and around Blue bird mesa. Years past we would see 25-30 does and a number of 3x3 and 4x4 with medium to small frame deer. This year we saw a total of 10 does and two bucks a big difference from years past. What is your input?
 
Funny you would ask. Ran into a guy in Albuquerque last week at a store and started a conversation about hunting. He pulled up a picture of his friend who bow hunted Unit 6 this year and took a huge symmetrical velvet 4x4 buck he claims grossed 204! It looked every big as that! He further stated he had killed a 190 gross last year!
Did not want share picture with me.
Point being, apparently there are some big ones out there but not in huge numbers!
 
Funny you would ask. Ran into a guy in Albuquerque last week at a store and started a conversation about hunting. He pulled up a picture of his friend who bow hunted Unit 6 this year and took a huge symmetrical velvet 4x4 buck he claims grossed 204! It looked every big as that! He further stated he had killed a 190 gross last year!
Did not want share picture with me.
Point being, apparently there are some big ones out there but not in huge numbers!
Yea there are still some big ones out there but the number of deer and quality has gone down. Most of those big bucks come from the national Forest around LANL.
 
I had the archery deer hunt there in 2015 , and hunted 8 days . I saw bucks every single day and finally killed a buck on day 8 . I did see plenty of deer and plenty of good bucks . Unfortunately poachers have hammered the deer in all of 6 from 31 mile , from Coyote and Gallina and all the way down to Ponderosa . Poachers keep smashing those big bucks and drought , predation and then regualr legal hunts , nature , road kills , etc ....Its really impacted the deer there...
 
The over all numbers have declined and I would put my dads buck at 2 1/2-31/2 years old as it was a big body deer and was not a small 2x2. But you right, we passed up other small deer but settled on this one because it had a decent 2x2 frame and had a big body
 
Funny you would ask. Ran into a guy in Albuquerque last week at a store and started a conversation about hunting. He pulled up a picture of his friend who bow hunted Unit 6 this year and took a huge symmetrical velvet 4x4 buck he claims grossed 204! It looked every big as that! He further stated he had killed a 190 gross last year!
Did not want share picture with me.
Point being, apparently there are some big ones out there but not in huge numbers!
Sounds like I got the same buck texted to me, absolute stud. I was told grossed 213, which actually seems like he could have been. I’m not a big score guy but this buck was giant. Here is a buck I found up there 5 or 6 years ago.

77FEB9B7-B169-4110-806E-90D322DBD94F.jpeg
 
“TUP,” I believe it has to be the same buck. Too much of a coincidence not to be. It was a main frame, wide 4X4 symmetrical buck.
Apparently the lucky hunter only bow hunts and targets Unit 6!
Good photo of a nice looking buck from up there.
Just have to find the big ones as always!
 
I had the archery deer hunt there in 2015 , and hunted 8 days . I saw bucks every single day and finally killed a buck on day 8 . I did see plenty of deer and plenty of good bucks . Unfortunately poachers have hammered the deer in all of 6 from 31 mile , from Coyote and Gallina and all the way down to Ponderosa . Poachers keep smashing those big bucks and drought , predation and then regualr legal hunts , nature , road kills , etc ....Its really impacted the deer there...
I've found quite a few lost kills in my time here. Long range rifles haven't done the numbers any favors. People are shooting at anything that walks no matter the range. I've come across a Boone and Crockett buck out of 13 about 10-15 years old that had half of it's face blown off. If you are the person who shot at this buck, I've got two words for you: screw you. I've come across giant 6X6s in 13 as well that went un recovered. These animals run for long distances and hide themselves in nooks and crannies making them almost impossible to find. It makes me sick to read all the crap I've seen on the internet about their stories shooting at a 3rd animal. People, leave the 600 yard shots to those idiots on youtube.
 

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