Where to Start - NM Barbary Sheep in Feb

[skincer]

A couple buddies and I (all from California) got drawn for our first ever Barbary Sheep hunt in NM in Feb (units 31, 32, 34, 36, 37). None of us have ever hunted Barbary Sheep or NM. Can someone give us ANY advice on somewhere to head - not specific areas, just an area we can go set up base camp and give it a try.

We have no idea where to start. I really appreciate any info.
Thanks.
Steve

 

[nmwapiti]

This may be the only reply you get. It's nothing personal. Barbary spots are more sacred than grandmas red chili recipe. Best advice I can give you is get the NM land status GPS chip and come a few days early to get your bearings. Lots of very large private ranches and old cattle fences. Call the BLM office in Roswell and ask about places to camp. Good luck.

 

[skincer]

>This may be the only reply
>you get. It's nothing personal.
>Barbary spots are more sacred
>than grandmas red chili recipe.
>Best advice I can give
>you is get the NM
>land status GPS chip and
>come a few days early
>to get your bearings. Lots
>of very large private ranches
>and old cattle fences. Call
>the BLM office in Roswell
>and ask about places to
>camp. Good luck.

Thanks for the reply. I was afraid folks might think I was asking to be guided into their honey hole. I'm not - I'm only interested in the most general guidance. That's why I said I wasn't looking for anything specific. I don't think I've ever even been in the state of NM - if someone recommended a county or which of the zones our tags are for, that would be great. We really have no idea where to go or what we're doing.

 

[Ltsheets]

Also you should look further down in the NM thread for another barbary thread that has some great general advice on how to hunt barbary and what to expect. you won't get an insight on where to start your scouting necessarily but should help you learn what to look for on maps and when you are boots on the ground here in NM. Good Luck! I'll be hunting the other draw area for the first time come Feb.

 

[dmaxarchr]

I think it's just great how u created a MM account just to ask about barbary. Typical NR!

 

[mozey]

I second the GPS chip as stated above. Also, if you're new to NM, invest in a pair of hunting chaps to avoid becoming a human pin cushion, and also a good pair of "tough" leather boots with strong ankle support (both chaps and boots broken in before you show up for your hunt). It won't help you spot sheep, but it will make it so that you can tolerate being out there longer to increase your odds... ;-)

Next, order some BLM maps of your hunt area and look for BLM that has lots of elevation change lines that is at least a mile from any public roads. That would be a good place to start.

 

[skincer]

>I think it's just great how
>u created a MM account
>just to ask about barbary.
>Typical NR!

dmaxarchr:
I don't really understand where your anger is coming from. Every hunter was a new hunter at some point, and every member of this forum was a new member at one time or another. I think it's in all of our best interests to welcome new hunters into the sport. Every non-hunter that we convert to a hunter is an advocate for our sport and we need all we can get these days.

 

[Trad Bow 1979]

Hey dont worry about him, there is a little bad blood between residents and non residents on this site at the moment. You did nothing wrong. I created my MM account s few years back after I drew Barbary. And as a NM resident that drew a goose egg this year I am reaching out to Colorado for an opprotunity for elk. Call me sometime in the evenings (505) 980-5877. I never have bagged one, but I can help you get started.

 

[Reuben_Soady]

+1 on the "Search MM for "barbary".

and, +1 on "ignore the snarley self-proclaimed long-term member with a whopin' 72 posts."

Those BBY units are beautiful but tough terraine, have a blast.

 

[skincer]

>This may be the only reply
>you get. It's nothing personal.
>Barbary spots are more sacred
>than grandmas red chili recipe.
>Best advice I can give
>you is get the NM
>land status GPS chip and
>come a few days early
>to get your bearings. Lots
>of very large private ranches
>and old cattle fences. Call
>the BLM office in Roswell
>and ask about places to
>camp. Good luck.

I've been doing some research on GPS land status chips and I see onXMaps (huntinggpsmaps.com) and Trax (koutdoorproducts.com). Anybody have experience/opinions on these two? Is there a product I'm missing?
Thanks.
Steve

 

[nmwapiti]

Xmaps chip is very accurate. I have the NM and CO chip. Best money I ever spent.

 

[kimbersig]

asking for any sheep advice will likely get you no info. LOL being a NR good luck. i drew and just did a lot of scouting and looking and still only killed a little ewe. order blm maps and topo maps and look for the places that lines are really close together. good bet that there will be sheep there. thats the best advice i can give you. i'm hunting unit 30 this year and are gonna have to threaten some friends lives that have hunted and killed good sheep there for info! LOL

 

[aranda]

Sent u pm

 

[smarba]

OnXMaps was formerly known as HuntingGPSMaps. I think they changed their brand to appeal to hikers & bird watchers.

Carl

 

[outdoorsdude]

And... once you narrow down an area; be sure and check with NMG&F to make certain they didn't do any dumb ass land swaps where public lands get closed.

 

[mozey]

LAST EDITED ON May-14-14 AT 01:07PM (MST)[p]They're called unitization agreements:

http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/recreation/hunting/documents/unitized_ranch/index.html

...but I kinda like outdoorsdude's definition better...

 

[smarba]

Unitization: give desirable land to rancher; provide crappy land to public.

Carl