NM Unit 36

Fatrack

Fatrack

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
414
Location
Bozeman, MT
Hey guys,

Getting pretty excited about my upcoming NM elk hunt that kicks off next week. The season is only 5 days long so we are heading down early to get in 3 days of scouting. I've got a few places that I want to check out during the scouting trip, and I have high hopes of turning up a bull or two to hunt.

There have been two archery hunts on the unit already this year, I'd really like to talk to someone who was on one of the archery hunts. If you know anything about the unit or know anyone who has hunted it, please contact me.

Thanks,

Kyle
 
I used to hunt it and 34. Great unit. Hunt the wilderness. Shoot me a PM, the last time I hunted it was in 2010 and I had a deer tag. All I saw was elk the whole week. LOL

Muzzleloader I assume?
 
Congrats on pulling a super tag. I give NM a loan every year since becoming a non-res. I drew the archery tag last year in 34. That tag you have is probably single digit success rates for drawing the tag. Good call showing up early.
 
I have not been in the unit for a long time. I never hunted the unit for elk, but did hunt it a time or two trying to find a bear. Entering on the west side of the mountains at the campground, I saw some huge bulls over the times that I was there. I believe it was Goat Canyon or something like that.

There are elk all over the unit, so you are not limited in area, just limited by your physical ability. There are some monsters in there, too.
 
I have a rifle tag the week after your hunt. I have a friend who lives there and hunted the first archery season, he arrowed a cow. Unfortunately he does not do forums or much email.

It seems a lot of bulls have been taken during both archery seasons. There is talk of one bull taken over 400 inches by a female archer and an outfitter friend of his clients went 13 for 13. Right now they are getting a ton of rain from what's left over from Hurricane Odile, hopefully it will dry up in the next few days.

Save some elk for me :D
 
cantgetdrawn said:
I have a rifle tag the week after your hunt. I have a friend who lives there and hunted the first archery season, he arrowed a cow. Unfortunately he does not do forums or much email.

It seems a lot of bulls have been taken during both archery seasons. There is talk of one bull taken over 400 inches by a female archer and an outfitter friend of his clients went 13 for 13. Right now they are getting a ton of rain from what's left over from Hurricane Odile, hopefully it will dry up in the next few days.

Save some elk for me :D
Click to expand...

400 incher...wow! I've heard this unit can put out some real big bulls. In the research that I've done over the past month, I found that the Governors Tag Bull was shot there a couple of years ago. One of his offspring would be cool :D

36 Bull.jpg
 
One thing that helps that unit, is that it is next door to the Mescalero Reservation. The elk have a chance to grow up. I hunted the Mescalero four years for cows when I lived in Alamogordo and we sure saw some great bulls every year.

You will have a great hunt.
 
I had put in for unit 36 elk for the last 17 years without being drawn, hence the reason for my handle :D I usually do get drawn for deer in 36.

I had almost given up being drawn for elk there and was hunting OTC in CO for the past few years. I usually put in for the archery hunts, and the only reason I put in for the rifle hunt this year is I figured I would probably get my 2nd choice in a lower demand unit.

Sbhooper does give some good advice. Although there are elk throughout the unit, a lot of elk do cross back and forth from the rez to the National forest. The rumor is that big elk taken was near the border behind grindstone lake, but you know what they say about rumors.
 
cantgetdrawn said:
I had put in for unit 36 elk for the last 17 years without being drawn, hence the reason for my handle :D I usually do get drawn for deer in 36.

I had almost given up being drawn for elk there and was hunting OTC in CO for the past few years. I usually put in for the archery hunts, and the only reason I put in for the rifle hunt this year is I figured I would probably get my 2nd choice in a lower demand unit.

Sbhooper does give some good advice. Although there are elk throughout the unit, a lot of elk do cross back and forth from the rez to the National forest. The rumor is that big elk taken was near the border behind grindstone lake, but you know what they say about rumors.
Click to expand...

I would not doubt that rumor a bit. That is good country.
 
Hey Guys, thanks for the help! living 1200 miles from the unit has its challenges, I really appreciate the info!! Kyle
 
I will be heading out in a couple weeks with my brother-in-law to hunt Unit 36. 1st rifle (Oct 12-16). Very excited, goes without saying. Will be our first time elk hunting. Had a good conversation with the district ranger and have spent a ton of time e-scouting with OnX and Google Earth narrowing down some promising spots to focus on. We have two full scouting days on the ground before the season starts and I would love to ask a couple specific questions to someone who has hunted the wilderness area in the past few years. Pls PM me if you're open to fielding those questions and giving helpful feedback on our scouting plan or tips on the unit in general. I'd appreciate it!
blueridge
 
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