New Mexico Unit 45 1st Rifle Info - 2017 Hunt

Hey,

I'm newer to this forum, so this is kind of an introduction. but have found this site to be full of very knowledgeable members who for the most part keep it civil (lol)!
Seriously, you are all great and I have learned more about draw strategy/technique/political issues from this website than all the others combined. Greatly appreciated.
In other words, I feel I have an addiction to this thing called hunting and I seem to see the same symptoms in a lot of what you all write on this site. It's like a support group!

I am a product of 8 years of deer/elk/goat guiding in SW Colorado and 20 years personal hunting here. Both types of these amazing hunting opportunities have kept me from traveling out-of-state for hunting until recently. I feel that now is the time to represent all hunters/outdoorsmen and spend some resources wherever I can to support our heritage and by being present in the field.
So, I drew my first out-of-state tag ever! NM Unit 45 1st rifle deer. I want to say that for any unit 45 hunting info/advice I would be willing to trade for any CO western slope advice I can confidently give. If someone is interested, please let me know.
I'm a guy that likes to be professional and also having never drawn out-of-state has me left with sticker shock on the tag price. The tag is totally worth it in all respects, but I know that I will prepare like crazy to be ready for the hunt and get my money's worth. Thanks for any help.

Here is what I know:
- I am not afraid of the Pecos Wilderness off trail and living out of a pack for the full 5 days of the hunt.
- I have heard about a lot of other user traffic there. Is this as bad as people make it seem?
- Also, seems deer quality has come down quite a bit in the unit. Not so worried about a big buck, just wouldn't want to pass on something I should just shoot, like any old 3x3. Just kidding, any deer is a trophy to me!
- Also, I whitewater kayak in the Embudo gorge (outside Dixon) and Taos box quite a bit this time of year (spring runoff). I've a had a few instances of local confrontations and theft. Should extra consideration be taken to secure vehicles and/or base camp?

Again thanks for any help in this unit. I am willing to trade CO info wherever I can, including CO unit 76, which I have hunted multiple times.

Keep up the public lands fight. We can only lose this national resource by not participating with our time, money, ethics, and dedication!

Unit 45 is my backyard, there is plenty of mule deer here. As far as theft and securing your truck I would take extra precautions. Park either at a trail head or where there is some traffic or make sure to not leave anything of value in sight unfortunalty low life's during hunting season has become a problem state wide.
4 wheeler is the best way to get around the Santa Fe national forest. So many of the forest roads and back trails connect and can be hard for a truck. If you plan on hiking it there is plenty of trails and places to go. PM me for any info or help. You can also email me @ [email protected]

I do have access to some parts of public land that require a key Indian creek is the Place, look it up. Not much competition in there.

Thank you Mr. Miggs!
I'm driving from Denver to home right now. Seeing lots of lopes in the San Luis valley. But I will get in touch the next couple days. And if you're interested in a SW CO hunt, please let me know and I'll help all I can. Thanks again

I hunted 45 during the fall of 15 for muzzleloader elk. We ( my partner and I) walked in at Jacks Creek trail head and left both our trucks there while we hiked 5.5 miles into the Pecos. We came out three days later with my bull and the trucks were untouched. During the rifle firearms seasons Jacks Creek is where NMG&F go in and out the Pecos Wilderness and I think that has a lot to do with it. I didn't leave anything of value except a cooler full of ice milk jugs in the bed, but I did chain the cooler to the fifth wheel rails. I would go back again and park there with no hesitation.

The only bad stuff we saw were a group of guys headed up the mountain on horseback with rifles during the muzzleloader season. They claim they were bear hunting ( totally legal), but all they were worried about was whether or not we saw any elk and where.

I wish I could tell you we saw a bunch of deer, but honestly we did not. All the deer we saw were on the drive up between Cowles and the trailhead. I know they are up there, we just only had eyes for elk.

Don't be afraid to call the local game and fish agent who patrols that area. My partner who went up with me is an agent himself and he goes out of his way to help guys out. Even though they get a bad rap as always wanting to bust someone, I know three NM G&F officers and they are all top notch guys.

A lot of other user traffic as in recreational use? Yeah, there's some, but not like I've heard Colorado to be, and they're staying on the trail. Much of the land up there isn't too gnarly for off-trail walking except for the burned areas that are in the blow-down stage.
Too lazy to look up the hunt date for that hunt right now, but it's probably late enough that you'll not be running into a ton of people. Even Labor Day weekend it's not too bad. The next biggest push would be fall break, which is usually right around Columbus day in mid-october. Quite a few Texans coming up for some mountain air. They're generally a pleasant bunch.

I'll be up there for archery deer in early September. Pm me after 24 September and hopefully I'll have some information worthwhile sharing.

Thank you guys very much! Mr. Miggs gave me a lot of info off-site and big thanks to him too.
Sounds like everything is gonna be great. This thread reinforces the fact that I need to make the time to get out and scout the weekends before season starts. Also, Deer are there and I need to put quality time into the area to get quality out. I really plan on going into the backcountry for the duration of the hunt. Not only will I be hunting hard to fill the tag, but I will be looking forward to the quiet time while I'm NOT at work! Thanks again, and if there is anything else I should know, feel free...I'm already excited.

BrokenArrow,
My daughter and I were fishing the Pecos about a month ago and decided to see if we could make it to the top of Elk Mountain above Terraro to scout for turkeys. There was a huge fire in that area a couple of years ago and the grass is coming back well. We saw several groups of deer on the drive up. No bucks, or at least they didn't have antlers setting on yet that we could see. The downside is that the area is fairly easily accessible from Santa Fe and Albuquerque, so I'm sure it gets pressure. The upside for keeping people out is its pretty steep and has a lot of burned blow down, some place are a tangled mess. Hope this gives you something to work with.

Ditto, Elk Mtn area. Found deer elk hunting above the cyn past Cowles, over to Elk Mtn. Soldier crk is burnt & very steep.

hank4elk said:

Ditto, Elk Mtn area. Found deer elk hunting above the cyn past Cowles, over to Elk Mtn. Soldier crk is burnt & very steep.

Click to expand...

mcelweed said:

BrokenArrow,
My daughter and I were fishing the Pecos about a month ago and decided to see if we could make it to the top of Elk Mountain above Terraro to scout for turkeys. There was a huge fire in that area a couple of years ago and the grass is coming back well. We saw several groups of deer on the drive up. No bucks, or at least they didn't have antlers setting on yet that we could see. The downside is that the area is fairly easily accessible from Santa Fe and Albuquerque, so I'm sure it gets pressure. The upside for keeping people out is its pretty steep and has a lot of burned blow down, some place are a tangled mess. Hope this gives you something to work with.

Click to expand...

Thank you guys very much. I'm not gonna say that my success on this deer hunt will determine selling future OOS (out-of-state) hunts to my significant other, but I need all the help I can get. All your advice is much appreciated. Can't wait

PM sent Broken Arrow