New Mexico unit 51 setting my goal too high?

[Desk Pop]

I understand not wanting to show your child. I have a daughter and am very protective. Im sorry that she had to experience that. Shit like that needs to stop.

My thoughts on if youre an adult are different. This is a hunting forum and you arent going to be blasted for hunting pictures like that on here. Also, if your friend circle would put you, as an adult on blast for hunting, id think about finding a different friend group. Personal opinion, of course. I also dont care what other people think about my hobbies, so things dont affect me like that. I guess i would post an "as they lay" photo over plastering a silly emoji over my face.

Thank you for responding and showing me a different perspective, though. I was curious as to why I see blured photos. To each their own.

I see what you're saying, but was coming at a different angle.

I'm not worried about HuntTalkers, and I'm not worried at all about my friend group...but this is a completely public forum available to all 7 billion people on Earth. The people that found my daughter's photo go around looking for photos like that to post and attempt to get people in "trouble" publicly. I have a public job, and hold off posting photos of some species I've hunted, particularly African game. Of course they found my kid's photo of a ten-year-old struggling to hold up a big lion with a big smile and went from there.

I live in Idaho. A lady a few years ago had a photo put on the front page of the local newspaper of her and a dead giraffe. She worked at a university and was somehow in hot water. She kept her job, but I think it was a pain in the butt for her. And this is Idaho.

All I'm saying is that there are people out looking for ways to attempt to use kill photos to shame or get people "in trouble"...whatever that looks like. Likely, an elk photo wouldn't be a low hanging fruit...until some "pet" elk named "Teddy" or "George" is shot when it steps out of Yellowstone or RMNP and ends up on CNN. Then all elk hunters are evil.

I don't have shame in what I kill, but don't want posting the wrong thing hurting my career. It doesn't matter if it is legal or whatever...if it falls out of public favor and you have a public, visible job, who knows? And I hate that my daughter's name can be googled and that is the first thing that shows up. Will it cost her a job someday? Idk. And obviously, like you said, the kid thing is different.

That being said, I am just happy a "just joined for advice" guy actually came back and followed up. This is about as rare as a Sasquatch riding a unicorn sighting.

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

I've never hunted 51 but 50 just to the north. Lots of elk. As others have said anywhere that an atv can go, count on them being there. That's what happened north of Tres Piedras. People down there are lawless and some of them can be lazy, druck, rude and dangerous. Don't engage with them because they will claim the land there's. I'm sure there will be some nice "locals" in the unit, but I never found them in 50. They will all be gone on the fourth day of the hunt or too drunk to actually hunt. Try and walk up into some of the peaks/mountains where the ATVs can't go. The elk will do that to get away from the idiots. Glass up high and plan on some climbing and stocking. By this time in the seasons, the elk will be high and smart. If there's a lot of snow they may be lower and moving south and east. Best advice is just get away from the ATVs and you should be good. That's what we did and we were successful. Good luck!

Locals are territorial everywhere we go. These Norteños are different in that some families have been there predating USA, likewise with Puebloans also in 51. I’m kind to them, frequent their shops and I think they’d roll out if we really needed help.
Now, the ATVs may be local or from really anywhere. And you know, it was the SxS crowd that really bugged me this year. SxS are like an ATV for those too inept to handle a 4 wheeler or dirtbike. And they’ll get everywhere. Someday I’ll draw 52 and enjoy the serenity of wilderness.

 

[Westelker - W. Colorado]

Locals are territorial everywhere we go. These Norteños are different in that some families have been there predating USA, likewise with Puebloans also in 51. I’m kind to them, frequent their shops and I think they’d roll out if we really needed help.
Now, the ATVs may be local or from really anywhere. And you know, it was the SxS crowd that really bugged me this year. SxS are like an ATV for those too inept to handle a 4 wheeler or dirtbike. And they’ll get everywhere. Someday I’ll draw 52 and enjoy the serenity of wilderness.

I agree in most part. I did talk to a group of about 10 guys, staying in one mid-size trailer, six or seven were carrying guns and one of them told me they had a couple of tags. One guy said he was carrying for bear protection. Okay! Must be some mean bears in those parts. They also had three or for ATVs and said they were from ABQ. I gave them plenty of room and I was cordial to them.

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

I agree in most part. I did talk to a group of about 10 guys, staying in one mid-size trailer, six or seven were carrying guns and one of them told me they had a couple of tags. One guy said he was carrying for bear protection. Okay! Must be some mean bears in those parts. They also had three or for ATVs and said they were from ABQ. I gave them plenty of room and I was cordial to them.

protection from bears, my ass! He should be so fortunate to see one a those pretty color phase bears in that area. And yeah, that style of hunting is a big time event for some families.

 

[Westelker - W. Colorado]

protection from bears, my ass! He should be so fortunate to see one a those pretty color phase bears in that area. And yeah, that style of hunting is a big time event for some families.

Of course there are few bears in that unit, just a bunch of yahoo's with rifles, riding their atv's off-road harassing elk.

 

[Klclark]

Good luck to you! I am going to the same unit for second archery season. I will hopefully have some info to share on this forum from my experience there.

How did you end up? Looking at putting in for that area with a guide this coming year.

 

[perma]

How did you end up? Looking at putting in for that area with a guide this coming year.

 

[Klclark]

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So asking how someone’s hunt went is frowned upon? Got it. You joined like a year ago and already hating on new people on the site.