2024-2025 Malay gap rifle elk San Carlos Apache

[cattledog04]

Their new system isn’t 100%. 3 different days, 3 different emails saying I drew 3 different locations. Pretty messed up imo. If I knee it was this janky, I wouldn’t have paid and picked a different location.

 

[Gocougs]

I have hunted the 2nd Archery season on the Malay Gap. You are in for lots of issues to figure out. First the roads with a tiny bit of moisture are going to be shitty as hell. you are 2 hour drive one way to fuel on a long road with no cell service at all. You're going to need to have everything you need for your tent or rv in complete boondock camping from inside the unit including will need a way to cool the meat on that early hunt. I averaged 95 degree high the whole hunt it was so hot like 70s at night. There were bulls but lots of natives driving around hunting spotting bulls for their native tags and guided hunters and would drive right up to any water holes and messed up a lot of setups and call sets. They have lots of rules and rules to follow or you will be kicked off the rez. They are super unorganized with their office and it feels like a scam the whole time even during the hunt you feel taken and don't expect anyone to help you with any information. Their so called good guides are not great and many people i spoke to said their guides screwed them and didn't show up on time and were drunk and didn't find them anything but a rag horn. I paid for maps from the office lady never got them I had the tag prices increased on me after i applied the changed the price by thousands of dollars told me i had that day to pay or they would call someone else. You will be hundred percent on your own if you diy hunt and if you get a flat you are spending a whole day driving and getting it fixed assuming you have a good spare and dont flatten it also. Alot of the country is so thick with area that looks like coues deer country. Their roads are narrow scratch the shit out of your truck and rough wash outs with no turn arounds and shitty as all hell. The native guides will ruin your hunt if you go diy they will keep blinds on all the water spots and not let you hunt near any big bulls. They will not be helpful and the wildlife officers will stop you every time they pass you on your hunt and check your license multiple times a day and want to know what you saw and where. I did kill a nice bull but it was tough as shit to get it out with the hot ass weather. Also after i just got done driving to town for ice 4 hours later get back to trailer they want to check the meat make sure i have every piece of meat in the coolers. So i had to unpack the coolers in 95 degree weather and show them all the meat was in the ice chest which totally melted half or more of the 20 bags of ice i just bought. you can pm for my phone number and i can tell you more. I have buddies that weren't allowed to bring anyone with them to help during covid so they hunted alone. The snow could shut the late hunt down and make it completely impossible to hunt the hunt. The roads to get into the malay gap units is clay red mud with deep ruts when dry so if wet not frozen you arent getting into the unit at all you will be fighting getting unstuck by yourself in the middle of no where. Be warned you should spend your $10k on a better landowner tag in NM for the quality and hassles not worth it. I never went back and I hunt alot and had fun on my hunt but not doing it again for the prices now.

 

[Shooter Rick]

I have hunted the 2nd Archery season on the Malay Gap. You are in for lots of issues to figure out. First the roads with a tiny bit of moisture are going to be shitty as hell. you are 2 hour drive one way to fuel on a long road with no cell service at all. You're going to need to have everything you need for your tent or rv in complete boondock camping from inside the unit including will need a way to cool the meat on that early hunt. I averaged 95 degree high the whole hunt it was so hot like 70s at night. There were bulls but lots of natives driving around hunting spotting bulls for their native tags and guided hunters and would drive right up to any water holes and messed up a lot of setups and call sets. They have lots of rules and rules to follow or you will be kicked off the rez. They are super unorganized with their office and it feels like a scam the whole time even during the hunt you feel taken and don't expect anyone to help you with any information. Their so called good guides are not great and many people i spoke to said their guides screwed them and didn't show up on time and were drunk and didn't find them anything but a rag horn. I paid for maps from the office lady never got them I had the tag prices increased on me after i applied the changed the price by thousands of dollars told me i had that day to pay or they would call someone else. You will be hundred percent on your own if you diy hunt and if you get a flat you are spending a whole day driving and getting it fixed assuming you have a good spare and dont flatten it also. Alot of the country is so thick with area that looks like coues deer country. Their roads are narrow scratch the shit out of your truck and rough wash outs with no turn arounds and shitty as all hell. The native guides will ruin your hunt if you go diy they will keep blinds on all the water spots and not let you hunt near any big bulls. They will not be helpful and the wildlife officers will stop you every time they pass you on your hunt and check your license multiple times a day and want to know what you saw and where. I did kill a nice bull but it was tough as shit to get it out with the hot ass weather. Also after i just got done driving to town for ice 4 hours later get back to trailer they want to check the meat make sure i have every piece of meat in the coolers. So i had to unpack the coolers in 95 degree weather and show them all the meat was in the ice chest which totally melted half or more of the 20 bags of ice i just bought. you can pm for my phone number and i can tell you more. I have buddies that weren't allowed to bring anyone with them to help during covid so they hunted alone. The snow could shut the late hunt down and make it completely impossible to hunt the hunt. The roads to get into the malay gap units is clay red mud with deep ruts when dry so if wet not frozen you arent getting into the unit at all you will be fighting getting unstuck by yourself in the middle of no where. Be warned you should spend your $10k on a better landowner tag in NM for the quality and hassles not worth it. I never went back and I hunt alot and had fun on my hunt but not doing it again for the prices now.

Morning GoCougs. Wow, great info. Thanks a ton for taking the time to give your thorough experience and advice. I passed on either of the tags. Guess I sorta smelled a rat from the 1st phone call. Just as you said, it seemed like a scam from the moment I answered the 1st phone call. Actually, it was about the 4th phone call from them before the chick on the other end ever spoke....the first 3 times she just hung up when I answered. From that point forward, it never got any more comforting. I ultimately came to the conclusion that if I was gonna spend $10k I was gonna do it with folks that would at least answer the phone when you called or reply to an email., neither of which did they ever do. Thanks again for the reply, good looking out!

 

[Piercecounty2018]

sounds like a not so great experience for you. I have talked to several other folks who’ve had nothing but good things to say. Great opportunity for a 290-330” bull out of the Malay.
In short, if you’ve hunted in the west before, it’s a great opportunity. 2 hour drive to gas? No problem. Bad roads? No problem, bring chains and a winch. Most guys aren’t successful because they truck hunt or expect a world record.

 

[KHNC]

So when are you doing your hunt?

 

[cattledog04]

Does anyone have a decent camp area in Malay?

 

[Piercecounty2018]

So when are you doing your hunt?

End of December is the rifle tag

 

[DBuck]

I second what Gocougs, take that 10K and buy a landowner tag. You'll be in much better conditions with much better company. Biggest industry for indians is casinos and hunting, both of which they're there to make money, not to make sure you have an enjoyable experience.

 

[Mattman215]

I have hunted the 2nd Archery season on the Malay Gap. You are in for lots of issues to figure out. First the roads with a tiny bit of moisture are going to be shitty as hell. you are 2 hour drive one way to fuel on a long road with no cell service at all. You're going to need to have everything you need for your tent or rv in complete boondock camping from inside the unit including will need a way to cool the meat on that early hunt. I averaged 95 degree high the whole hunt it was so hot like 70s at night. There were bulls but lots of natives driving around hunting spotting bulls for their native tags and guided hunters and would drive right up to any water holes and messed up a lot of setups and call sets. They have lots of rules and rules to follow or you will be kicked off the rez. They are super unorganized with their office and it feels like a scam the whole time even during the hunt you feel taken and don't expect anyone to help you with any information. Their so called good guides are not great and many people i spoke to said their guides screwed them and didn't show up on time and were drunk and didn't find them anything but a rag horn. I paid for maps from the office lady never got them I had the tag prices increased on me after i applied the changed the price by thousands of dollars told me i had that day to pay or they would call someone else. You will be hundred percent on your own if you diy hunt and if you get a flat you are spending a whole day driving and getting it fixed assuming you have a good spare and dont flatten it also. Alot of the country is so thick with area that looks like coues deer country. Their roads are narrow scratch the shit out of your truck and rough wash outs with no turn arounds and shitty as all hell. The native guides will ruin your hunt if you go diy they will keep blinds on all the water spots and not let you hunt near any big bulls. They will not be helpful and the wildlife officers will stop you every time they pass you on your hunt and check your license multiple times a day and want to know what you saw and where. I did kill a nice bull but it was tough as shit to get it out with the hot ass weather. Also after i just got done driving to town for ice 4 hours later get back to trailer they want to check the meat make sure i have every piece of meat in the coolers. So i had to unpack the coolers in 95 degree weather and show them all the meat was in the ice chest which totally melted half or more of the 20 bags of ice i just bought. you can pm for my phone number and i can tell you more. I have buddies that weren't allowed to bring anyone with them to help during covid so they hunted alone. The snow could shut the late hunt down and make it completely impossible to hunt the hunt. The roads to get into the malay gap units is clay red mud with deep ruts when dry so if wet not frozen you arent getting into the unit at all you will be fighting getting unstuck by yourself in the middle of no where. Be warned you should spend your $10k on a better landowner tag in NM for the quality and hassles not worth it. I never went back and I hunt alot and had fun on my hunt but not doing it again for the prices now.

Lol I too have hunted the REZ and this is the most accurate description I have ever read. The animal quality is amazing, the natives pretty much ruin it. Happy to talk as well but what a total cluster, I agree 100% with the above.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I have hunted the 2nd Archery season on the Malay Gap. You are in for lots of issues to figure out. First the roads with a tiny bit of moisture are going to be shitty as hell. you are 2 hour drive one way to fuel on a long road with no cell service at all. You're going to need to have everything you need for your tent or rv in complete boondock camping from inside the unit including will need a way to cool the meat on that early hunt. I averaged 95 degree high the whole hunt it was so hot like 70s at night. There were bulls but lots of natives driving around hunting spotting bulls for their native tags and guided hunters and would drive right up to any water holes and messed up a lot of setups and call sets. They have lots of rules and rules to follow or you will be kicked off the rez. They are super unorganized with their office and it feels like a scam the whole time even during the hunt you feel taken and don't expect anyone to help you with any information. Their so called good guides are not great and many people i spoke to said their guides screwed them and didn't show up on time and were drunk and didn't find them anything but a rag horn. I paid for maps from the office lady never got them I had the tag prices increased on me after i applied the changed the price by thousands of dollars told me i had that day to pay or they would call someone else. You will be hundred percent on your own if you diy hunt and if you get a flat you are spending a whole day driving and getting it fixed assuming you have a good spare and dont flatten it also. Alot of the country is so thick with area that looks like coues deer country. Their roads are narrow scratch the shit out of your truck and rough wash outs with no turn arounds and shitty as all hell. The native guides will ruin your hunt if you go diy they will keep blinds on all the water spots and not let you hunt near any big bulls. They will not be helpful and the wildlife officers will stop you every time they pass you on your hunt and check your license multiple times a day and want to know what you saw and where. I did kill a nice bull but it was tough as shit to get it out with the hot ass weather. Also after i just got done driving to town for ice 4 hours later get back to trailer they want to check the meat make sure i have every piece of meat in the coolers. So i had to unpack the coolers in 95 degree weather and show them all the meat was in the ice chest which totally melted half or more of the 20 bags of ice i just bought. you can pm for my phone number and i can tell you more. I have buddies that weren't allowed to bring anyone with them to help during covid so they hunted alone. The snow could shut the late hunt down and make it completely impossible to hunt the hunt. The roads to get into the malay gap units is clay red mud with deep ruts when dry so if wet not frozen you arent getting into the unit at all you will be fighting getting unstuck by yourself in the middle of no where. Be warned you should spend your $10k on a better landowner tag in NM for the quality and hassles not worth it. I never went back and I hunt alot and had fun on my hunt but not doing it again for the prices now.

This mirrors my experience hunting coues at SC. I had an important legal question before my hunt. The online resources contradicted themselves, I sent dozens of emails and probably called 50+ times over months. I got two people and they gave me contradictory answers. Someone gave me Tim Stevens number (the wildlife director), I called him during business hours, apologized for bothering him, explained I’ve been trying for months to get this resolved, asked my question (was yes or no, nothing crazy). He listened to me explain all of it, then told me to call the ladies at the office, he wouldn’t answer it, hung up, and blocked my number that’s the head guy! You can imagine if he’s that helpful, how helpful everyone under him would be….

 

[gazack80]

So I just verified I did indeed draw both the Malay Gap Archery Sept 3-18 and the Malay Gap rifle. I'm really just a bow hunter, so I'm leaning heavily that way. Anybody have any first hand knowledge or have any friends with first hand knowledge of archery hunting the Malay Gap? I'm also a DIY guy, and most def would prefer that over being guided but i want to gather good info b4 I commit one way or the other. Things like area accessibility, closest grocery stores, closest hotel, etc.... Thanks for any insight.

hey @Shooter Rick can you PM me about your archery Malay Gap hunt. I drew first season archery '25.