2025 NM Elk Draw Thread

[Tom E]

17 second muzzleloader again for me, drew a deer tag too. There's a big boy still out there that I couldn't quite seal the deal on last year so hoping to get another shot at him

Pulled 1st muzzleloader, should be epic

 

[Slick8]

I received my camping permit with an option for deer yesterday.

Not a good unit, but a chance get out in God's country.

Plus I'm a firm believer that my chances to kill a deer are infinitely better in the worst unit then on my couch.
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[HNTRDAVE]

First post on the site. Been researching things for awhile, just registered. I drew 6C archery bull, first time hunting NM. Needless to say I’m a little excited! Anyone hunt that zone before? Couple of my buddies have in the past.

 

[Jaker_cc]

First post on the site. Been researching things for awhile, just registered. I drew 6C archery bull, first time hunting NM. Needless to say I’m a little excited! Anyone hunt that zone before? Couple of my buddies have in the past.

We will be in there for early archery


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[jgilber5]

First post on the site. Been researching things for awhile, just registered. I drew 6C archery bull, first time hunting NM. Needless to say I’m a little excited! Anyone hunt that zone before? Couple of my buddies have in the past.

I live in 6c. Should be good, we're getting so much rain this spring, like every day for 3 weeks. Everything is incredibly green. Seen some fantastic antler growth in the caldera.

 

[Gila]

This year hunting will most likely be very difficult in the Southern units. GMU 17 didn’t get any snow pack last winter. It has also been a very dry spring. We recently got some rain but it is so dry that the fire danger is still rather high. E-plus Unit Wide Land owner tags have had a huge impact on the number of mature bulls in a GMU with a large number of Unit Wide tags. As a result, hunting pressure in some units has almost doubled, especially the first rifle and first muzzie hunts for mature bulls only.

I am trying to find data for how many mature bulls have been harvested on public lands with Unit wide LO tags. I suspect that most of the bulls were killed on public lands during the first rifle and first muzzie hunts. As far as deer are concerned, at the current time the reservations around the 6 GMUs are complaining to the Commission about rut hunting deer. The public draw has rut hunts in those units. The reservations only hunt pre-rut. They are concerned about the “migrating” deer. No I am not joking!

To add insult to injury, Turner Ent has acquired 300K acres in prime mule deer, desert bighorn country. In coalition with the NM conservancy; they are handing out forever conservation easements to surrounding properties. Those private lands will become permanently offline for hunting. The DIY resident as well as the DIY non-resident hunters will have an exceedingly challenging hunt this season for mature bulls and bucks. It is going to take extra boots on the ground pre-season scouting to find that bull. For the DIY hunter, this season I would suggest taking the first legal that gets in range. Good luck and congrats on drawing the tag in the public draw…

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

This year hunting will most likely be very difficult in the Southern units. GMU 17 didn’t get any snow pack last winter. It has also been a very dry spring. We recently got some rain but it is so dry that the fire danger is still rather high. E-plus Unit Wide Land owner tags have had a huge impact on the number of mature bulls in a GMU with a large number of Unit Wide tags. As a result, hunting pressure in some units has almost doubled, especially the first rifle and first muzzie hunts for mature bulls only.

I am trying to find data for how many mature bulls have been harvested on public lands with Unit wide LO tags. I suspect that most of the bulls were killed on public lands during the first rifle and first muzzie hunts. As far as deer are concerned, at the current time the reservations around the 6 GMUs are complaining to the Commission about rut hunting deer. The public draw has rut hunts in those units. The reservations only hunt pre-rut. They are concerned about the “migrating” deer. No I am not joking!

To add insult to injury, Turner Ent has acquired 300K acres in prime mule deer, desert bighorn country. In coalition with the NM conservancy; they are handing out forever conservation easements to surrounding properties. Those private lands will become permanently offline for hunting. The DIY resident as well as the DIY non-resident hunters will have an exceedingly challenging hunt this season for mature bulls and bucks. It is going to take extra boots on the ground pre-season scouting to find that bull. For the DIY hunter, this season I would suggest taking the first legal that gets in range. Good luck and congrats on drawing the tag in the public draw…

Where is the property he bought? Adjacent to the Ladder or elsewhere?

 

[HNTRDAVE]

We will be in there for early archery


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Goodluck ! You going outfitter, or DIY?

 

[HNTRDAVE]

I live in 6c. Should be good, we're getting so much rain this spring, like every day for 3 weeks. Everything is incredibly green. Seen some fantastic antler growth in the caldera.

The outfitter said same regarding the rains. So much he can’t mow the ranches he was saying.

 

[LCguy]

Where is the property he bought? Adjacent to the Ladder or elsewhere?

I think Armendaris to the east of the Butte

 

[dtrkyman]

He’s had the Armendaris for a while!

Trying to close a road to access some public ground from what I’ve heard through the grapevine?


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[Gila]

Where is the property he bought? Adjacent to the Ladder or elsewhere?

Armendaris is about 25 mi East of Elephant Butte.

 

[Gila]

He’s had the Armendaris for a while!

Trying to close a road to access some public ground from what I’ve heard through the grapevine?


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He closed in 2022 i believe. Since then they have recruited some private ranches surrounding the property. The conservation easements do not include public access.

 

[Jaker_cc]

Goodluck ! You going outfitter, or DIY?

DIY

 

[HNTRDAVE]

DIY

Awesome!! Goodluck!!

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

I think Armendaris to the east of the Butte

Armendaris is about 25 mi East of Elephant Butte.

The ladder ranch is on the west side of I25 and is another one of Turner’s properties if I recall. Where is this new property that you were referring to @Gila ?

 

[Gila]

The ladder ranch is on the west side of I25 and is another one of Turner’s properties if I recall. Where is this new property that you were referring to @Gila ?

New as in since 2022. The point I was making is that if you have tags to hunt that unit you will find less public access to any public lands and private lands that have recently enrolled in the conservation easements around that property. Also, private property that is being enrolled will no longer have land owner tags. I recently found out that the DOD has enrolled Oryx property which will decrease public hunting opportunity as well. This happened just before the new administration.

 

[Gila]

Getting back to the thread topic: The public draw for injured military - disabled veterans opened on the 11 June and will end July 16. The draw is for 10 Oryx tags. The hunt is to be scheduled at the convenience of the Gov’t.

 

[CMF]

Just an fyi to NR.
If you ever want a chance to hunt Barbary Rams in 28(Mcgregor), you should reach out to the bio's and talk to them. They issue a bunch of ewe/immature ram tags, but only 10 ES(mature ram) tags which means none make it to the NR pool. The herd obviously supports more ram tags if they can issue 100's of IM/F tags.
Just posting on this thread since all have interest in NM....

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

New as in since 2022. The point I was making is that if you have tags to hunt that unit you will find less public access to any public lands and private lands that have recently enrolled in the conservation easements around that property. Also, private property that is being enrolled will no longer have land owner tags. I recently found out that the DOD has enrolled Oryx property which will decrease public hunting opportunity as well. This happened just before the new administration.

Ah I understand now, had to re-read your initial post. I thought you were saying he bought additional property beyond the Ladder, Armendaris, and Vidal.