Gila Wilderness Archery

[TBoschma]

InPursuit, Congrats on a great tag! I have been blessed to have a few tags in the Gilas and even more blessed to have killed a few bulls. This is a great unit to have, the way things are looking its going to be a banner year in the Gilas. Ill be hunting the second season this year, as this will be my last year hunting NM as a resident. Be ready for the rain in Sept when it rains it pours!

My bull from 2014

 

[InPursuit]

Outstanding bull! Thanks for posting the pic....

 

[NoWiser]

Congrats on the tag. You are going to have an awesome hunt! I had a 2nd season tag for an adjoining unit last year and it was incredible. The bulls were going insane on the 12th of September. It slowed down a little and then got crazy on the 17th and 18th, but not in time for me to put the tag on a bull. Man did we see some monsters, though! I can't imagine a more enjoyable hunt. We saw some very, very big bulls that were taken during the 1st hunt while we were scouting. Only saw one bull killed on the 2nd hunt.

If I were you, I'd find a way to stay the entire season. You won't regret it.

My dad drew the same adjoining unit this year 1st season. We'll be down early enough for 2 days of scouting and then will hunt the entire 14 days if we need to. I prayed I'd get a chance to experience the Gila again and I will get that opportunity. I'm no less excited even though I don't have a tag myself.

Good luck!!

 

[les welch]

If it were my tag I would go in 2 days before opener and be there the whole hunt.

 

[InPursuit]

Les Welch - we are planning on going in a day or two before the opener and staying for at least 10 days.

 

[les welch]

Les Welch - we are planning on going in a day or two before the opener and staying for at least 10 days.

Nice. I think you will have a great hunt then if you do the work!

 

[quackaddict]

Just to touch back on the elevation thing...in my experience in the Gila, throw that out the window. I had a first archery elk hunt in 2013 and was in bulging bulls most of the day at around 7k feet, just across the street from B. And they were already with cows. These elk don't "migrate" like they do elsewhere either. It's still hot as hell at 9k feet + in the Gila in Sept.

 

[InPursuit]

Just to touch back on the elevation thing...in my experience in the Gila, throw that out the window. I had a first archery elk hunt in 2013 and was in bulging bulls most of the day at around 7k feet, just across the street from B. And they were already with cows. These elk don't "migrate" like they do elsewhere either. It's still hot as hell at 9k feet + in the Gila in Sept.

"Bugling most of the day"

 

[quackaddict]

Haha...sometimes, auto-correct makes a funny.

 

[jjhunt]

Don't know if anyone has brought this up yet, but water is a huge deal in the wilderness. Last year we went in 8.5 miles to two tanks. We had four water filters completely clog after 3 days. We were on bulls but were forced to head back to the trail head. Make sure you plan better than we did.
I would go in early and stay as long as you could.

 

[JPD350]

The last hunt I took a 2.5 gallon jug of water in 2 weeks before the hunt, it was nice to have it for sure, I stuck it in a tree wrapped up in camo burlap and stuck a bunch of extra branches around it.

After the rains 2 years ago I saw numerous tanks that got filled completely with dirt and boulders, no more tanks!! so just cause the map says there is a tank doesn't really mean there is a tank there!!

 

[El Gavilan]

I'm turkey hunting in AZ about 60 miles west of the Gila, woke up to this this morning, wind howling and still spitting snow, 9000 ft elevation.

 

[InPursuit]

Has anyone made it down to scout yet? Curious to how it looks in 16B with the rainfall? I've heard reports of wetter than ever and still very dry...

 

[earlyriser]

To respond to your original question, I'm headed in on Labor Day weekend and staying the duration. No specific reason, other than it fits into my work schedule better. Sounds like you have your plan worked out. Good luck and maybe our paths will cross...Ha!

 

[dashj7]

I hunted 16B in the monsoon of 2013. Kicked my tail. I drew 15 this year. Good luck to all.

 

[InPursuit]

59 days....

 

[Z Barebow]

I will repeat the emphasis on water. I first hunted this unit in 1998. They was water everywhere, even on tops.

I returned in 2000 with my buddy. Almost ZERO water up top. What water was there was stagnant. (Comparable to corral water) My buddies filter plugged in less than 5 gallons.

Elk need water to. If you have a wet summer, no issues. Dry summer, you are going to find plenty of dried up waterholes. You and the elk might be dropping down into the canyons.

 

[InPursuit]

I will repeat the emphasis on water. I first hunted this unit in 1998. They was water everywhere, even on tops.

I returned in 2000 with my buddy. Almost ZERO water up top. What water was there was stagnant. (Comparable to corral water) My buddies filter plugged in less than 5 gallons.

Elk need water to. If you have a wet summer, no issues. Dry summer, you are going to find plenty of dried up waterholes. You and the elk might be dropping down into the canyons.

I'll be camped at a water source. There should be water this year and plenty of elk.