New Mexico advice

[Elkhntr08]

I’m not going to be that guy. I’m not looking for locations or spots, I’ve pretty much got my locations picked if I draw.
What I’d like to know deals with Unit 12. Overall, what am I looking at for average shot distance?
Have a couple different rifles I can take, one is a quick handy 350-400 yard rifle, the other is setup for longer range.
If you’ve hunted there, what was your shot range? Thanks in advance.

 

[trophyhill]

Unless you’re into long range precision at a mile or 2, you should be good with whatever you have. Sneaking in on elk at 20 yards is one thing. 3 to 500 yards should be a cake walk.

 

[Elkhntr08]

My long range is 500-600 yards. That rifle is a 300 Weatherby.
Usually bow hunt, so getting to a couple hundred should be easy depending on cover.

 

[NMpistolero]

12 is either super open or PJ jungle.Shots in 12 can be as long as you want or as long as your comfortable with. And at the other end of the spectrum can be in your face if you’re chasing bulls in the thick stuff. Not much help I know, but that’s the unit.

 

[neilv]

Im hunting unit 12 this year - wondering how your hunt went?

 

[Elkhntr08]

I didn’t draw a tag last year. How do you have a tag when the application isn’t closed. Outfitter tag?

 

[neilv]

I'm buying a landowner tag - i don't officially have it yet but i did put a deposit on one yes sir.

 

[CMF]

Definitely an opportunity for long shots, if my 10 yo was good out to 370 we'd have had a bull, but we weren't shooting that far. That was the only bull we saw during the hunt...

 

[BPAZ223]

NM and the southwest in general have a lot of wide open spaces I would practice out to 500 yards on steel targets at the very least. A friend of mine was doing a hunt there about an hour east of Santa Fe and the closest bull was 450 yards & he missed it. Another guy got a cow at 350.

 

[CAElkhunter]

When hunting Elk, I think it is always a good idea to have a gun that you can shoot out to 400 -500 just in case
they need whacking at that range......

 

[Houseminer]

I'm doing new mex this year as well, first time for me. I just looked at the draw odds and went with high draw odds areas. I'm actually doing muzzy and rifle bull in October, odds are better than az units I put in for.

Good luck, these days I doubt there is an overlooked unit in the country