New Mexico unit 12

[jonnycoder]

I drew Unit 12 for this upcoming October elk hunt. As fate would have it, I had to drive through New Mexico this past weekend so I spent a couple hours north of Quemado and checked out the Tejana Mesa.

Any advice on hunting this unit? Particularly locating elk as it's much different than what I've done before.

I've hunted elk in eastern Oregon and Idaho, but this country is much different. I didn't see any water (May 16) in the washouts, only water troughs on private next to a major dirt road.

One idea was to get on a high Butte and glass long distances since I drew a rifle post-rut tag. I would guess to look for bulls on the hillside of the mesa I was at. I did drive upon 2 cow elk, 3 pronghorn antelope and a few mule deer in the span of the hour I was on a rougher trail (non-gravel). So there are a lot of big game relative to the forests I'm accustomed too. And I saw no people, no camp-type pullouts, so it seems very remote even relative to the likes of Malhuer National Forest in eastern Oregon.

Thanks!

 

[travelert]

Howdy,
Sounds like a pretty good tag. I hunted the unit this last December. My tag was 6 pts or more, 4 days, archery. I saw a dozen or so cows and a half dozen small bulls, 2 larger ones, not 100% sure of points but I think 6X6. It was super cold and the hiking was excellent. Big distances, good classing, and lots of private land and access. I hunted one of the two most remote places I could find (largest tracks of public) but the country is so open it still feels relatively small. But that's not why I didn't get one... I blew it all on my own. Without the limiting tag I feel like I could have filled a tag. Good times either way.

Have fun,
Traveler

 

[HankNM]

Just saw this post. I live in 12.
6500'-9800' Mostly PJ's & grasslands. Mesas & canyons. Wide draws. Ancient volcanoes.
Few paved roads. Roads bad in most wet weather. Rain or thaws.
Only water is wells, drainage tanks. Seasonal streams that can become raging rivers for an hour in monsoon season.
Water is biggest factor. Feed & cover next.
Shaded camping on BLM limited. No camping on State Trust Lands. Again,no water.
Huge ranches & a few subdivisions. Few people. Wary people.
Lots of elk that can move a long ways or hole up in small pockets.
I've helped some folks out, and hear back from a couple.
Just was contacted by a guy I helped a few years ago on another site who saw me here now. Thanked me ,but did not fill tag on tough late bow hunt.Into elk but no tag filled.
After good monsoons.

 

[jonnycoder]

Wow that's some green grass. Perhaps it has been dry or I was too low, but it was not green like that north of Quemado this past Saturday. Can wells and drainage tanks be found on public land? Do bulls still bugle in mid/late October or is that more likely to scare them off?

My camping plan is to be mobile with a truck and cots, along with my backbacking gear. I may tow a travel trailer and keep it on BLM or RV park. Looks like the RV park in Quemado closed down. The friendly lady at the store said there was one at the "top of the world" back east where I came from (near Pie Town?).

View attachment 182546

 

[HankNM]

Wow that's some green grass. Perhaps it has been dry or I was too low, but it was not green like that north of Quemado this past Saturday. Can wells and drainage tanks be found on public land? Do bulls still bugle in mid/late October or is that more likely to scare them off?

My camping plan is to be mobile with a truck and cots, along with my backbacking gear. I may tow a travel trailer and keep it on BLM or RV park. Looks like the RV park in Quemado closed down. The friendly lady at the store said there was one at the "top of the world" back east where I came from (near Pie Town?).

Gets green with monsoon rains.
The pic by my tank & is non monsoon season,the grass dries out by Oct for most part.The warm season grasses,Gramma & such. It's starting to grow again now,since it warmed up.
There are some wells & tanks on public. Mostly on private. No live streams,until it rains. & only then.
I hear bugleing bulls into Nov. sometimes,but I would not blow a bugle that late here. Cow call.
Not much here. The 1 RV place near Pie Town. Quemado has a couple take out only cafe's now. A market & gas.
State is under social proticols with Covid. So I do not know what it will be like in hunt season. Town is usually booming with hunters. We have only had 2 cases in whole county,but one lady from Q died. So area is warry of strangers .....like everyone.
So I would be self contained. Water available @ FS station.
The trailer/5th deal can be a pain on these dirt roads.You could be stuck for a bit if it rains or snows......

 

[jonnycoder]

Howdy,
Sounds like a pretty good tag. I hunted the unit this last December. My tag was 6 pts or more, 4 days, archery. I saw a dozen or so cows and a half dozen small bulls, 2 larger ones, not 100% sure of points but I think 6X6. It was super cold and the hiking was excellent. Big distances, good classing, and lots of private land and access. I hunted one of the two most remote places I could find (largest tracks of public) but the country is so open it still feels relatively small. But that's not why I didn't get one... I blew it all on my own. Without the limiting tag I feel like I could have filled a tag. Good times either way.

Have fun,
Traveler

Good info Traveler.

Did you run into any trouble with roads/gates on private land that would block access to public? I don't know what kind of easements NM has but I have onX elite so will park and hike on public.

I'm not sure how Dec would change the elk behavior in this unit, but hiking in remote sounds like a good idea. Would you recommend that I locate elk bedding in rougher/rugged mesa hillsides and traveling down to feed?

 

[HankNM]

12 is mostly Catron county & some Cibola county. The wild west. Big ranches & a few wary people. Armed people.....lol.
I only have older onxmaps,but Catron county is only one without LO info on map. Gates are locked usually.
Gates are supposed to be open during hunts now & maps of ranches online. Currant UW landowner list is not out yet.
Be interesting to see how they get pinballed around now,everyone being on same grounds......supposedly.
Water is still key!

 

[jonnycoder]

Update on 12... I got a 6x6 bull on opening morning Oct 17 at sunrise in the Eagle Peak wilderness study area. It's one of or the biggest public areas and not really a recommendation since a lot of people camp in there, but I glassed a specific bull with an ambush route that worked with the wind/thermals. All the county roads on onX were correct but dotted lines were maybe 50% or less non existent. We saw elk everyday from Oct 11-16 during scouting but once Oct 17/18 hit, the elk went nocturnal. It was hot and dry. We glassed 9 elk in the central part of the zone, then it turned into 26 the next day, then 50 the day after. Then they moved into private or east. Another hunter got a bull where we thought they moved to.

Hunting/scouting 1-2 miles around water was a big key to our success. Hiking for elk trails, then glassing towards certain areas was the ticket. I could have sat on any Cerro or Eagle Peak itself which is very tall, and never have seen a damn thing unless I was looking in a narrow area. We found trails then glassed towards where it pointed to bedding.

My bull showed himself at 7pm two days in a row but the viewing window lasted seconds then he was behind trees. My friend caught a bull standing up at 5:15pm on the last night at 1.5 miles away. He was looking towards that area because a trail lead from water towards that general area.

It was a fun trip and unit 12 Quemado area is very remote and peaceful.

 

[TX_Diver]

Congrats! Those are some extremely specific locations to put on a public forum though. Might be worth editing your post if you hope to hunt those spots again.

post a pic when you get a chance!

 

[HankNM]

Congrats! Those are some extremely specific locations to put on a public forum though. Might be worth editing your post if you hope to hunt those spots again.

post a pic when you get a chance!

Every spot named was asked about when folks asked me about 12 this year........all I would have avoided.

Water.
Watch trails to & from @ daylight.
Set up near one & wait to see if that is the one today..........all 3 hunters got opportunities that I helped. All 3 spent the day looking and never saw one in full sunlight.......except near here

 

[CGerch]

I must say I would have to agree with TX_diver you are very specific on your details not saying don’t help people but that’s part of western hunting is spending the time figuring out your area, other wise it’s like sitting in someone else’s tree stand and takes the hard work out of it and take away from some of the reward!

Also after reading your post do u drive a red dodge

 

[jonnycoder]

I edited my post to be more general since there may be guides in the area who depend on certain spots. I never got any detailed area recommendations from HankNM but seems the guy who knows the most (or a guide). Never even visited the far southwest part of the unit (anything far south or far west of Eagle Peak WSA). HankNM did say to find water and that was the key.

 

[jonnycoder]

Every spot named was asked about when folks asked me about 12 this year........all I would have avoided.

Water.
Watch trails to & from @ daylight.
Set up near one & wait to see if that is the one today..........all 3 hunters got opportunities that I helped. All 3 spent the day looking and never saw one in full sunlight.......except near here

Hank - two days before opening, I saw a bull and 2 cows at 4:15pm feeding in the juniper at 200 yards. Wind was in our favor. It was the only instance of seeing elk in daylight. It is possible that we bumped them prior and then they started feeding. Funny thing is, we found a gut pile near that water tank 2 days later and figured it was that bull.

 

[HankNM]

Hank - two days before opening, I saw a bull and 2 cows at 4:15pm feeding in the juniper at 200 yards. Wind was in our favor. It was the only instance of seeing elk in daylight. It is possible that we bumped them prior and then they started feeding. Funny thing is, we found a gut pile near that water tank 2 days later and figured it was that bull.

If you had blown it you would have known, they would have run. I doubt you did if you had the wind.
Glad you filled your tag too.
And with minimal help from me......................................lol
It has been so hot & dry they have gone full nocturnal here....just about. I usually see them at my tanks until 9am and again before sunset,not this year. Have not seen a bull in late day since start of bow hunts,unusual.
The areas around the tanks look like cattle feed lots. No cattle here....

 

[TX_Diver]

I edited my post to be more general since there may be guides in the area who depend on certain spots. I never got any detailed area recommendations from HankNM but seems the guy who knows the most (or a guide). Never even visited the far southwest part of the unit (anything far south or far west of Eagle Peak WSA). HankNM did say to find water and that was the key.

Right on.

Post some pics when you get a chance!

Congrats

 

[travelert]

Good info Traveler.

Did you run into any trouble with roads/gates on private land that would block access to public? I don't know what kind of easements NM has but I have onX elite so will park and hike on public.

I'm not sure how Dec would change the elk behavior in this unit, but hiking in remote sounds like a good idea. Would you recommend that I locate elk bedding in rougher/rugged mesa hillsides and traveling down to feed?

I was able to see all my bulls early and late each day. They were moving around. The rag horns were play fighting and grazing and the 2 larger ones I saw were moving in and out of the trees. I saw one at about 500 yards and it stared at the spot where it had seen me for over an hour. That guy was no dummy! I wasnt able to see a lot of pattern because I didnt see a lot of elk and because I have only this elk hunting experience.

 

[Fnbetx]

I’m from Georgia and hunted 13 during second archery this year. 13 borders 12. 13 wasn’t bad and I’m not in the greatest shape. Altitude isn’t bad either your body will adjust quickly. From everything I’ve heard about 12, it isn’t bad at all. Was in 17 two years and parts of it were kinda rough.

How was the hunting in 13? I am taking my sons on a cow hunt in a week.

 

[Nhawkinsf36]

Check

How was the hunting in 13? I am taking my sons on a cow hunt in a week.

Just sent you a PM

 

[ScottSchiller197]

Update on 12... I got a 6x6 bull on opening morning Oct 17 at sunrise in the Eagle Peak wilderness study area. It's one of or the biggest public areas and not really a recommendation since a lot of people camp in there, but I glassed a specific bull with an ambush route that worked with the wind/thermals. All the county roads on onX were correct but dotted lines were maybe 50% or less non existent. We saw elk everyday from Oct 11-16 during scouting but once Oct 17/18 hit, the elk went nocturnal. It was hot and dry. We glassed 9 elk in the central part of the zone, then it turned into 26 the next day, then 50 the day after. Then they moved into private or east. Another hunter got a bull where we thought they moved to.

Hunting/scouting 1-2 miles around water was a big key to our success. Hiking for elk trails, then glassing towards certain areas was the ticket. I could have sat on any Cerro or Eagle Peak itself which is very tall, and never have seen a damn thing unless I was looking in a narrow area. We found trails then glassed towards where it pointed to bedding.

My bull showed himself at 7pm two days in a row but the viewing window lasted seconds then he was behind trees. My friend caught a bull standing up at 5:15pm on the last night at 1.5 miles away. He was looking towards that area because a trail lead from water towards that general area.

It was a fun trip and unit 12 Quemado area is very remote and peaceful.

Johnny,

I also have a rifle tag for the same season you did. Spent some time scouting in may, can you shoot me a PM? Have a few questions for you. Thanks!

 

[rockpuck51]

Long time lurker. With GoHunt tools, it convinced my buddy and I to put in for Unit 12. We both drew this as our first selection (3rd rifle). Pretty excited.

However, after a scouting trip, we were a little discouraged with all of the gates closed this past weekend for grazing. As we understand now, the gates will open during hunting season. Lots of public and private.