NM Unit 13 Adivce

[wtx]

Hello everyone. Drew a mule deer tag in unit 13 and just looking for advice. Anything is appreciated. Looks like a hard unit to hunt with the reservation taking up a large portion as well as private land. I like the looks of the Cibola forest around Datil and Magdalena and BLM around Landron Peak. Planning to scout in a week or two before the November 13th start. I've got at least 50 possible water holes marked. Is there any water on the ground? I got alerts all summer during the rainy season. Not looking for anyone's honey holes, just placed to avoid really. Willing to put in the miles to get away from the crowds. Anyone willing to share?

Thanks!

 

[dtrkyman]

Be prepared to look for deer for long periods of time without finding any. I have been down that way for months, mostly in 12 though. Very few deer sightings, however the good news is there are some really big deer in the area!

Water is drying up, but lots of dirt tanks had water that have not in years. I would take some long rides after dark and locate some deer, them try and glass that area.

 

[Tmac]

Hunted unit 10 some years ago near where it borders 13. We worked and found three 3 pockets of deer. We found them on more open hillsides with browse at daylight. Your strategy is a good one, if it’s dry enough. I’d also wipe out tracks in places I could get back to in a day or so just to verify activity and usage of water holes. Went 2/3. Both bucks were whoppers, a heavy 31” 4x4 just under 180 and a picture perfect tall 28” 4x4 just over 190, both were running together. They were a couple miles from water. Only saw 3 other small bucks near a campground south of Thoreau. Was not an easy hunt, mostly due to the low deer numbers, they were tough to find. But there were some very large deer in the area. Good luck.

 

[wtx]

Hunted unit 10 some years ago near where it borders 13. We worked and found three 3 pockets of deer. We found them on more open hillsides with browse at daylight. Your strategy is a good one, if it’s dry enough. I’d also wipe out tracks in places I could get back to in a day or so just to verify activity and usage of water holes. Went 2/3. Both bucks were whoppers, a heavy 31” 4x4 just under 180 and a picture perfect tall 28” 4x4 just over 190, both were running together. They were a couple miles from water. Only saw 3 other small bucks near a campground south of Thoreau. Was not an easy hunt, mostly due to the low deer numbers, they were tough to find. But there were some very large deer in the area. Good luck.

Nice deer to pull out of there! Thanks for the input.

 

[Tmac]

Nice deer to pull out of there! Thanks for the input.

Thanks. Was quite a bit of luck involved in stumbling on those two. But there were some very good ones in that general area, suspect there still are.