Rifle for New Mexico

[Little Joe]

My job tends to move me around. Leaving for Albuquerque in about a week or two. Will be there through hunting season. I tend to live out of motels and and shorter term housing while working, so don’t want to bring a lot of gear with me. I am thinking about picking up a bear tag and hunting the mountains north of Albuquerque, but not familiar with this area. Trying to decide what rifle/gear to bring. Can anyone give me an idea concerning the hunting conditions and the typical distance of shots taken.

I know there is a lot of real estate north of Albuquerque. I haven’t researched any units or specific areas yet. I will do that when I get there. Just trying to get a general idea of what to expect and then make adjust from there.

Thanks.

 

[Mosby]

Anything above a 270 should work well for black bear.

 

[Little Joe]

Thanks for the reply.

I have 3 rifles. One with a 28 inch barrel set up for longer range hunting. The 30-06, an older rifle, is set up for hunting the thicker stuff. 95%of the shots taken with the 06 are between 30 and 80 yards. The 06 isn’t the most accurate rifle and I won’t shoot more than 150 yards with it. The 270, my all purpose rifle, fills the gap. I just don’t know what the vegetation is like up there or how much open space there is.

 

[AZmark]

I live in AZ but just 5 miles from the NM border so I hunt and travel in NM quite a bit. I would just use the 270. NM north of Albq is higher desert to pine forests. You could get 300yd plus shots or a 30 yd shot just walking through the same area. I use a 7mm-08 or a 270 for all my big game hunting here. I also on occasion use a 243 for deer and smaller.

 

[Little Joe]

AZmark thank you very much. That is the exact information I needed. Very helpful.

Beautiful country where you are at. I spent about 6 months in the Gallup area last year, but didn’t have my hunting stuff with me. I skirted around the reservations and did some exploring from the Grants area through Flagstaff and up into southern Utah. Wasn’t able to get north of Albuquerque.

 

[dtrkyman]

Where I tend to encounter bears, thick oak brush in the fall, I would have trouble seeing 100 yards!

 

[meta_gabbro]

If you're talking about the mountains directly northeast of ABQ they're called the Sandias, and like AZmark said you're as likely to take a 50yd shot through thick timber as you are a 200 yard shot across a canyon meadow or a 400 yard shot through the pinon-juniper down in the foothills. That .270 will work a treat though. The PJ transition usually goes from around 7k-8k', depending on which side of the mountains you're on, and smaller scale topography. Personally have hunted for bears down there but I've seen plenty of sign at the lower elevations when the pine nuts are coming out, so they're definitely around.

 

[Little Joe]

Thank you

 

[Tobey]

Rifle for new mexico. That would be whichever handles better in the cab of a truck. Be sure to wear a complete set of expensive camo while driving around, it helps you aim all better bro. North of Albuquerque is literally half the state. Check regs, much of the huntable in the sandias is archery only. units 6 and 45 aren't especially far and bears live there.

 

[AZmark]

Rifle for new mexico. That would be whichever handles better in the cab of a truck. Be sure to wear a complete set of expensive camo while driving around, it helps you aim all better bro. North of Albuquerque is literally half the state. Check regs, much of the huntable in the sandias is archery only. units 6 and 45 aren't especially far and bears live there.

I haven't hunted north of Albq in years, actually the last time was when you could buy OTC deer tags for anywhere in the state. But I do still hunt units 15 and 23 regularly since they're about 5 minutes from my bunk. Expensive camo huh? yeah I'll have to admit I've got some of that...it the Walls brand that Wallmart used to sell many years ago and its nice and soft and broken in.....and NO its not for sale.

 

[meta_gabbro]

and its nice and soft and broken in.....and NO its not for sale.

I pay my manservant to break in my camo for me. And a new set every season of course, wouldn't want to go out in old camo. I mean, what if it's dirty? Can't be having that.

 

[AZmark]

I pay my manservant to break in my camo for me. And a new set every season of course, wouldn't want to go out in old camo. I mean, what if it's dirty? Can't be having that.

I have Walls camo shirts that are at least 30 yrs. I bought a whole bunch back then when they were in the 80% off basket. Wife gripes about how ratty they are every time she washes them....When I put them in the hamper I have to keep and eye on the garbage can to make sure she didnt accidently dropped them there.

 

[Tobey]

I haven't hunted north of Albq in years, actually the last time was when you could buy OTC deer tags for anywhere in the state. But I do still hunt units 15 and 23 regularly since they're about 5 minutes from my bunk. Expensive camo huh? yeah I'll have to admit I've got some of that...it the Walls brand that Wallmart used to sell many years ago and its nice and soft and broken in.....and NO its not for sale.

Right! I remember when my hunting clothes were my school clothes with long johns underneath. Just sayin, seldom see a poorly dressed road hunter hereabouts