Just got back from NM
182BC...4Now!
10/22/09 5:46pm
Hey all! Just got back from a mulie trip in New Mexico. We hunted unit 6 and all I can say is WOW, TOUGH HUNT! Not necessarily a physically tough hunt, but a mentally tough hunt. We were there for 8 days and I think we only saw 18 or 19 deer (12 of which came on one morning)....we covered the ground too. I would say we easlily put 30 miles of boot leather into that unit (plus all of the driving around). This was our first time to the unit, and I expected it to be tough, but I'd be lying if I said we didn't get a little frustrated.
After getting skunked the first couple days, we finally found an area we thought would hold some deer. We found quite a bit of sign, but the deer wouldn't move if their lives depended on it! One afternoon, we hit the jackpot (or so we thought). We jumped 2 bucks right on the edge of being 'shooters' within 45 minutes of hunting a new area, but let them go in hopes of finding something better...things were looking good. Then on the way back to camp, we had a GIANT walk across the road in front of us....easy 180+.....deeeeep forks and and some extras. He crossed over into some private land, but there was some BLM near by, so we hunted it looking for the big boy. No luck though, saw a few elk and a small 6x6 but that's it. I think the unit has some good deer in it, but the overall numbers must be pretty low. That, and the fact that 75% is almost to thick to actually hunt mulies....unless you're just walking around hoping to jump one and make a crack shot on him.
We still had a great time, after all, hunting is waaayyy better than work ever thought about being. Found a few sheds and some small dead heads. The best part about the trip was the elk shed we found. We scored the single at 141"...the circumference behind his G4 is 8 1/2", which gives him a little character. Talked to the game warden and he said that shed was a really good bull for this unit, so I feel pretty lucky for being able to find it. We walked around for 20 min. or so trying to find the other side, but we really wanted to find some deer, so we left. Looking back, I wish I had spend some more time looking...oh well. Hope ya'll enjoy the pics and if anyone is heading to unit 6 in NM, I'll try to help the best I can.
Where we found the elk shed
After getting skunked the first couple days, we finally found an area we thought would hold some deer. We found quite a bit of sign, but the deer wouldn't move if their lives depended on it! One afternoon, we hit the jackpot (or so we thought). We jumped 2 bucks right on the edge of being 'shooters' within 45 minutes of hunting a new area, but let them go in hopes of finding something better...things were looking good. Then on the way back to camp, we had a GIANT walk across the road in front of us....easy 180+.....deeeeep forks and and some extras. He crossed over into some private land, but there was some BLM near by, so we hunted it looking for the big boy. No luck though, saw a few elk and a small 6x6 but that's it. I think the unit has some good deer in it, but the overall numbers must be pretty low. That, and the fact that 75% is almost to thick to actually hunt mulies....unless you're just walking around hoping to jump one and make a crack shot on him.
We still had a great time, after all, hunting is waaayyy better than work ever thought about being. Found a few sheds and some small dead heads. The best part about the trip was the elk shed we found. We scored the single at 141"...the circumference behind his G4 is 8 1/2", which gives him a little character. Talked to the game warden and he said that shed was a really good bull for this unit, so I feel pretty lucky for being able to find it. We walked around for 20 min. or so trying to find the other side, but we really wanted to find some deer, so we left. Looking back, I wish I had spend some more time looking...oh well. Hope ya'll enjoy the pics and if anyone is heading to unit 6 in NM, I'll try to help the best I can.
Where we found the elk shed
1,362
182BC...4Now!
10/22/09 5:48pm
Not a very big one, but he did have a double brow tine
7