need some answers
jason@fulldraw
11/20/04 7:23pm
i have never been mule deer hunting but i am a serious bow hunter i am going hunting near farmington new mexico. in jan the 8-15 would like to know what to expect . like kind of land . if that area is good . we are hunting privte land . weather . what is a good size to shoot . how many bucks we will see. if there is any thing you can or will tell you will be appreciated. iknow some of my questions might be hard to answer not knowing the land i am hunting just answer for the area. thanks jaosn
3,760
Well, I've bowhunted the area several times, especially when it used to be an OTC bowhunt. First off, G&F has moved this season later than it used to be. When it opened January 1st, I think you saw a far more rut action, IMO.
The area still holds some tremendous bucks, but is declining. Don't know which ranch you are hunting on, but generally the BLM area has Juniper/cedar topped mesas with scattered sage & bitterbrush flats between them. You can see a long way in this country, so bring GOOD optics.
The area is COLD during the January hunt. The worst I've been in there was about -15 in the morning that "warmed" up to about 5. BE PREPARED for cold weather, snow, and bad roads. Have chains, emergency gear so you can stay overnight if you get stuck, and quality gear.
I don't know what kind of animals you're after, so I don't know how many bucks you'll see. Where I hunted, I saw 160" 4x4's everyday, but I was after something bigger. If you just want a medium sized buck (130-140), you'll see those in most places.
If there's snow on the ground (there usually is) you'll need to sit treestands or groundblinds, trying to intercept bucks coming from the cedars (bedding) into the sage/bitterbrush. A few days glassing and somewhat patterning them may help. Dress warm, as sitting in the cold is tough to do. Good luck.