Hunting & Fishing Bull Elk - New Mexico Unit 12 or 34 Advice

[lilharcher]

Seriously considering buying a land owner tag in Unit 12 (New Mexico) near Quemado, NM or in Unit 34. Anyone have any info regarding these units........both units boast high success rates and from what I am told, alot of 300" - 340" class bulls. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[waveslayer]

Seriously considering buying a land owner tag in Unit 12 (New Mexico) near Quemado, NM. Anyone have any info regarding this unit........unit boasts a high success rate and from what I am told, alot of 300" - 340" class bulls. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

PM me. Have a guide that lives there

 

[lilharcher]

Seriously considering Unit 34 in NM too.....just added to the list. Please let me know if you have any information.

 

[waveslayer]

I like unit 12 over 34. Some nice bulls in Unit 15 and 13. Go with 12 and see if you can hunt close to 15. I hunted near 12 and bagged a nice 5x7 bull with my bow.

 

[lilharcher]

Hunting on 12 is virtually all on Private Land and I hear that after archery season, the bulls start moving around given the pressure. So during rifle season, some private land will hold some good bulls, and other will be 100% dry, even those that were holding good bulls in September. My delemia is the private land that I am considering is only 4000 acres (very close to 15), but there is like 12 rifle tags on it. One of the better guides in that area has stated that 12 rifle tags on 4000 acres is too many and will put too much pressure on the bulls in the area, which makes sense. That particular guide has 10,000 acres and only has 8 hunts on it, going 5 for 8 last year.

Per Hunter's Trailhead (hunting research site), the trophy potential is higher in Unit 34 than 12.......the Sacramento herd is doing very well, with a lot of 300+ bulls. This opportunity is on 20,000 acres, that bumps up to the huge apache reservation that charges $13,500 per hunt. Obvious my opportunity is significantly less. Per DFG website, success on prIvate land in unit 34 was like 70% too.

 

[Jared Aguilar]

Those are two completely different types of units as you probably already know. The Elk in 12 are scattered and can move miles in one night and for the most part are usually less vocal, but not hard and fast rule. A lot of small landowners have co-oped their tags and 4000 Ac might be 1000 here and 1500 there and smaller places. The two biggest factors in 12 are the Rye fields and Water. That will make a huge difference in holding and drawing elk. Land owners can pretty much set their own numbers in 12 so that can be the reason for tag numbers.

if it's a unit wide 34 tag it might be a better deal. Same deal though. If it's in bachelor pad country the bulls might head to the res to rut and come back to winter.
Probly not much help but as far as killing a bull,if the 12 country doesn't have rye fields I'd do 34.

 

[lilharcher]

Thanks Jared for your input....good stuff. The unit 12 land does have Rye fields and water, but worried the pressure of 12 rifle tags could have the bulls on the run. Still trying to see what else is out there, but still open buying that tag in 12. Thanks again.