NM draw results came out today. Christmas came early this year - I drew a Gila bull tag.

Now I definitely have the motivation I need to kick my training into the next gear.

I'm beyond excited!

Congrats. Bow, rifle, or muzzleloader?

Good luck getting in shape and getting that bull!

quote:

Originally posted by DesertRam:
Congrats. Bow, rifle, or muzzleloader?

Good luck getting in shape and getting that bull!

Second season rifle.

I'm already poring over the maps and rethinking gear. My hunting buddy stays in mountain hunting shape year round so it will be all I can do to just keep up with him.

Cool, that could be a good hunt.

Depending on the unit, you may not face real steep mountains. Some of 15, some of the 16s, and even part of 17 have fairly mild terrain, not counting the elevation difference from TX to there. If you're in the wilderness though, you'll be working for it! Good luck over there.

That is outstanding elk country, I hunted and fished it a good deal with my dad in my early youth, but too young to know much about it today other than what Im told by some cowboys.

A lot of diverse terrain. I have hunted there 4 times. Always best to get in the best shape you can. It is not a mountain goat hunt...The there is open terrain and forested. Get someone to pack you in 15-20 miles.
When I first began going there 35 yrs ago archery for Elk it was an unknown honey hole. The lottery was a joke because they could not give away all the tags.
Then Jim "DUMBO" Zumbo wrote an article about it in a sporting rag and there were 50,000 applicants for those tags from then on. Prices went through the roof for land owner permits; just opened up pandoras box.
Social media has its down side. If you find yourself a hunting honey hole might keep it to your self. Stay off BRAG BOOK!
I stuck what was then the second largest Coues deer in New Mexico on top of brushy mountain in Gila 3 1/2 decades ago.
There are still those honey holes that are not cost prohibiting. You will not find them on social media.
Congrats on drawing the tag. There are big elk in the GILA. Mulies, Couse and Lions as well.


EZ

I recall back in the day the beautiful country and you could get good bulls driving the roads and walking out the shallow canyons, and even saw good bulls from the pickup as well as Mule deer..

Later on we hauled horses way back in the high country and it was a bull elk honey hole and always 100% kill for everyone, and mostly great weather, I say mostly, a few times we packed out in two foot of snow if everyone had their elk if not I guess those old timers would stay until spring..The old timers (mostly ranchers) were damn tough and weather proof, all they needed to survive were cigerettes, whisky and a coffee pot..Sit around in the snow with a fire burning dranking coffee and smoking cigeretts and coughing their lungs up, the whisky helped it seemed to us kids..

May be moving to Silver City before long. Will have the Gilas in my back yard, but now I am getting too old and carved up to hunt that kind of country.

My son and I drew unit 23 in the Gila Archery first season.
It will be hot and unit 23 has little water and pretty tough.
Working out and getting ready.

EZ

What unit, and what do you want to know?

I have spent a lot of time in the 16s.

I don't have a Gila tag this year.

I Have been hunting the Gila 4 times previously. 3 times 40 years ago, then they could not give away all the tags. Hunted in the wilderness three times.
About 8-9 years ago in unit 16.
Drew 23 this time and it borders the Arizona border. Appears most hunted in the northern portion. I think the terrain is a bit more challenging than 16 or the areas in the Wilderness I hunted.
Might sneak out there in August and look around.
The area is actually very close to Reserve.
It was our third selection on the draw submittal. The wilderness was first.
We put in with a guide service to enhance our chances in the draw.

EZ

I liked the stream fishing back in the day and the lakes were and still are I bet, great fishing..

Ray, when you were there as a boy, wasn't it still part of Mexico??? :-)

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Ray, when you were there as a boy, wasn't it still part of Mexico??? :-)

I think it was still part of Gondowana!

They have their own indeginious species of trout in the river there.
Might be the Gila trout. Hard to remember.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
I liked the stream fishing back in the day and the lakes were and still are I bet, great fishing..

dunno Biebs there were no signs or pavement!!

I remember they had cut throat, rainbow, brook. but I wouldn't know any other...

Bumping this old thread because I (unbelievably) drew another Gila bull tag this year.

Between my hunting buddies and me we have two tags in the same unit but different seasons.

What to do, what to do...

quote:

Originally posted by T.J.:
Bumping this old thread because I (unbelievably) drew another Gila bull tag this year.

Between my hunting buddies and me we have two tags in the same unit but different seasons.

What to do, what to do...

Did you get one the last time?

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

Originally posted by T.J.:
Bumping this old thread because I (unbelievably) drew another Gila bull tag this year.

Between my hunting buddies and me we have two tags in the same unit but different seasons.

What to do, what to do...

Did you get one the last time?

Came home empty handed but we opportunities for sure. Hard lessons learned about elk hunting and I'm humble enough to admit it.

Our problem is now figuring out how to hunt these tags. And by that I mean going all in for one 5-day season or something like hunting 3 days on one and 2 days on another. Leaning towards something like the latter and taking the chance for two bulls. We know how fortunate we are to have this issue.

We do have some knowledge about the unit that I won't put in a public forum that's driving some of the decision making as well.

Welcome any thoughts from the AR crew.

You can't hunt each season 5 days each? Those are not easy tags and trying to limit yourself on days no matter how well you know the area is dangerous proposition. If I was in your shoes I would hunt 5 days on both hunts, but regardless I hope you and your buddy score. Best of luck

quote:

Originally posted by mbogobutch:
You can't hunt each season 5 days each? Those are not easy tags and trying to limit yourself on days no matter how well you know the area is dangerous proposition. If I was in your shoes I would hunt 5 days on both hunts, but regardless I hope you and your buddy score. Best of luck

Exactly! Any of those Southwest units are excellent tags, I’d hunt every damn day, plus get there early to scout. I’ve killed bulls in 13, 15, 16a, and 23 and if I could ever get another tag I’d be there a week early and hunt every damn day.

Be aware of the Wildfire Pass fire in the Gila’s. Currently 60% contained with 60k acres burned.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Ray, when you were there as a boy, wasn't it still part of Mexico??? :-)

Well I spoke Spanish so didnt know where I was! mom said he spoke better Spanish when he was 12 than he does now because he knew all the idioms and Indian words mislabeled as Tex=Mex,