New Mexico - 16A Rifle Tag

[Outdoorlife602]

Anyone else get lucky and draw a bull tag for unit 16A this year? Or has anyone else hunted it in the past? Would welcome any advice or someone willing to share info about the unit. I'm debating whether to hire a guide or if a couple scouting trips is enough to give myself a good chance at killing a bull. 

[Coueser]

Awesome tag.  Congrats man.  Sorry, I have no info to give you but happy to know that somebody actually draws these since I have been putting in for these hunts for years without any luck

[Outdoorlife602]

15 hours ago, Coueser said:

Awesome tag.  Congrats man.  Sorry, I have no info to give you but happy to know that somebody actually draws these since I have been putting in for these hunts for years without any luck

Haha, thank you. The New Mexico draw is definitely a crap shoot which makes it hard to plan around when you'll draw a tag. 

[idgaf]

My nephew guides/guided there.  I saw alot of 300 to 320 bulls from the pictures he sent me from the late season. 

[Outdoorlife602]

1 hour ago, idgaf said:

My nephew guides/guided there.  I saw alot of 300 to 320 bulls from the pictures he sent me from the late season. 

Awesome. Shoot me his contact info, I’m calling a few guides for options as well. I’ve heard similar about size expectations. Most bulls around that size but a few really big ones to be found in some ugly places. 

[idgaf]

8 minutes ago, Outdoorlife602 said:

Awesome. Shoot me his contact info, I’m calling a few guides for options as well. I’ve heard similar about size expectations. Most bulls around that size but a few really big ones to be found in some ugly places. 

I will text him real quick.  He's told me who he guides for a dozen times. I just don't remember. 

[idgaf]

24 minutes ago, Outdoorlife602 said:

Awesome. Shoot me his contact info, I’m calling a few guides for options as well. I’ve heard similar about size expectations. Most bulls around that size but a few really big ones to be found in some ugly places. 

He guided for van hale.  He's not doing it this year. 

[Outdoorlife602]

Thanks for checking 

[tomgobbler]

Congrats on a great tag -

Trophy ridge outfitters - Audrey McQueen - she’s a 9 time world champion elk caller - her main hunting lodge is in Luna - but generally has a good camp in the 16’s as well -( depending on how the draw went with all her clients )  I’ve  guided for her off and on but I was mainly in 15 out of her Luna lodge , but we always had some big bulls come out of the 16’s ….. but yea 300-330 is more common . 

[6AYoteHunter]

I deer hunted that unit in 2018. Saw elk daily. The oldest bull I have ever seen was in that unit. Probably only scored low 300s he was so past his prime. Had a lot of gray hair. Saw a good bull every other day during the time we spent up there scouting and hunting. A guide could really be worth it in some spots we saw bulls. We did see mexican wolves so not sure how they have affected patterns of elk in the last 6 years. Deer numbers were low due to a large population of mtn lions. Found lots of lion kills. Elk numbers were still good when I was there. 

[Outdoorlife602]

15 hours ago, 6AYoteHunter said:

I deer hunted that unit in 2018. Saw elk daily. The oldest bull I have ever seen was in that unit. Probably only scored low 300s he was so past his prime. Had a lot of gray hair. Saw a good bull every other day during the time we spent up there scouting and hunting. A guide could really be worth it in some spots we saw bulls. We did see mexican wolves so not sure how they have affected patterns of elk in the last 6 years. Deer numbers were low due to a large population of mtn lions. Found lots of lion kills. Elk numbers were still good when I was there. 

Thank you for the feedback. Was the deer hunt in November?

[couesmagnet]

Which tag did you draw? The first or second rifle?

Great hunt, but quality has declined over the last 10 years. Most herd bulls are 300 to 330 like most units. There’s always some really good ones though. I wouldn’t pass anything in the 350 range. 
I killed a 385 with my bow in 16 a a decade ago. Even then 300 to 330 was your likely herd bull sighting. I’d be over near the unit 23 boundary for the best bulls. If you have the second hunt I would shift your expectations down around 20 inches over the first hunt. Good luck man. 🤙

[Coues247]

People pay for guides to kill a 300 inch bull? Wtf

[idgaf]

3 hours ago, Coues247 said:

People pay for guides to kill a 300 inch bull? Wtf

From my experience,  they usually miss the 360 bull the guide has spent two months scouting and then spend the next 5 days in not the quite tight position,  then they will kill anything.  

[Outdoorlife602]

On 5/8/2024 at 8:31 AM, couesmagnet said:

Which tag did you draw? The first or second rifle?

Great hunt, but quality has declined over the last 10 years. Most herd bulls are 300 to 330 like most units. There’s always some really good ones though. I wouldn’t pass anything in the 350 range. 
I killed a 385 with my bow in 16 a a decade ago. Even then 300 to 330 was your likely herd bull sighting. I’d be over near the unit 23 boundary for the best bulls. If you have the second hunt I would shift your expectations down around 20 inches over the first hunt. Good luck man. 🤙

Thanks! I drew the second hunt which starts Oct 19th. I've heard it both ways about 1st vs 2nd hunt based on rut timing and weather but am expecting the bulls to be broken off from the herds already and in the steep, nasty stuff.