COOSEFAN Report post Posted October 10, 2006 Hey guys, not looking for areas or GPS coordinates, just wondering if any of you had ever hunted in this unit for Mule deer. It borders the Jicarilla so I know the potential it has but have never set foot there. I have hunted in 2C but was wondering if the country is similar, what type of bucks should a guy hold out for on the late hunt (Nov. 11) and is there any access issues there? I will be headed there this weekend to scout just looking for some general info so I know what to expect. Thanks for any info you offer, JIM> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redneck74 Report post Posted October 10, 2006 huge deer!!! The migration has started. CO had a 4' of snow in the San Jauns which has started pushing deer through the San Jaun Basin. It will be a great year Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted October 10, 2006 Hey Michael, glad to hear about the snow. I remember what you told me and that is where I'm gonna start my scouting this weekend. I was wondering if there were any access issues I should be aware of before I head out, like bad roads, locked gates/private land etc. Thanks, JIM> Hey Michael, I'm still waitin' to see them pic's from your ranch! email: jkmullins@cox.net Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted October 10, 2006 A lot of the roads leading to the wells will be gated and locked. A mountain bike may be handy. Bring chains for the truck in case its muddy. I had a 2B tag a few years ago, but ended up hunting in what is now 2C. RR Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5yearcoueshunter Report post Posted October 10, 2006 I've only hunted unit 2b once when I was 15. I'm going up there on the late hunt too this year for the first time since then which was 10 years ago! If the migration has started early like I've been hearing, then you might want to concentrate in the lower country on the west side of the unit closer to Navajo lake. There is a lot of BLM land here with more roads, but lots of more open country off the beaten path as well. I wouldn't be surprised if the rut might get be getting started on the late hunt as well, so checking the flats for does might not be a bad idea. I think the roads in the BLM are not as maintained, so if conditions get bad this might not be the place to go. Travis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5yearcoueshunter Report post Posted October 10, 2006 I don't think the deer have made it down to NM yet, but I've heard the San Juan mountains in Colorado got snow which is pushing them down early. Of course, I don't know this first hand, but have heard it through the grapevine. Travis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted October 20, 2006 A lot of the roads leading to the wells will be gated and locked. A mountain bike may be handy. Bring chains for the truck in case its muddy. I had a 2B tag a few years ago, but ended up hunting in what is now 2C. RR I'm back from NM......I wish I had listened to Doug's post! I needed chains, luckily I had my Rhino....which is nothing but a huge mud ball on wheels now, and I walked many miles of locked roads wishing I had a mountain bike! I spent quite a bit of time in CO. checking out what may move down, and holy crap! I have never seen more deer in my life, Turkeys also!. The migration is starting and alot of deer are just getting into NM and if you are along the northern border, there's beat down paths where herds of deer have moved down..........I tried, and could never find a deer track heading North! My biggest and only complaint is, out of over 150 deer that I saw.....the biggest buck was nothing more than a very thin antlered, 23" 4X4!!!! I don't have alot of first hand experience hunting areas with such a widespread migration pattern, those deer are moving probably 3 to 4 times farther than our Kaibab deer do when the snow hits! There is alot of snow in the San Juans and it is COLDER than HECK in northern NM! There is actually signs of the rut already! I watched several small bucks cruising herds of does checking each one out, and just about every herd of does has at least one small buck following them around. WHERE are the big bucks? I'm not talking about 200" inchers, I'm talking about heavy, mature bucks? I never found one...I hiked miles and miles and never even found a track that I thought would be a mature buck! My hope is, and I hope someone here agrees, is that the bigger, mature bucks have not moved down yet? Why would there be a lack of resident mature bucks though? I'm sure there are resident bucks, but there are Well roads everywhere, and I covered alot of miles on roads looking for sign and never found even a mature looking track? I've got my game plans all set, just hoping bigger bucks move down or into my areas! JIM> p.s. I did find a perfect 340" bull elk skull! VERY cool.......EXCEPT, I had to leave it, it was bleached out enough for AZ standards, but not legal to keep in NM 'cause of the attached antler law I threw it up an a boulder so it would be easier to glass up again later and took some video, I'll post some pics soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mulie hunter Report post Posted October 20, 2006 Coosefan sounds like you got a exciting hunt ahead of you , with the potential to take a real monster mulie, if the rut is starting to kick in the big boys will come out of the wood work by your hunt, can't wait to see the photos of your hunt, their always great. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5yearcoueshunter Report post Posted October 20, 2006 Hey Jim, Glad you made it back to Arizona safe. You hit the nail on the head about the bigger bucks. They will be there. They are always the last to come down from the mountains being more reluctant. Of course weather and the rut will ultimately bring them in. They still don't grow on trees, but they will be there. In most of unit 2B, there is a small to non-existant herd of resident deer. The unit is pretty much a winter range. Of course there is pockets of resident deer but not very many. There are more resident deer I think in 2A and 2C. That's very good news about the migration already starting. It is definately early this year. I have been on the late hunt a couple times in dry years and not seen any big bucks. Just the small fork horns and such like you mentioned. The last hunt I think will definately be the hunt for the big bucks as the early hunts will probably cull out a lot of smaller legal bucks. I sure hope the big bucks don't come in too early and get shot in the early hunts. I guess time will tell. I have the last hunt also but I haven't been there for almost 9 years so I'm pretty excited. Good luck to you! Travis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted October 20, 2006 Sent a PM to ya Travis. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5yearcoueshunter Report post Posted October 20, 2006 Hey Jim, did you get my reply? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted October 20, 2006 Yes, Thanks very much! I had already thought of the possibility of the herds passing me up where I plan on hunting, I didn't check out the lower stuff much, but it ( from a distance ) looks hard to hunt? I plan on hitting that stuff more in depth when I go back looking for back-up plans. I hope to run into you guys as well, be safe and good luck! JIM> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
