Unit 34 New Mexico

[88man]

Well after many years of trying I finally drew a unit 34 New Mexico rifle tag. I plan on doing the hunt diy and any help on where to look or past experiences would be appreciated. Thanks, please pm me.

 

[7mm08Mule]

I also drew unit34 for deer\rifle. Amusing thing is 2 of my buddies also drew for the same hunt. We will be going camping several times over the next couple months to scout as I have never been to that area (I live up near ABQ). The only information I can really find online for that area is for elk. Most are saying above 7000ft elevation anywhere in that unit is prime for elk. From another post someone was saying West Side Road, especially out towards Bug Scuffle Ranch, Baily's and upper La Luz Canyons. Again this is for elk so I'm sure they will be driving the mule down. I'm going to purchase a topo map of that area and stay in sub 7500ft elevation areas, sit on ridges and scope the underbrush. Hopefully that will pay off. gun)

 

[88man]

I will keep you in mind and report back to you if I see any good deer and where. I am very interested as to what this severe drought will do to horn growth and game movement. Thanks, stay in touch.

 

[Treynol1]

Hey guys, Unit 34 is on fire. It is not as big as the fires to the West near the Arizona border, but about 80-90,000 acres were burned as of this monring. Cloudcroft and Riodoso are under air quality warnings because of all the smoke. Fire has to be a game changer for how the game moves around.

 

[7mm08Mule]

Are you referring to the Donaldson fire that started last night from lightning? I heard about that but only saw that it had consumed 15k acres and was a few miles south of Hondo. Didn't realize 90K had been burned up.

 

[thewileyone13]

Unit 34 is a great unit. I think you are looking too low... my experience is that better population is up higher for the rifle hunt. There are a ton of elk in 34.

 

[WTXDrifter]

gun)Just got back from unit 34. Camped in the Camp of the Tall Pines, and recommend it highly. Area has a lot of Bear and Bobcat coming into the camp; suggest wearing a side arm. All that burned has green sprouts coming up and looks like good grazing.

Now for the negatives:
The store at the highway into Weed has the only gas pump that side of Cloudcrof or Mayhill.

No beer except in Cloudcrof.

The only cafe is in Sacrememto.

Dry Forest camping. Bring your gas cans, water cans and generator.
I'll be there for the In-line Black powder season starting Oct. 15th

 

[thewileyone13]

How did you do? Cafe in Mayhill and fuel in Mayhill also... bar closed there a couple years ago. Not much rain up there this year either, been dry.

 

[WTXDrifter]

How did you do? Cafe in Mayhill and fuel in Mayhill also... bar closed there a couple years ago. Not much rain up there this year either, been dry.

Mayhill is a quite little town and enjoyable. Have camped there a few times. But Lord! That hill from Weed down to the highway into Mayhill has caused me to go South and come back around through Dunkin. I was up there to scout the terrain and look for likely camping spots. Now watch they will be taken when I get there.

 

[thewileyone13]

Mayhill is a quite little town and enjoyable. Have camped there a few times. But Lord! That hill from Weed down to the highway into Mayhill has caused me to go South and come back around through Dunkin. I was up there to scout the terrain and look for likely camping spots. Now watch they will be taken when I get there.

LOL, yeah there are a few places thru there that will test your vehicle and brakes, especially when hauling. Best of luck! I won't be up there hunting this year so I won't be taking any camping spots. Sure wish you the best of luck. There are some nice big bulls in there.

 

[WTXDrifter]

Thanks for the words of wisdom. If we ever meet, I hope I can give you an Elk Steak.

 

[curtis]

Man!!! I really miss the Cloudcroft area. I was stationed at Holloman AFB from '98 - '01. I never was drawn for elk but we saw some big boys in that area. One of the biggest bulls I have ever seen was on private land just outside of Cloudcroft. Isn't that how it usually goes? LOL Good luck this year gentlemen and make sure you all post pics!

Knappy

 

[WTXDrifter]

Why didn't someone tell me cloudcroft is spelled with a "T"? I just wrote it the way folks in West Texas pronounce it, Cloudcrof (??)

We are planning to camp just off the road where Perk Canyon and James Lewis Canyon are together. Want to be close to the good road just in case the weather turns bad. "Don't know what to expect the last half of Oct.
Packing two kinds of clothes.

 

[7mm08Mule]

Went camping\scouting in lincoln this weekend. We camped at Bluff Springs off of Upper Rio Penasco Rd. The camping area was clean and quiet. Small stream right next to the site with trail access south into the bush. There were a lot of fresh tracks, urine and droppings scattered along the game trails we walked. Had to get up over 9000ft elevation to see any critters. Spooked up 5 cow elk near the top of the first ridge. Failed to see any mule deer however. The temperature dropped quite a bit over night to ~30 degrees. There is a stretch of private property on Rio Penasco that starts 2 miles east of Bluff Springs at a cattle guard and runs the remainder of that road until it reaches Hwy 130. I wont be back down there until mid November so hopefully there will be snow on the ground by then. Overall lincoln national forest is really beautiful. As you head east on hwy 82 from Alamogordo to Cloudcroft the desert turns to forest in a blink of an eye.