FNG in NM

BIG_KUMAR

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 19, 2022
Messages
123
Finally decided to introduce myself...

I was born and raised hunting and fishing on our cattle ranch in central Texas where I spent most of my time chasing doves, ducks, deer, and pigs. There were a couple of years of active duty that didn't allow me to hunt, but I was able to sneak in some time in the woods when I was stationed in west TN. I have hunted over crop fields and in river bottoms with everything from a bow or shotgun to muzzleloader and rifle.

My career has recently brought me to Los Alamos, NM and I don't have a clue about chasing elk or mule deer through the mountains but I thought that this would be a good place for me to start learning.
 

BBob

WKR
Joined
Jun 29, 2020
Messages
3,587
Location
Southern AZ
recently brought me to Los Alamos, NM and I don't have a clue about chasing elk or mule deer through the mountains
Those live literally outside your door. Get out and just start looking around. Seriously, you live smack dab in the thick of some great country and it takes almost no time at all to get on the trails or in the hills where they live up there. Get after it and in no time you'll start figuring it out.

Oh, even though you can't shoot them the yard bucks can be quite impressive! Have you had a chance to see any of them yet? Some big garbage bears too :)
 
Last edited:
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BIG_KUMAR

BIG_KUMAR

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 19, 2022
Messages
123
Those live literally outside your door. Get out and just start looking around. Seriously, you live smack dab in the thick of some great country and it takes almost no time at all to get on the trails or in the hills where they live up there. Get after it and in no time you'll start figuring it out.

Oh, even though you can't shoot them the yard bucks can be quite impressive! Have you had a chance to see any of them yet? Some big garbage bears too :)

I honestly haven’t gotten to see a whole lot other than on-site (LANL), but I have only been out here a week or so. The my list of places to hike/camp/explore is getting longer and longer, I eventually need to start working on getting out there to see some of them.

I am hoping that once I get the family settled I can start putting in some miles.
 
Joined
May 1, 2021
Messages
374
Fer cryin' out loud KUMAR, it doesn't take a PhD. Just drive 20 minutes up the hill after work.
 
OP
BIG_KUMAR

BIG_KUMAR

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 19, 2022
Messages
123
I really appreciate the responses, and I completely understand that driving up the hill and actually getting in the woods will do more good than anything else. It sounds like some of you are familiar with the area as well.

I was talking with some coworkers today about hunting and the draw system, and they made it sound like you can hope to draw once or twice a decade no matter the animal. Does that sound right? I was really hoping that most people would average a tag of some sort every 2-3 years instead of the 6-8 that they made it sound like. I am going to have to start looking out of state even more if it really is that bad.
 

Kryos73

FNG
Joined
Jul 28, 2022
Messages
16
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Hello Kumar. I am down I25 from ya a bit in the Albuquerque area. Nice to meet some relatively close. I've seen plenty of critters on the drive up to LANL. Our company does some work for those guys.

I have drawn 4 years in a row for at least one animal. This year I drew for deer and elk. My best advice is to obtain the draw report from previous years and look at a program like Top Rut. Studying the results and utilizing TR has helped me a lot. If you only want to put in for the "trophy" units then your draw odds are definitely going to suffer. Thankfully as I am learning there are good animals all over this state. Now if I could only convince one to step in front of my arrow LOL! Good luck to ya out there.

Oh, if you're still shooting bow and are looking for a place to shoot there are two nice indoor ranges here in ABQ and a great outdoor range in the Sandia Mountains.
 

Bow-hnt

FNG
Joined
Jun 25, 2019
Messages
7
I really appreciate the responses, and I completely understand that driving up the hill and actually getting in the woods will do more good than anything else. It sounds like some of you are familiar with the area as well.

I was talking with some coworkers today about hunting and the draw system, and they made it sound like you can hope to draw once or twice a decade no matter the animal. Does that sound right? I was really hoping that most people would average a tag of some sort every 2-3 years instead of the 6-8 that they made it sound like. I am going to have to start looking out of state even more if it really is that bad.
Not true, go get a membership on gohunt.com, do your homework play the odds you will draw.
 

dtrkyman

WKR
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
2,931
Draw is tough, particularly up the hill from you. You can draw something about every year depending on how you hunt.

Bear, Cat's, Javelina are OTC depending on units and weapon.

Welcome to NM, I'm in Santa Fe.
 
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