New Mexico Unit 2b Nov 5-9 Advice (Mule Deer)

[SURVEYOR]

Hey guys I drew a 2b Rifle Muley tag for November 5-9. I've never hunted this unit before if anyone has any pointers it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[nsedillo]

SURVEYOR,

Are you from NM? It is MESA country, i would strongly recommend learning the lay of the land. A lot of big deer up there, IDK how familiar you are with the general area but it borders the Jicarilla Reservation, again more BIG deer. Plus, the odds of you drawing this tag again are slim to none. I haven't checked the numbers this year, but last year over 7,000 people put in for that tag, if i'm not mistaken. Take full advantage!

 

[SURVEYOR]

SURVEYOR,

Are you from NM? It is MESA country, i would strongly recommend learning the lay of the land. A lot of big deer up there, IDK how familiar you are with the general area but it borders the Jicarilla Reservation, again more BIG deer. Plus, the odds of you drawing this tag again are slim to none. I haven't checked the numbers this year, but last year over 7,000 people put in for that tag, if i'm not mistaken. Take full advantage!

No im in Tx. Have you hunted this area before?

 

[jm1607]

I can't really help but that is a good tag.. Probably 5% odds to win??

I'd say wear alot of orange cause there's going to be 450 other guys with guns running around out there.. Also, the last couple days of the season should get a little better as the rut creeps closer..

That's all I've got! GL fellow Texan

 

[nsedillo]

No my friend, wish i had more to offer but that is about the extant of what i know. like jm1607 mentioned, a lot of hunters. Do your best to know the unit so you can avoid the other hunters as much as your are able to.

 

[buzzy]

I drew the golden tag, a 2C rifle tag, a few years back. I believe 2B and 2C are very similar geography. There are a ton of gas roads in the unit. You basically drive around to cover more ground and hopefully find a big deer. I went guided and would recommend the same. The guide was a local and he had 7 friends out looking for a deer for me on the opening weekend. He also had contacts with the well workers. We ended up shooting the smallest deer they had shot in the past 7 years at 183" perfectly symmetrical deer. He had been over 200" 2 years ago and had eluded their hunters the past 2 years. He was on the downside of his life.

We also had a full moon that we had to deal with and it killed us. Good luck on the hunt.

 

[blb078]

I've hunted 2b a couple times. It's not what it use to be. There are gas roads but all the gates to get anywhere deep into the unit will be closed. Expect to see a lot of deer, I don't mean big deer, you will see a ton of does, fawns, forkies, etc(I've seen more deer in that unit than anywhere I've ever hunted, and I live in MO where we had unlimited doe tags due to over population). On the Eastern side along the Jic it is more of a mountain type terrain, it's not super high up or anything just not as open country like the Western or Southern portions of the unit, it seems to have the highest density of deer and the highest density of hunters too. The forks along the lake can be ok but that area is really dependent on snow in CO to push them down to the unit. You can hunt south of the highway and try to get some of the resident deer, less pressure but also less deer. Bring chains, if it gets a decent amount of moisture you will need them on those roads.

 

[Waneckct]

I drew the golden tag, a 2C rifle tag, a few years back. I believe 2B and 2C are very similar geography. There are a ton of gas roads in the unit. You basically drive around to cover more ground and hopefully find a big deer. I went guided and would recommend the same. The guide was a local and he had 7 friends out looking for a deer for me on the opening weekend. He also had contacts with the well workers. We ended up shooting the smallest deer they had shot in the past 7 years at 183" perfectly symmetrical deer. He had been over 200" 2 years ago and had eluded their hunters the past 2 years. He was on the downside of his life.

We also had a full moon that we had to deal with and it killed us. Good luck on the hunt.

Who did you go with?
My brother in law drew for 2B this year

 

[buzzy]

Compass West is who I hunted with. Anthony Hampton was my guide and he has opened his own outfit. I wouldn’t hesitate to hunt with either. Best of luck.

 

[crock239]

Who did you go with?
My brother in law drew for 2B this year

What season will he be there? I'll be there late rifle season this year (Nov 7-11)

 

[Austink47]

Fun hunt. Wear orange. Bring recovery gear and chains, if it storms that area has the slickest roads I have ever encountered. Pray for snow to push the bucks down. A mountain bike is a great way to get around behind locked gates. The deer like the grass the gas company plants around their facilities. Be careful not to wander out of the unit, neither the Ute and Apache have a sense of humor about that sort of thing.

 

[buzzy]

Anthony pretty much is there all the time. Not sure about Chris. I think Anthony knows the unit better but Chris knows it well to. Feel free to pm me for more information.

 

[Lytro]

This could potentially be the muley hunt of your lifetime as a DIY hunt, but you could ensure that it is if you hire a guide. I’ll be hunting it again for the first rifle season. Kicking myself a little for using that as my first choice and not the November hunt!

 

[crock239]

No doubt the chance of harvesting trophy goes up exponentially with a guide, i can see that for sure from the research I've done so far, but the $ isn't in the cards for me yet (especially this year) so it'll be a DIY effort. At best, get super lucky and tag a great buck, at worst spend a week hunting new country with my brother and go home empty handed...I'm ok w that, kind of a win either way!

Good luck with your hunt @BigBuckDirtNap !

 

[Lytro]

No doubt the chance of harvesting trophy goes up exponentially with a guide, i can see that for sure from the research I've done so far, but the $ isn't in the cards for me yet (especially this year) so it'll be a DIY effort. At best, get super lucky and tag a great buck, at worst spend a week hunting new country with my brother and go home empty handed...I'm ok w that, kind of a win either way!

Good luck with your hunt @BigBuckDirtNap !

As long as you’re out there, you will likely get an opportunity at a decent buck. You’ll also see so many does that you’ll be frustrated. Haha

Good luck man!

 

[h8brick]

Compass West is who I hunted with. Anthony Hampton was my guide and he has opened his own outfit. I wouldn’t hesitate to hunt with either. Best of luck.

Do you have Anthonys contact info please?

 

[buzzy]

Do you have Anthonys contact info please?

Here you go.

Home - Hampton Trophy Outfitters

hamptontrophyoutfitters.com

 

[h8brick]

Here you go.

Home - Hampton Trophy Outfitters

hamptontrophyoutfitters.com

Thank you , i will be trying for the tough draw units with him , but you look on forums like monster muleys its like no problem drawing a 2b or other tough tags ?

 

[buzzy]

Thank you , i will be trying for the tough draw units with him , but you look on forums like monster muleys its like no problem drawing a 2b or other tough tags ?

Best of luck to you. If you do draw he knows that area very well.