NM Desert BH 2021 Fall Hunt

[WillWorkforFood]

As a kid I always imagined a chance to hunt and hang a bighorn sheep on my wall. Watching shows of sheep slamming their horns looked so awesome to me and way better than "boring" whitetail fights (I was a Midwest flat lander). Well, I truly hit a hunting lottery by drawing a desert bighorn tag this year!

So far I have done a TON of reading on past desert bighorn hunt stories (NM and other states), scouring my hunt unit with onX and online maps, speaking to NM biologists, scouting the unit, etc.

Bottom line, I’m open to any advice that will make this DIY hunt a success.

 

[Molon Labe]

If you are a resident spend every weekend you can glassing and locating rams.
If you are a nonresident...take at least a 7-9 day scouting trip down there a month before opener.

Either way make sure you are in unit at least 2-3 days ahead of time and on your ram.

 

[Nontypical1]

Get in the best shape you can and spend as much time checking different areas in the unit you can. If you haven't ever hunted sheep you need to train your eyes to find them and the best way is looking for them. Talk to the biologists about where to check. Try not to get too anxious about it all (it's easy to feel pressure with a tag like this), enjoy the experience, and have a great adventure!

 

[WillWorkforFood]

Either way make sure you are in unit at least 2-3 days ahead of time and on your ram.

I couldn’t agree more with this.

Get in the best shape you can and spend as much time checking different areas in the unit you can. If you haven't ever hunted sheep you need to train your eyes to find them and the best way is looking for them. Talk to the biologists about where to check. Try not to get too anxious about it all (it's easy to feel pressure with a tag like this), enjoy the experience, and have a great adventure!

Definitely my first ram hunt. The biologist has definitely been a great resource!

 

[northwesthunter]

WHat unit? Congrats on the tag enjoy the hunt..

 

[WRO]

WHat unit? Congrats on the tag enjoy the hunt..

Sheep hunts are one of the few where you can ask what unit..

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[WillWorkforFood]

WHat unit? Congrats on the tag enjoy the hunt..

27 Peloncillo Mnts and thanks for sure!

 

[Marine4life]

It has been a while but I grew up in NM and hunted down there before. You will have a great hunt and find a nice ram. I wouldn’t be too worried but just be careful as you are along the border so expect some illegal activity. Keep things locked up and if you hike in to stay overnight keep away from the trails out of the bottom of major washes. Best of luck and congrats on the tag.


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[WillWorkforFood]

Sheep hunts are one of the few where you can ask what unit..

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Agreed. It’s a once in a lifetime and everything I observe or learn is open to anyone that gets this hunt in the future.

 

[WillWorkforFood]

It has been a while but I grew up in NM and hunted down there before. You will have a great hunt and find a nice ram. I wouldn’t be too worried but just be careful as you are along the border so expect some illegal activity. Keep things locked up and if you hike in to stay overnight keep away from the trails out of the bottom of major washes. Best of luck and congrats on the tag.


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Thank you sir. How were the locals when you used to hunt there, more specifically in the area around Animas? It might be nice to get permission to base camp on some property nearby.

 

[TXCO]

Good luck!

 

[WillWorkforFood]

Good luck!

Thank you. I plan to start a new thread of the scouting and the hunt after the season is over.

 

[Marine4life]

Thank you sir. How were the locals when you used to hunt there, more specifically in the area around Animas? It might be nice to get permission to base camp on some property nearby.

At the time they were usually very friendly but I was essentially a local and drove NM plates.


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[WillWorkforFood]

At the time they were usually very friendly but I was essentially a local and drove NM plates.


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I have the plates, just not a local. Hopefully I run into some good folks on my scout this weekend.

 

[WillWorkforFood]

An update for anyone that’s interested in following. I’ve been able to get a few scouting trips in with no luck so far. My minimum hope was to find some ewes to mark during this rut season in hopes a few rams would linger until the season starts. I’ll have the chance to put a few more scouting trips in, so there’s still time.

If anyone has some glassing/scouting tips for desert bighorn, I promise id appreciate you!

 

[NVBighorn]

Talk to Eric Rominger with NMG&F

 

[WillWorkforFood]

Talk to Eric Rominger with NMG&F

Oh I have been on that; a great source of information!

 

[philthy]

I agree about Eric and Kaitlin Ruhl. They both were great sources of info for my 2016 desert hunt at WSMR and my 2020 rocky hunt at the gorge. Wish I could hunt them again, but I'm out of the ram business in NM. A tough position to be in lol!

 

[WillWorkforFood]

I agree about Eric and Kaitlin Ruhl. They both were great sources of info for my 2016 desert hunt at WSMR and my 2020 rocky hunt at the gorge. Wish I could hunt them again, but I'm out of the ram business in NM. A tough position to be in lol!

Both OTC draws?! Either way, that’s awesome!

I reached out again and Caitlin gave me her scouting pointers along with kml boundaries to focus within.

I just don’t have those "sheep eyes" yet. I have a couple more weekends between hunts to get out and locate. I’m hopeful to spot something so my eyes know what to look for. Kind of like glassing for deer. You finally see one and all of the sudden they pop. At least that’s the hope.

 

[long hunter]

Good luck, always wanted too hunt the sheep, perhaps some day.