The NM Mule Deer spot

[Jens22]

Thought it would be cool to have a dedicated place for NM Locals to talk all things Mule Deer. No we dont want your honey hole, or even your "go to" unit. Just a place to gather and grow our knowledge of mule deer behavior/strategies that are specific to NM. So let's hear it, what is your best tip/story of a time you've learned something that changed the way you hunt NM Mulleys!

 

[Zappaman]

My largest rack in 40 years was shot (somewhere in SE NM on a private ranch my family no longer owns)

That buck was about 550 yards out (bedded down) when I took him. He was in the WAY back pastures we seldom hunted (or went too much except for round ups a few times a year). This was on a 32k acre ranch BTW. He was over 250lbs dressed- massive deer.

I've hunted a LOT of the lower half of NM (private and public) and my opinion is that it's hard to find big bucks without spending a lot of time out there. Call it scouting if you will. But they MOVE a lot and so one place a week ago can be bone dry the next. It's a hard place to find big deer although they ARE there... just far and wide on lots of public (and forest) land.

If I had a tag and no private land to hunt, I'd check out the Black Range area and I'd be there opening day. I'd glass an area for a day, then move camp to the next hill. I'd stay right out of the trees, skirting them north to south. But you take what you get once you get there of course. In a dozen elk hunts on mostly treeless (but BIG hills) nearby there, I've seen a few good bucks. Heck though... some of the biggest on film I've seen (pictures not video- from my days working at the BLM in Las Cruces 30 yrs ago) have been down in the arroyos! Just never know-- that's NM for ya'!

If I lived there, I'd meet-up with you, but in Kansas now where the deer are closer by... in more ways than one.

Good luck!

 

[Jens22]

Thats awesome, great story and thanks for the input! Very true about the arroyo pictures boots on the ground it is!