Unit 16a New Mexico archery tag!?!?!

[Gila]

I don’t know about the Zoleo, but you need some kind of cell service to boost. The Gila doesn’t have any. Best to have an in reach, especially if you are by yourself. With your Inreach service plan you can buy rescue insurance. You only have to pay for the months out of the year that you use your Inreach. I hang the Inreach from the roof of the side-by and Bluetooth into the Earthmate app to text on my cellphone. You should be able to get your truck through most of the roads. There are some that aren’t really roads though.

The tanks are full now but there is a lot of cattle in the NF. I have seen them empty a small tank in a few weeks. Not every full tank is used by Elk. There are quite a few buzz tails around until it freezes at night. I have not seen any above 8000ft though. There are lions, bears, wolves and a rare Jaguar. If you down an elk, you can leave it as long as you put something with a human scent on the carcass. I hang an orange game bag on the antlers. If you buy a bear tag you won’t see one. If you don’t, they will sit there and look at you. You can park your RV anywhere you can get off the road. Definitely pack in your own water.

P.S. usually the monsoons end in September but flash flooding can be of concern.

 

[BBob]

Zoleo, but you need some kind of cell service to boost. The Gila doesn’t have any. Best to have an in reach, especially if you are by yourself.

A Zoleo is a sat messenger service on the iridium network just like an inReach. They Bluetooth to the phone basically the same.

 

[ShakeDown]

Thanks for your response. 2nd season archery is my tag. Hopefully not too wet during then.
Would you recommend a side by side or can I get every where in my truck?
I planned on doing a toy hauler but gas prices are a lot right now and I’m out of state.
Just got a ZOLEO hoping that helps boosts some cell service to check in with family.

Hear there’s lots of bears. Think tags fill up pretty good? Wondering if I should get a tag since I’m there.
If I bring camper are there only certain spots I can set up? Rules?
In Colorado we have a lot of mountain lions and rattle snakes. Anything like that around there I need to be cautious of?
Any other safety tips? My wife is nervous about me going so as much as I can reassure her will be great.

I don’t know about the Zoleo, but you need some kind of cell service to boost. The Gila doesn’t have any. Best to have an in reach, especially if you are by yourself. With your Inreach service plan you can buy rescue insurance. You only have to pay for the months out of the year that you use your Inreach. I hang the Inreach from the roof of the side-by and Bluetooth into the Earthmate app to text on my cellphone. You should be able to get your truck through most of the roads. There are some that aren’t really roads though.

The tanks are full now but there is a lot of cattle in the NF. I have seen them empty a small tank in a few weeks. Not every full tank is used by Elk. There are quite a few buzz tails around until it freezes at night. I have not seen any above 8000ft though. There are lions, bears, wolves and a rare Jaguar. If you down an elk, you can leave it as long as you put something with a human scent on the carcass. I hang an orange game bag on the antlers. If you buy a bear tag you won’t see one. If you don’t, they will sit there and look at you. You can park your RV anywhere you can get off the road. Definitely pack in your own water.

P.S. usually the monsoons end in September but flash flooding can be of concern.

All this is spot on.

We have used both SxS and our trucks. Again, not an overly rough unit overall. Truck would be fine but of course SxS is nice.

Feel free to shoot me a PM and we can exchange info. I carry an InReach, Zoleo is fine. You can always run down to Reserve to call the Mrs if you need to. Not sure how quick I will be able to get there if something goes REALLY wrong, but maybe it will help the Mrs. cope to have someone‘s contact info. I will know at least a dozen people in 16A during your hunt, and I will be helping in an adjacent unit.

PS I live in CO now, I’ve been snake-warned out East antelope hunting but never over 7k. I’ve had lots of run ins with rattlers in NM, but none in 16A. A bear did get to our gut pile last year within 24hrs.

 

[Elkster2004]

All this is spot on.

We have used both SxS and our trucks. Again, not an overly rough unit overall. Truck would be fine but of course SxS is nice.

Feel free to shoot me a PM and we can exchange info. I carry an InReach, Zoleo is fine. You can always run down to Reserve to call the Mrs if you need to. Not sure how quick I will be able to get there if something goes REALLY wrong, but maybe it will help the Mrs. cope to have someone‘s contact info. I will know at least a dozen people in 16A during your hunt, and I will be helping in an adjacent unit.

PS I live in CO now, I’ve been snake-warned out East antelope hunting but never over 7k. I’ve had lots of run ins with rattlers in NM, but none in 16A. A bear did get to our gut pile last year within 24hrs.

Thanks for your response. New to the site so haven’t posted enough to have PM capabilities.
How is the terrain? Most spots you would just drive to? Tried to Google earth it and see but still hard to tell. Looks more mountains and canyons than the desert/hills I had thought. Which is fine just want to be prepared. Are flash floods a concern there?

 

[Elkster2004]

I don’t know about the Zoleo, but you need some kind of cell service to boost. The Gila doesn’t have any. Best to have an in reach, especially if you are by yourself. With your Inreach service plan you can buy rescue insurance. You only have to pay for the months out of the year that you use your Inreach. I hang the Inreach from the roof of the side-by and Bluetooth into the Earthmate app to text on my cellphone. You should be able to get your truck through most of the roads. There are some that aren’t really roads though.

The tanks are full now but there is a lot of cattle in the NF. I have seen them empty a small tank in a few weeks. Not every full tank is used by Elk. There are quite a few buzz tails around until it freezes at night. I have not seen any above 8000ft though. There are lions, bears, wolves and a rare Jaguar. If you down an elk, you can leave it as long as you put something with a human scent on the carcass. I hang an orange game bag on the antlers. If you buy a bear tag you won’t see one. If you don’t, they will sit there and look at you. You can park your RV anywhere you can get off the road. Definitely pack in your own water.

P.S. usually the monsoons end in September but flash flooding can be of concern.

Thanks for your response!
How is the terrain? Most spots you would just drive to? Tried to Google earth it and see but still hard to tell. Looks more mountains and canyons than the desert/hills I had thought. Which is fine just want to be prepared.
Are the flash floods mostly down in the canyons? Any advice on that? Just trying to familiarize myself all I can. Thanks

 

[BBob]

You’ll be fine. It isn’t that hard to get around in there. If a spot is too difficult there’s enough other areas to go to and keep yourself busy. If it gets muddy yeah you could get stuck but not likely. If you ever actually see a real flash flood in your life count yourself lucky, it’ll probably never happen to you. Same for a wash filling up so high that you can’t pass, it can happen but pretty damn rare.

 

[Gila]

Bob pretty much covered it. There is any terrain that you may want to hunt in. The lower Pinyon, Juniper meadows (which are green and high with grass right now) or way up to the peaks. The rut will be going nuts when you hunt. You will be chasing bugling bulls in the Pinyon meadows or the Ponderosa slopes above those meadows. It could be as easy as calling from a road and running after a reply. Or Seeing bulls the night before and being in the area the next morning. Runnin’ and gunnin’ is the name of the game. Don’t put yourself in a position that you are too far in there and can’t get out in a hurry. There aren’t very many tags so competition with other hunters shouldn’t be a problem.

There can be alot of debris flow from burn areas, so stay away from those drainages or arroyos when it rains. You should be able to see where the roads wash out when it rains. Stay off of the low flat areas if rain is in the forecast. If it does rain, the roads can disappear in seconds. It is called areal flooding. In all probability the monsoon will be over for your hunt, but it is good to know what goes on just in case.

 

[Varmint7]

Which season did you draw? I have a second season tag


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I also have a 2nd season archery tag for 16A. I am beyond excited!

 

[yfarm]

Went in from Reserve on the 5th came out on the 10th. Saw about 15 camps going in to east of Snow Lake, all but one were NW of the lake. Multiple stock trailers at Aeroplane Mesa campground. Saw no elk at any of the camps I went by. Talked to one guy going in with a pack horse to south of the middle fork, had 2 friends backpack in on the 1st. Roads going in were dry until yesterday, had multiple squalls come thru, didnt make mud just dirty water. We went into 16B with 8 pack animals, saw deer, fresh bear beds, minimal elk sign but we were not hunting. Fair amount of trail damage near the creeks from water runoff, above was fine. Saw one nice 6x6 coming from the west to Magdalena in the back of a truck on the 5 th.

 

[Beendare]

So you put in on an outfitters lic and he has to do the minimum. I would not expect much out of that Guide…. Be aware he might not even know the area. Be prepared to go at it right out of the gate.

Thats a $19,000 tag you have in one of the best units in the US…. spend your time hunting. If you take a half a day to drive to Albuquerque or Silver city, you will regret it.

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[C_Dett21]

I'm headed down to scout 16c this weekend, I'm pumped