# New Mexico Mule Deer - Public Land DIY



## Woodrow (Jun 17, 2004)

Any of you guys have pics/stories to share on public land DIY hunts over in New Mexico for mule deer? Please include the unit you were in. Thanks!


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## winchester (Mar 5, 2010)

was there from oct 18th to 24th in unit 32. Capitian Mnt. muzzleloader season. was just too hot for much game movement. but bad day hunting is better than a good day at work. between the five hunters we came home with one deer. nice 10 pt with 22 in spred. sorry no pics. did get to see some really nice elk. Oh and a big ol black bear that scared the tar out of me.


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## Woodrow (Jun 17, 2004)

Did y'all stay in tents in the backcountry or rent a place somewhere or what? Did y'all get to do any scouting ahead of time? Did y'all run into many other hunters?


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## winchester (Mar 5, 2010)

stayed in tents right off the national forest road. did scout since season didnt start till sat. just road hunters(people just riding the roads for easy kill). the buck killed was shot on monday noon time or so. the bucks were far and between.


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## Anahuac Swamp Boyz (Nov 1, 2012)

Just got back from unit 30 west of carlsbad and the wind howled 40 mph plus 2 of 3 days we hunted but we saw one doe and and a narly 9 point that i had been seeing while scouting but was 400 yards away and to far of a shot for the ol lady... lots of road hunters but did find some great bow hunting spots for next year :bounce: and ill be bow hunting in unit 34 cloudcroft during jan in the rut


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## Woodrow (Jun 17, 2004)

Anahuac Swamp Boyz said:


> Just got back from unit 30 west of carlsbad and the wind howled 40 mph plus 2 of 3 days we hunted but we saw one doe and and a narly 9 point that i had been seeing while scouting but was 400 yards away and to far of a shot for the ol lady... lots of road hunters but did find some great bow hunting spots for next year :bounce: and ill be bow hunting in unit 34 cloudcroft during jan in the rut


Was this your first time to NM? How did you decide where you wanted to hunt?


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## mini me (Aug 7, 2006)

Grew up in Southeast New Mexico. Back then we hunted Unit 33 horse back. Never seen another hunter then about 1998, hunters were everywhere. Have not hunted their since 1999, but can say I had some great memories hunting out there, never killed anything to speak of, but still had a lot of fun.


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## Anahuac Swamp Boyz (Nov 1, 2012)

Yea it was my first time hunting there i defiently will be goin again next year... but i was working there plus have a buddy that lives there and lives to bow hunt so thats how i got started...send me a p.m. and ill help you out with what units where to hunt etc if you are considering goin in the near future... as far as all the hunters once i got off the road and hiked in about a mile i didnt see anyone til i hiked out lots of road hunters as mentioned before


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## CDHknives (Mar 17, 2012)

I did the unit S of Pinon NM (unit 19???) about 5 years ago and the unit that covers Lincoln National Forest E of Alamogordo (Unit 31??)4 years ago. I got one very symmetrical 4x4 (est. 3 years old) the first year and passed (first day, never saw another buck) on a fork horned yearling the second.

We went in cold (except for Google Earth scouting) and tent camped right in the hunt area. The Pinon area is VERY rugged, literally hours from any stores, restaurants, etc. The Alamogordo area was more forest and had civilization close enough that we were able to go eat at restaurants for lunch a couple of times.

Both were amazing experiences I am very glad I did. The stories would take more time than I have to write up, but I wrote up a hunt report and I may still have a link to it somewhere. I would go back in a heartbeat but the guys I was going with wanted to move on and hunt other states...so we have done Colorado elk and Wyoming pronghorn lately. You only have so much time and so many hunts to try!


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## CDHknives (Mar 17, 2012)

My 2007 mulie:









My 2008 hunt...all I had was a mulie tag!









Lincoln National Forest


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## copperhead (Mar 15, 2005)

I have hunted unit 30 the last 18 years. It's got some good deer here but some years are better than others. We hunted the last rifle season and saw alot of does but not many bucks. Like mentioned before, wind howled for the first two days. Monday morning it was still and 10 deg. This year, water was the key to a good hunt. We camp out, the only way to hunt out there. I think by the time we got there for the last rifle season the big bucks have been pushed out. What I mean by that is, the blackpowder hunters, elk hunters, and first rifle season hunters have pushed alot of the deer out of the area. I talked to a local rancher there and he said the big bucks are close to the caverns area, they know to go there when people start hitting the woods. I've seen some big ones back there but you really need to camp in that area to do any good. It is only accessible by atv due to some really bad trails and a long drive to get there.


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