Quick Tips
- Clients of outfitters have better odds of drawing tags
- Remember to buy habitat and land use stamps
- Big bulls tend to stay in remote areas
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 150"-170" | 170"+ |
| Elk | 300"-330" | 350"+ |
| Antelope | 65"-75" | 80"+ |
On The Ground
This unit is well known for the many large bulls that have been taken off here in the past years. It borders Arizona and includes a large part of the Gila Mountains. Antelope also are hunted here.
This unit has produced many bull elk big enough to qualify for listing in the Pope and Young Club and Boone and Crockett Club record books.
Terrain
This unit borders Arizona and is south of Quemado. Most land ranges in elevation from 7,400 to 9,000 feet and includes a large part of the Gila Mountains, which have been nationally known for many years among trophy elk hunters. Much of the southern half is heavily forested and is rough and mountainous. The north is comprised of broken and rolling country with flats and long canyons, but it also has one of the highest peaks in the unit, 9,854-foot Escondido Mountain. In the southeast are the Mangas Mountains.
Roughly 1,634 square miles
77.5% public land
Elevations range from 6,900 - 10,200 feet
Vegetation
Low elevations are mainly flat with rolling sagebrush-covered basins and some junipers scattered on low hills. Middle elevations consist of ridges and canyons covered in pinyon pine and juniper trees dropping to sagebrush basins. High elevations consist of high mountains and mesas covered in ponderosa pines and Gambel oaks on south slopes, while cooler north slopes hold Douglas fir and aspens.
Access
Highway 32 stretches from Apache Creek north to Quemado, which is about halfway across the north edge of the unit. Primary forest roads are graveled and provide good access except when snow is deep. They branch into unimproved dirt roads that are rough and require high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Camping and Lodging
Most hunters camp along gravel roads on public land. Some hunters stay in RV parks and seek lodging in Quemado or Reserve. Campgrounds can be found at Quemado Lake, Apache Creek, and Armijo Springs.
Historical Temperatures
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Moon Phases
April 2025
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