Quick Tips
- Noisy pumps don't bother game animals
- Find water sources to find game
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 150"-170" | 180"+ |
| Elk | 290"-320" | 320"+ |
| Antelope | 60"-70" | 70"+ |
On The Ground
Bordering Colorado and the west side of the Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation, this unit has produced many high-scoring mule deer and also provides opportunities for Elk, antelope and Black bear.
Hunters have more opportunities to take larger bucks in cold and snowy weather than in dry years with mild weather. Antelope can be tough to find but small herds of elk can be found in secluded pockets and on private land located throughout the unit. The last rifle deer season can be better than earlier gun seasons for a successful hunt. January archery deer season can be good.
Terrain
Land varies from wide, flat river bottoms lined with crop fields in the west, to rolling hills and short mesas in the center and timbered mountains and mesas in the east from above 6,500 feet in elevation. High points include Caracas Mesa at 7,665 feet, Anselmo Bench at 6,990 feet, Mesteñenas Peak at 7,229 feet, Devils Mesa at 7,590 feet, Lagunas Seca Mesa at 7,612 feet and Santos Peak at 6,995 feet. Many alfalfa and hay fields are along the San Juan and Los Pinos rivers, providing food and water for game. Major oil fields underlie this unit with hundreds of pump jacks and oil wells scattered throughout the foothills.
Roughly 746 square miles
84.6% public land
Elevations range from about 5,550-7,665 feet
Vegetation
Along rivers and creeks are willows, cottonwoods, tamarisks and other riparian plants. The western two-thirds of the unit is mainly composed of sagebrush hills with pinyon/juniper stands on low ridges. The eastern third is covered in conifers such as ponderosa pines with sagebrush draws, grassy meadows and stands of pinyon and juniper. Grasses grow thinly in dry years and densely in wet years. Many farm fields are along rivers. Oak brush and other browse plants mainly grow in middle and high elevations.
Access
Good gravel and dirt roads provide access to most areas. Oil field trucks visit each well site almost every day. To avoid a collision near some blind hills and corners, attach a fluorescent orange warning flag onto a long pole to your truck’s front bumper. The flag makes you visible at a longer distance to oncoming drivers. The Jicarilla reservation is well-marked, but many private tracts are not. Some oil field roads are gated.
Carry a GPS unit and good maps
Do not trail wounded game onto tribal or private land without written permission
Camping and Lodging
In mild weather many hunters park a trailer, camp or RV along the side of a dirt road. In cold weather hunters often stay in motels in Farmington, Aztec or Bloomfield. Navajo Lake State Park on the eastern edge has developed campsites, some with electricity. Some hunters stay at the Wild Horse Casino & Hotel in Dulce on the Jicarilla reservation.
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