Quick Tips
- Most game animals are within one mile of water
- Warmwater fishing at Santa Rosa Lake
- Use optics to your advantage to cover as much ground as possible
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 130"-150" | 150"+ |
| Whitetail Deer | 130"-150" | 150"+ |
| Antelope | 65"-75" | 75"+ |
On The Ground
Bordering Texas, this unit is south of Interstate 40 from Santa Rosa to the state line and has mule deer, antelope, and occasionally a whitetail deer. Most of the land is private, but some large tracts of state BLM land can be reached on public roads. Accessing public land can be difficult at times, however, since passing through private land is often required to reach state lands.
Hunters with access to private land and water sources often do well, especially during the January archery season when bucks are rutting and active. Mule deer numbers are low with very few mature bucks available. Antelope are more abundant in this unit than deer.
Terrain
A set of cliffs called The Caprock divides prairies and arroyos to the north from crop fields, pastures and plains to the south. The These flat plains areas tend to sit around 300-700 feet higher than the prairies and arroyos. Caprocks extend from Texas toward Santa Rosa, and eventually flattens out in the west. Some mesas with steep sides and some rough canyons are found north of The Caprock.
Roughly 3,775 square miles
10.4% public land
Elevations from 3,800 feet to 5,590 feet
Vegetation
Prairie grasses and brush such as mesquite and crops cover almost the entire unit except for junipers, which cover the tops and edges of many mesas and the Caprock area. A few circular crop fields can attract game and can be locations to focus if public land is available nearby or permission can be greanted.
Access
Many state and county roads connect towns and ranches, leading to primitive trails and private roads. State trust lands are scattered across the unit. Some of them can be reached on roads open to the public, while others are landlocked and may not be hunted without permission of landowners who control access. New Mexico's Open Gate program can help hunters find private-land access.
Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended
ATVs can come in handy on rough roads
Carry a GPS and good maps to avoid trespassing
Camping and Lodging
Camping is available at Santa Rosa Lake about 10 miles from the unit. Blue Swallow and Historic Route 66 motels are in Tucumcari. Santa Rosa, Clovis and Fort Sumner also have motels. No camping or parking within 300 yards of water sources.
Camping is allowed on BLM land if you can legally drive to it
Camping is allowed at Lake Sumner, in bordering Unit 39
RVs may be hooked up at Lake Sumner
Historical Temperatures
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