At a Glance
796Square Miles
86.2%Public Land
6,000 - 9,000Elevation Range
Quick Tips
- Abiquiu Lake has good walleye and smallmouth bass fishing
- Try trout fishing in Rio Vallecitos
- Landowner vouchers go down in price close to season openers
Unit 51A in New Mexico presents a mix of challenges and opportunities for hunters. Feedback highlights the importance of understanding the rugged terrain, which can impact accessibility and hunting strategies. Hunters emphasize the need for pre-season scouting to pinpoint game movement patterns and advisable locations. Overall, while seasoned hunters find success with careful preparation and attention to detail, new hunters might face a steep learning curve in this unit.
From Tres Piedras and Taos Junction west to the Rio Chama Wilderness, the majority of this unit sits in the Carson National Forest and produces great bull elk, with some good mule deer numbers harvested every year. This unit is largely public land and hunters will find plenty of access options throughout the unit.
This unit is known for having good numbers of elk on public land along with a strong trophy potential on bulls. Deer densities are somewhat lower but good bucks are taken every year.