New Mexico Unit 53 scouting advice

[ponderoza]

Just joined the forum, sorry I know it can be bad form to immediately ask for this type of advice but would love any thoughts, tips or guidance you all have.

I drew a tag this year for unit 53 second archery. I grew up in Taos, so this unit has been my backyard since I was a kid. However, I only started elk hunting a few years ago. Shot my first bull with a rifle in 52 last year, this year is my first ever archery hunt. I am incredibly excited to be learning how to hunt with a bow and to get to hunt during the rut. Its a dream come true to hunt my home mountains in September.

I have a little bit of info from neighbors and friends for where to start but its pretty limited, 53 is a challenging unit. I'm trying to scout my ass off these next few weeks looking for the cow herds assuming the bulls will soon split out of bachelor groups and follow them. Not sure if I want to hunt the high country or the foothills. It was a very dry winter and a pretty poor monsoon season.

Wondering if anyone on here has advice for places to scout or hunt in unit 53? Any areas people have had success in during drought years?

 

[ribo451]

Sorry. I wish I had some experience to share for your unit but I have never hunted anywhere near there.

Your idea to target cows hoping bulls show up is a solid plan. That’s where I start every year. I have several places I have hunted for decades but if the elk aren’t in those areas I just start covering ground looking for fresh sign. Sometimes they aren’t willing to talk due to hunter pressure or hot weather or a thousand other reasons but they still leave tracks everywhere they go.

The only generic information I really have is to learn how to call properly. In my opinion you don’t need to sound perfectly like an elk but you need to know what they are saying and you need to know how to respond. People tell me that elk are call shy and you can’t call them in on public land but I do it every year and I’m pretty sure a lot of others on this site do the same. Or I at least get them to talk so I know where they are. Two of my last three elk came from getting them to respond and then sneaking in on them because they wouldn’t come to me.

The biggest contributing factor to my elk hunting has been just going out and doing it. I learn far more from experiences than from trying to read or watch YouTube videos. I learn the most from my failures.

Good luck and take lots of pictures. Do you have any photos from your rifle bull?