Hello from SW New Mexico.

[GmanNM]

Been living here for 9 years. Have been drawn for one ML DEER hunt, one 1 Rifle Elk hunt, 2 Rifle Deer hunts. Harvested nothing. Prior to NM, I spent 25 years in Maryland. The only thing i really miss about MD is the hunting. It was great there - fabulous compared to NM. I hunted during Bow, Muzzleloader, and shotgun/rifle seasons. With very few exceptions I had free range deer protein as a large part of my diet each year. The area I lived in required shotgun slugs or you were allowed muzzloader. Since I got as good of results with my . 50 cal using crush rib sabots with 300gr XTP bullets, I started using my muzzleloaders during "gun" season. Didnt take any less deer. The only time I missed out with my bp gun is when the first deer dropped - dead right there. Other dear flicked her tail and kept on munching. It was a testament to how quiet and smooth movements were that I was able to fill two tags that hunt. MD had in place a multi deer harvest in the area I hunted - I believe it was some ridiculous number like 10 per hunt type - bow, sg, ml. Other areas had different limits.
My tried & true load was 105gr vol under 300gr 3f Triple7 with the harvester wad. Also used to great success was 240gr XTP Over 90gr 3f 777.
Like many, I stared by building a kit. In 1982, I bought a TC Renegade 50cal kit. I can still recall ho very well their woodwork and their metal work was done. I hunted with that until the DNR allowed scopes to be used on muzzleloaders. I tried some rigs but didnt have access to the tools i have now. They were sorry looking jobs that just did not work. Found a cva inline at local gun store and bought it and had the bases rings & sight put on. Owner got some good business that day! This all happened in MD and I never looked back and am on my 5th inline. Still use 3f 777 - not because its the best - I think Blackhorn takes the cake for that. It just thatBH209 IS STUPID EXPENSIVE!!. 777 Does what i need it to do and 777 is available here for 1/4 of BH209 when its available. I like to practice at many different ranges and with 777 I can afford to do it on my fixed disability stipend.

All that gibberish just to say - HI!

 

[HC]

Welcome to the brotherhood.

 

[deermanok]

Welcome from Oklahoma.

 

[ElDiablo]

Welcome from Las Vegas! Started with a TC Hawken kit myself back in the mid 80s! Crazy to think about the advancements since then!

 

[Bigelk]

Welcome, From New Mexico. If you use the draw odds report you can have a much higher chance of drawing hunts in New Mexico. In the past 20 years I have only not been drawn for one year.

 

[gman57]

Welcome from NC, enjoy

 

[UndeadPoet]

Hello, and that is for the history! Welcome, from North Carolina!

 

[ThreePoint]

Welcome, from Coastal North Carolina.

 

[4stringdude]

Welcome aboard from the Hoosier State!

 

[Jitterbug]

Welcome, from MN.

Lots of great folks here!

 

[Swamp]

Welcome from Michigan! Don’t worry, BH209 isn’t necessarily the best.

 

[GmanNM]

Welcome, From New Mexico. If you use the draw odds report you can have a much higher chance of drawing hunts in New Mexico. In the past 20 years I have only not been drawn for one year.

I am interested in learning how I can use the draw odds report to improve my chances of getting drawn for a tag. I'm not sure how that works. This year I didn't apply for any hunts because I had a shoulder replacement surgery and was not confident I would be able to handle the rigors of a hunt if I was drawn.
I would appreciate some info on how to use the reports to help with my success.

 

[mnoland30]

If you put in for ML hunt as your first choice, and check the box for anywhere in the SW or SE, you will almost always draw. GMU 21 is a tough unit to hunt, but you can usually draw for deer. 2021 was a bad year for the draw, because the "stimulus" checks came just before the deadline for the draw. Everyone had enough money to put in for all the hunts they wanted. Deer hunting in NM hasn't been good since those morons introduced the Mexican Gray Wolf, and it probably won't be getting better.

The good news is that the elk are doing fine, and cow elk are reserved for NM residents only. Left over tags are offered in July for youth, and a couple of weeks later, seniors (over 65) are eligible. My buddy doesn't even put in for the draw hunts, he just gets the late senior hunt every year. He sits at a water tank, and does well.

If you want to hunt, buy an over-the-counter javelina tag. They are fun to hunt, and are good eating using George Herter's receipe. You do have to skin them right away.

The aoudad hunt near Roswell is mostly road hunting, and that is good eating too.

I hurt my shoulder a couple of years ago. I learned to shoot with the other shoulder. With shooting sticks, I did pretty well.

If you're disabled, you may be eiigible for special hunts where you can shoot from the vehicle.

Definitely put in for the oryx hunt on range. Although I'd recommend a centerfire rifle, you can do it with a ML. If you get drawn PM me, and I'll go along. I've been on about 8 hunts, and all but one was succesful. My dad couldn't see well enough at 75 yards to tell which one had a broken horn.

Buy an over-the-counter bear tag and hunt the Black Range of the Gila. There are more bears there than deer. Bear meat is good too, depending on what they are eating.

Pronghorns are another story. I finally got drawn after 32 years of putting in.

 

[BradMc67]

Been living here for 9 years. Have been drawn for one ML DEER hunt, one 1 Rifle Elk hunt, 2 Rifle Deer hunts. Harvested nothing. Prior to NM, I spent 25 years in Maryland. The only thing i really miss about MD is the hunting. It was great there - fabulous compared to NM. I hunted during Bow, Muzzleloader, and shotgun/rifle seasons. With very few exceptions I had free range deer protein as a large part of my diet each year. The area I lived in required shotgun slugs or you were allowed muzzloader. Since I got as good of results with my . 50 cal using crush rib sabots with 300gr XTP bullets, I started using my muzzleloaders during "gun" season. Didnt take any less deer. The only time I missed out with my bp gun is when the first deer dropped - dead right there. Other dear flicked her tail and kept on munching. It was a testament to how quiet and smooth movements were that I was able to fill two tags that hunt. MD had in place a multi deer harvest in the area I hunted - I believe it was some ridiculous number like 10 per hunt type - bow, sg, ml. Other areas had different limits.
My tried & true load was 105gr vol under 300gr 3f Triple7 with the harvester wad. Also used to great success was 240gr XTP Over 90gr 3f 777.
Like many, I stared by building a kit. In 1982, I bought a TC Renegade 50cal kit. I can still recall ho very well their woodwork and their metal work was done. I hunted with that until the DNR allowed scopes to be used on muzzleloaders. I tried some rigs but didnt have access to the tools i have now. They were sorry looking jobs that just did not work. Found a cva inline at local gun store and bought it and had the bases rings & sight put on. Owner got some good business that day! This all happened in MD and I never looked back and am on my 5th inline. Still use 3f 777 - not because its the best - I think Blackhorn takes the cake for that. It just thatBH209 IS STUPID EXPENSIVE!!. 777 Does what i need it to do and 777 is available here for 1/4 of BH209 when its available. I like to practice at many different ranges and with 777 I can afford to do it on my fixed disability stipend.

All that gibberish just to say - HI!

Welcome from Missouri

 

[Nickn27890]

Hello and welcome from NE Ohio

 

[Whokalouie]

Welcome from Idaho where the steelhead request new tails after swimming 650 miles.