NM 2B Archery Guides
Mule Deer
Hunting this in Jan 2015. Who's got the right guide for this order and could PM me a recommendation. Never hunted the unit before and looking to maximize my efforts. I may only have a week to hunt.
Its a tough hunt, and its getting tougher. Contact Jeremy or Larry at Xpert Archery in Farmington, NM. They might recommend an outfitter for you. Its going to be expensive with any outfitter.
Will do. Thanks for the referral.
Welcome... Let me know and I'll try to help you all I can. Hunted unit 2 since the 80's.
You might give Mountain States Guide Service a call, He has had good success in unit 2B
HuntEasy -
Guides in 2B are a dime a dozen - somebody always knows where a 200" buck is hanging out...
Seriously though, I know a guy that is usually into deer pretty good. I can ask him if he is interested and can send on your contact info if you pm it to me.
To legally guide in NM, you have to be licensed and bonded, or guide on private property and be an agent for the landowner. This being said, there is only a few outfitters in unit 2 that can legally guide hunters on state and BLM lands. A lot of the big bucks coming out of that area are now coming out of unit 2A, or unit 2C, off private property. You don't see or hear of 200" bucks being killed out there very year, and don't expect to see 200" bucks everywhere. In fact, don't pass up a 140" buck, cause chances are you wont see anything bigger. Like I've told several others that draw unit 2B, pray for heavy snows in Colorado to push the bucks across the San Juan River and off Cracus Mesa. Be prepared to hike in far behind closed gates to access the sage flats. The BLM will close gates in November.
Thank you for the recommendations and buglmin thank you for the advice on outfitters. I'm not looking for a lodging accommodations just someone who knows the unit and knows where to look depending on what's going on with the weather, Who can help glass and assist with stalks. Since I've only got a week, ill need to maximize my time best i can. That brings me to my question, Is this a DIY hunt? I can spend lots of time researching the hunt from here, but I won't have any scouting days.
A guide merely needs to be working for the outfitter that is bonded and a guide only needs to be licensed if they accept payment.
There are numerous 185 to 200" class bucks around, just hang out at the local archery shop and listen to the talk and you'll see. Everyone is an expert field judge when it comes to guessing what an animal scores when very few people have even had their hands on a set of horns that would go 170.
Lots of options for guides so far. Thank you.
In order to guide on public land "legally" the outfitter has to sign a contract with the forest service to outfit on that part of the National forest. Blm is a different story.
A "friend" can take a "friend" and show them where to go and how to set up and even "help" pay for expenses anytime and anywhere hunting is legal...
Occupational Licensing is one of the dumbest damn things ever conceived.
Don't believe everything you see on the internet! LOL
Rich, great buck. Thanks for posting.
Today I saw a bachelor group of 7 or 8 bucks that were all nice, a couple will be close to what is depicted in the photo above. Unfortunately, all I have to show is a "fishing" story as I could not get any pics of them. Oh, the other bad thing is that they were in 2C up on Crow Mesa. Looks like the previous instruction about necessary migration isn't as necessary after all...
You actually want big heavy snows in southern CO to push them into the Carracus(Cracus)Mesa area. The deer will migrate south as far away from South Fork/Creed. A migration is helpful for volume, but definitely not necessary for a good, fun hunt!
HDE good stuff man. Everyone's been super helpful between the guide recommendations and the pm's. Feel like I know the unit well and haven't even laid eyes on it.
