New Mexico Guide Services in Unit 15
Elk
Contributors to this thread:
I am wanting to go to New Mexico and try unit 15. Any suggestions on guides? Trophy Ridge looked very legit..... Thanks for the input
I'd love to hunt in 15 too! Or any of the 16's, or 55, or 34, or fill in the blank in NM. It's getting the darn tag that's hard! Are you looking to buy a landowner voucher and utilize a guide service or just looking to draw in the outfitter pool?
NM Professional Big Game Hunts
I'd talk to Van Hale Trophy Outfitters I know he hunts 15....They hunt NM and AZ, I've hunted with them 3 times, no complaints. Pic is from this past December on an AZ late hunt, sorry if the rifle bothers anyone, dad and I were putting in for archery for years and dad's archery days are starting to get behind him by so we decided to burn our points on a rifle tag. We wanted to hunt together and that meant more to me then what weapons we were carrying.
While I haven't ever hunted with Trophy Ridge myself (I've talked w/ Audrey several times over the years), you'd have to go a bit to find a better outfit. Audrey and Roger know their craft and have been at it for years (they live in White Mtns of Arizona), guide both eastern Ariz and western N Mex. It doesn't hurt that Audrey's a multiple-time woman's national elk call champion ...
A3 NM Ryan Nogosek. Has taken many a Gov tag holder, that should say a lot.
rifle does no bother me any more than sitting 20 yards behind your bull does... LOL
Jdee has it on this one. Micks lodge is in the heart of 15 and has been for a long time. You could kill a bull behind his house or have a short drive in any direction.
Khunter, does this give you a better perspective?
Nice bull addict. I will say the first pic didn’t do much to make him look bigger, a good guide should be able to do better. ;) Pretty hard to make a 7x7 look bigger. Again nice bull.
Thanks guys appreciate the responses! I am going to try and draw first in outfitter pool and only buy a landowner voucher if I find some hidden money under a rock or something.
BigMac-
Hope the rock you roll over is a big one! AMAZING what LO tags for any Gila unit go for these days. Considering a ginormous portion of the Gila is "public" land, makes the voucher costs even more incredible. God Bless those "land owners" little hearts....
Mick Chapel is certainly in the heart of it. I've got one or 2 of those backyard bulls living with me in NJ.
NMPBGH (Micks outfit) does run alot of hunters. If you choose to go with them, I'm sure you will talk to past hunters and make notes regarding who guided them and request one that comes highly rated....
Good luck with the planning!
“Khunter, does this give you a better perspective?”
Sure does. :-) Wow.
I’ve hunted with Audrey and Roger (Trophy Ridge) twice and would not hesitate to do so if I ever draw again.
A3 Trophy Hunts, Ryan and his whole team are the real deal...
These guys know elk hunting
A3 Trophy Hunts NM Ryan Nogosek
Here is Ryan’s AZ bull I thought I would share..
Very Nice bull but do you think the hunter could get further away and the photographer get closer to the rack? Why people have to do this I'll never understand.
It’s a pure reflection of the emotion that goes into the hunt...something a picture doesn’t capture
However, a great pic and an excellent bull for sure
LINK's Link
I forgot to mention David Silva (Gila DNA outfitters). He’s only recently started outfitting but he’s guided in the Gila and Apache for awhile as well as growing up there. According to the legends his dad was the best elk hunter that country has ever seen. ;)
What kind of prices are you guys see for land owner tags in this area?
I hunted with Perry Hunsaker with Timberline Outfitters about 10 years ago and was pleased. Don't hear much about him/them anymore.
I’ve only bought a cow tag but the bull prices I was seeing were $5500 for unit 15. 10 grand and up for the 16 units.