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Unit 15 or 16A ??

Hey guys how you doing? Hope everyone had a great hunt so far. Mine was very nice, harvested a nice Arizona bull, unit 27. I have always wanted to hunt the Gila wilderness for elk, and I'm leaning toward unit 15 or 16A. I'm a bivouac elk hunter that prefers packing in 3 to 4 miles and I just enjoy the simplicity of this type hunting. I'm simply trying to find out which unit has more roadless backcountry, and the best locations to access it. Thank you for any help you can offer. If you need help in Arizona or Colorado just ask.

15 and 16A might not fit the bill for packing in 3-4 miles unless you want to cross a few roads doing it:) In the Gila, 16B is your best option for what you are looking for.

Unit 15 is much better I was in 16a this past September and that has to be the most overrated hunt in the state ...wolves and people everywhere

"Gila" and "pack in" generally don't go together unless you look at the Wilderness. Lots of roads in most of the Gila units. Once you review the dismal draw odds for non-residents, after the shock and disappointment, you may be steered toward one unit or the other or a different one entirely.

15 doestn't have any rifle hunts, which is generally viewed as a positive.

15 has more roads than 16a although there are certain areas in both to escape a few miles. Unit quality is a different story. Although elk numbers are good in both the quality here is going to be in 16a hands down.

OPQ: "I'm a bivouac elk hunter that prefers packing in 3 to 4 miles." OPQ: "...trying to find out which unit has more roadless backcountry." A: Roadless = Wilderness = 16B in the southern part of the state. Other units in the rest of the state.

I've bivi-hunted 16B a couple times. Wolves and people there too (and elk). I recommend considering not using established trails to access "3-4 miles in" because the vast majority of hunters start at the trailheads, which makes for a pretty crowded first few miles before the hunters disperse. One mile up a trail and two miles sideways off trail can be pretty quiet though. We went about 4 miles sideways and had the place "to ourselves", but we had plenty of help for the recovery process.

Love all the information guys, please keep it coming. I realize draw odds are less then 6%, but I'm fine waiting a few years if needed. This is kind of a bucket list hunt for me. I have been blessed in that I have taken big bulls in Arizona, in units 1 and 27, as well as taking big bulls in Wyoming and Idaho. 16 B sounds like the type of hunt I'm interested in, If I could pack in 5 plus miles and enjoy a great wilderness hunt, then have a meat packer lined up that would be perfect for me.

Great bull, that 3rd looks like it’s on steroids.

Thank you Ohiohunter. I called that bull in on public land in Wyoming, he was just screaming, drilled him at 18 yards. The girth on that bull is amazing, I'm very thankful.

As for the 16s, agree 16B is what your looking for. There are remote units in Northern NM that have similar areas like 16B with better draw odds. Between 16A and 15 there are literally 100 more hunters from the draw hunting 15 on each hunt and 15 has a ton of UW landowner permits that 16a doesn't have to add to that chaos. if you do your homework and map work you can find areas devoid of roads in either unit that will get you away a few miles. Even in bow season here the majority of hunters don't venture far from the roads.

16a has less roads and better quality than 15. 16B is what your looking for if you want roadless. 15 has more hunters than 16a and it’s hard to get more than a mile from a road in 15. I wouldn’t overlook 34&36. The 16 units get the attention because in the 90’s that was where it was it but 34/36 can be better than 16a,b,c.

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