Can not remember which unit I hunted in New Mexico a few years ago but it was in the hills to the East and to the South of Cuba.
A mate and I did a self guided hunt for Mule deer and saw a heap of Mule deer does but no Bucks. I think the locals poached all the bucks?
Anyway what we did see was heaps of Elk!!! They were up in the higher areas in the North end of the unit. We had no Elk tags but we had a lot of fun stalking up real close to the Bulls and scaring the **** out of them.
You should have seen the look in their eyes when you stand up at 15 yards with a rifle and say "Boo". Man I sure would have liked to have shot one of those big Bulls but if I ever draw a tag I will know where to go.
We camped out of the back of a hire car 4x4. We took a small tent and cooker and bought food at Cuba. The bush is safer than the town. Stay out of town!!!
Watch out for the derro's hanging out in the drain near the Food mart, they realy put the wind up us asking for money and trying to sell us knives etc. They even offered to take us up poaching Deer and Elk which we pollitely declined.
The store manager is a keen hunter and he called the cops to move them on. He then showed up his collection of hunting photo's. Top bloke!
Later one of the Derro's pulled a knife on a man filling up at a fuel store up the road when we were also filling up! The mans mate in the passenger seat pulled out a pistol and the derro ran off.
This was my first trip to the U.S. and I had only been in the country two days. After this either me or my mate stayed inside the car with a rifle while the other one did the shopping.