So I pulled a unit 29 New Mexico mule deer tag and I had a question or two for the seasoned mule deer hunters in the group. To preface I have hunted unit 29 before on the north end and only turned up does and other hunters despite burning quite a bit of boot leather, getting high and glassing, and trying the road hunting gig for a day just for grins. For those familiar with southern new mexico mule deer hunting do the bucks in the area prefer the more sandy/mesquite type low country or those steep brushy pinion/juniper draws? Also, how important is it to be near water? I have gotten varying replies about water and mule deer bucks. The does I found last time I hunted out there were in the steeper country of the unit except for one group in a draw in the flat country on the west side. I am hoping to punch my first mule deer tag this fall but knowing unit 29 it can be a chore to find a forky. Any wisdom is appreciated.

" . . . .burning quite a bit of boot leather, getting high and glassing, ..." - do not, and I repeat do not, hunt with Norml.

As usual, some of us will see what you did there.
To the OP, just ignore, except to take him literally.

I’d say it sound advice on both side unless your in to that and in that case it should be a pretty chill hunt.


Op -let the glassing do as much walking as you can. Mule deer will hold tight in limited cover. Extremely tight so glassing is best option

More glassing is one of the approaches I am planning on doing, and bringing a polaris to keep from beating up a truck 700 miles from home. Every mule deer hunter I ever talked to said to glass till you want to puke and then glass some more. Typically the deer we did see were on a mission, some were browsing as they went. I just have a hard time believing the consistent 30% harvest for first rifle in the unit despite never having seen a buck with my own eyes. Maybe I have a lot more to learn than I thought. They definitely did not act like whitetails.

Polaris is your smartest option from experience don’t be afraid to glass from the roof.

Use onX etc to find water and focus on 3 mile circle of that. Or cover lots of country first day to find water. NM blm and NF leases tend to have decent water maintained by cattle leasees, but aren’t on maps.

Some times glassing you are just looking for the glistening of horn, I love hunting Mulies

Thank you for the pointers. I'd be tickled pink to find a buck like that one.

Love that pic......here's one similar, through my spotter at 3/4 mile.......

Just remember to glass SLOW the deer will bed in the shade during the day, if you glass slow enough you will spot bedded deer. Like the guys say stay fairly close to a water source, have great time Mulies are awesome

Pretty neat how they blend

yep, during the heat of the day, look under every place there is a shadow. They tend to like maintaining similar temperatures. And glassing slow, you might catch the flicker of an ear batting at bugs.

They'll bed an base of rim rock outcroppings too.

Muleys tend to stop and look back one more time before topping a ridge and going over.

Good luck!

Man that's a rugged unit...don't be surprised by the gemsbock that may pass thru there!!!

Thanks to all for the info. This is what it looked like last time I was there. Not the roughest country I have been in but rough enough and hard on the feet.

I’d rather hunt that then timber!!!!

My kind of country

Agreed. I love WT hunting but if I could afford it I would love to MD hunt again.

I looked at my old cost spreadsheet for this hunt and my grand total was around 700 bucks for the DIY trip.

Cool country !

Looks to me like water will be the key.

For what ever the reason they don’t hit it near as often as mountain bucks. I’m guessing it’s a predation thing. They will also travel miles to and from

Those pictures arent BOALs are they? Just checking to make aure no one here is the OG drama llama

That thing is huge