Depends on your strategy, do you want an elk tag if you don't draw your top choices, or are you after only a top notch elk tag? Also make sure you when applying, you put the units with the toughest draw odds at the top of your order. I believe your draw odds will be vastly improved this year as New Mexico is now requiring the full fee up front, rather than just the application fee. For that 3rd choice, your draw odds won't be any better with a rifle, so I'd either look at a different unit, like 21A or 37, or consider putting in for the rifle tag with your first choice.

I am interested in bowhunting elk in New Mexico this year also. I was looking at these units as well as unit 51. What do you guys think about 51? We are interested in just drawing a decent tag and having a good trip with some opportunities at game, not necessarily "world class" animals.

It's still a little early for me to make much of an assessment on those units. I'm in the middle of trying to get Wyoming and Arizona rankings up on my website, plus Montana and Utah finished as they have deadlines much sooner then New Mexico. One thing I will point out that is most states I've studied have units that are totally undervalued from a demand standpoint. New Mexico has its high dollar hunts, but just because a unit is labeled as a Quality or High Demand hunt, it doesn't mean there are units with similar % of bulls being harvested.

I would go with either unit 36 or 37 for archery elk in that part of the state, unit 34 use to be great but they opened it up to a youth rifle hunt on the tail end of the rut and they cleaned out alot of the bigger bulls. For the other hunter unit 51 and 52 holds alot of elk but a little thicker and steeper country.

I don't mind doing the steep and rugged terrain if the animals are there. I have been a do-it-yourself elk hunter in Colorado for 10 years hiking in and out and doing 10 miles more or less everyday, I can't imagine New Mexico can be much worse. Do you guys think it is worth the work in 51 and 52?