Unit 15 or 34 NM

[Tilley Rd]

I'm thinking about buying a unit wide landowner tag for one of these units.

Wondering if anyone here has any first hand experience with the first muzzleloader season?

Amount of other hunters, number of elk ect.

Realistic expectations?

[WAcoueshunter]

I don't know anything about 34, but I've considered 15 over the years.  Lots of elk there, and plenty of good ones.  It's between NM Unit 16D (generally considered the best NM unit) and Arizona Unit 1 (top 5 AZ units), so that should tell you something.  I've hunted the Gila twice - both trips were great.

[Bean Counter]

They are both terrible. If you hunt 15, you'll be in the Gila which speaks for itself as nobody killed a 300"+ bull there. If you hunt 34, you'll practically swerve off the paved road to avoid hitting deer and elk. You might spill your coffee and wet your pants simultaneously. Not good. 340" bulls can be seen in the town of Cloudcroft so there obviously won't be any more in the backcountry. I would stick to an OTC spike tag in the Colockum.   

[MtnMuley]

Is they're two muzzy seasons now?  I thought there were 2 early archery, a muzzy, then 2 rifle.   Both units can be good, but the dates on the muzzy hunt is what would decide which I picked.  Especially if there is a "new" earlier muzzy season.

[Tilley Rd]

15 has three
34 only one

Oct. 11-15

[MtnMuley]

Same dates as last time I was there.  With that being said and bulls still being very in the rut, I'd choose 34.   That is as long as it is a unit wide tag, not ranch only.