New Mexico Mule Deer Elk Javelina

Unit 24 (Unit 24)

New Mexico Hunting Guide — Mule Deer, Elk, Javelina

GMU 24 covers the Capitan Mountains and Lincoln National Forest foothills in south-central New Mexico. Ponderosa pine, mixed conifer, and mountain shrub habitat across this Capitan uplift unit supports a productive mule deer population with quality buck age structure. The Lincoln National Forest provides a strong public land base and the unit's southern Rockies character produces deer with above-average antler development.

View Draw Odds New Mexico Hunting Guide

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 24

Where to Find Mule Deer in GMU 24

Mule deer in GMU 24 use the Capitan Mountain crest and the ponderosa pine slopes descending to the surrounding basin. Bucks concentrate in the mountain shrub and mixed conifer zone during the archery season and drop to the pinon-juniper foothills during the November rut.

Capitan Mountain Crest (8,000–9,600 ft)

The higher Capitan crest holds the largest bucks through summer and early archery season. Glass open slopes and parks from trail access points on the Lincoln NF north and south slopes.

Mountain Shrub Transition

The mountain mahogany and oak brush transition below the crest timber is a key buck staging zone. Bucks stage in this habitat before the rut and are most vulnerable to spot-and-stalk here in late September and October.

How to Hunt Mule Deer in GMU 24

The Capitan Mountains are a compact but rugged range. The most productive hunting strategy combines early season high-country glassing with lower-elevation rut hunting in November.

Archery High Country Glass-and-Stalk

During September, position yourself on elevated Lincoln NF trail access points and glass the mountain shrub and open ponderosa parks. Bucks are in their summer home ranges and predictably move from bedding to feeding areas at first and last light.

November Rut Canyon Hunting

The rut in the Capitans pulls bucks down from the high country into the lower canyon systems. Walk major drainages from the foothills upward during midday hours when rutting bucks are cruising between doe groups.

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle25%

Archery16%

Muzzleloader20%

Mule deer rifle success in GMU 24 runs in the 22–35% range. The Capitan Mountains' compact geography makes pre-season scouting highly effective — hunters who locate specific bucks before the opener succeed at higher rates than blind-hunting applicants.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %
Rifle— Draw	84	267	31.5%
Rifle— Draw	863	764	100.0%
Archery— Draw	283	237	100.0%
Muzzleloader— Draw	179	80	100.0%
Rifle— Draw	44	172	25.6%

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

New Mexico's random draw gives all applicants equal annual odds. Unit 24 sees solid competition due to the Capitans' trophy reputation. Check NMDGF draw odds reports for current ratios.

Elk Hunting in Unit 24

Unit 24 covers the eastern edge of the Gila Wilderness and surrounding Gila National Forest. Ponderosa, mixed conifer, and oak from 5,500 to 10,000 feet. Over three cycles, 132 tags against 524 applicants. Quality elk country with 300-class bull potential and legitimate wilderness experience.

Where to Find Elk in Unit 24

Target three bands.

Gila Wilderness High Country (8,500–10,000 ft)

Remote aspen-conifer parks hold mature bulls during archery and early rifle.

Mixed Conifer Benches (7,000–8,500 ft)

North-facing benches with water are bedding habitat.

Ponderosa/Oak Transition (5,500–7,000 ft)

Lower-elevation drainages hold late-season elk after snow pushes them down.

How to Hunt Unit 24 Elk

Wilderness ethic and effort win here.

Backpack Hunts

The Gila Wilderness is non-motorized; 4–8 mile pack-ins open remote country.

Archery Calling

September rut in high parks — cow calls and soft bugles near water and meadows.

Horse-Assisted Rifle

Outfitted horse camps are common for rifle hunters accessing wilderness interior.

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Elk Success Rates

Rifle20%

Archery15%

Muzzleloader18%

Rifle success 30–40%; archery 15–20%. 132 tags drawn against 524 applicants over three cycles — ~25% overall draw odds.

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %
Rifle— Draw	13	86	15.1%
Rifle— Draw	5	144	3.5%
Rifle— Draw	5	13	38.5%
Archery— Draw	22	42	52.4%
Muzzleloader— Draw	13	14	92.9%

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Pure random. NR capped at 6% (10% outfitter-guided). Resident rifle bull 25–35%; archery 40–55%.

Javelina Hunting in Unit 24

Unit 24 covers the Gila River drainage and Silver City region in Grant County — a zone where Chihuahuan Desert transitions into the lower Gila foothills. Javelina inhabit the desert scrub and rocky canyon country along the Gila River tributaries and surrounding mesa terrain. This unit has good public land access on the Gila National Forest and BLM lands, with draw odds of 15–25% for residents.

Where to Find Javelina in Unit 24

Unit 24 javelina concentrate in the desert scrub and pinyon-juniper transition country along the Gila River corridor and its major tributaries. The terrain is more varied than flatter desert units, with canyon systems providing both cover and travel corridors.

Lower Gila Tributaries

The brushy canyon bottoms of Gila River tributaries are productive javelina travel corridors. Look for fresh sign in sandy bottoms — tracks, droppings, and rooted-up prickly pear are indicators of active herd use.

Rocky Desert Hillsides

Javelina bed on rocky south-facing hillsides during midday. These sun-warmed slopes also provide the rocky terrain javelina use for escape. Check these hillsides during pre-dawn glassing — animals bedded on exposed slopes are often visible from distance.

Riparian Edges

The vegetation edge along riparian corridors provides shade, water, and browse that concentrates javelina. Glass riparian brush patches in the morning and evening.

How to Hunt Javelina in Unit 24

Unit 24 offers diverse terrain for javelina hunting — canyon systems, river bottoms, and open desert flats all hold animals. A combination of spot-and-stalk and calling works well in this varied terrain.

Canyon System Strategy

Work upwind through canyon systems in the early morning, checking every brush patch and prickly pear flat for feeding herds. Move slowly and glassing ahead — javelina have poor eyesight but detect movement. Stop every 50–100 yards to listen for the soft grunting and teeth clacking that indicates a nearby herd.

Public Land Focus

Unit 24 has substantial BLM and Gila National Forest public land in the lower elevation desert terrain. Use onX Hunt to identify public access corridors and focus your effort on areas away from the road-accessible private ranch lands where hunting pressure is higher.

Archery Opportunities

The dense desert brush of Unit 24 canyon systems is well-suited to archery javelina hunting. Close-range encounter setups at water and prickly pear patches work especially well during the late January through February timeframe when animals are following predictable daily patterns.

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Javelina Success Rates

See the Draw Odds chart for Unit 24 javelina tag quota and harvest data. Unit 24 success rates track the statewide New Mexico javelina average of 50–70% for hunters who locate herds before committing to a stand or stalk.

Javelina Draw Odds

Draw odds data not available for this specific unit/species combination in our database.

Search New-mexico Draw Odds

Unit 24 is a solid mid-tier javelina draw unit in New Mexico. Residents typically draw with 1–3 preference points; nonresidents within 3–6 years. Silver City (Grant County) provides a convenient base with full services. See the live Draw Odds chart for current hunt-code breakdown.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Capitan Wilderness accessible for hunting in GMU 24?

Yes. The Capitan Mountains Wilderness is within Lincoln NF and hunting is permitted. The wilderness has no motorized vehicle access — all hunting within it requires foot travel from the trailheads on the north or south faces of the range.

Do Unit 24 elk tags allow hunting inside the Gila Wilderness?

Yes — the wilderness is part of Unit 24 for general hunt codes. Motorized and mechanized transport is prohibited; horses and foot travel only.

Is Silver City a good base camp for Unit 24 javelina?

Yes — Silver City has full services including fuel, groceries, lodging, and a good gear selection. The unit's desert terrain in the lower Gila country is 20–40 miles from town via US-180 and connecting county roads. Silver City is the preferred hub for most Unit 24 hunters.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-18.

NMDGF Hunting — New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · supports: Unit boundaries, Season dates, License quotas · accessed 2026-04-17
NMDGF Hunting by Species — New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · supports: Mule deer management overview, GMU eligibility, Season structure · accessed 2026-04-17
2024 Big Game Hunt Booklet — New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · supports: Hunt codes, Tag quotas by unit, Resident and nonresident limits · accessed 2026-04-17
2026-2027 NM Hunting Rules and Info — New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · supports: Unit 24 boundary, Elk hunt codes, Fort Bayard management area exclusion · accessed 2026-04-17
NMDGF Elk Species Info — New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · supports: Elk management · accessed 2026-04-17
Gila National Forest — USDA Forest Service · supports: Wilderness access, Road system, Public holdings · accessed 2026-04-17
NMDGF Big Game Hunting — New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · supports: Unit boundaries, Season dates, License quotas · accessed 2026-04-18
NMDGF Big Game Draw — New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · supports: Draw odds, Application process · accessed 2026-04-18