elk waterholes New Mex

[Weatherby5]

Headed out monday to new mexico elk hunting. During middle of the day do elk hit the waterholes when it slows down or do they do it in the morning and evenings.

[Trophyhill]

During hot/dry years elk will hit water during daylight hours. However, pressure and abundance or lack of plays a big part on where and when. This year though? Probably hit n miss. Most of the elkwoods here have got above average rain and elk won't have to go to any one source to quench their thirst as water should be everywhere. What unit are you hunting?

[Weatherby5]

22 23 ?? can't remember southwest side of gila almost to arizona

[Trophyhill]

22 23 ?? can't remember southwest side of gila almost to arizona

It is so green down there this year and been raining since June. You must have 23.

[Mike_Parson]

I am hunting unit 34, i set up a game camera on a water tank i have scouted and been seeing a ton of fresh sign around for weeks. i put it up for a week just to see what is hitting the tank. i had over 700 pics of elk hitting the tank every morning and every evening like clockwork. my camera takes 3 pics bursts but thats still a lot of pics every day of groups of elk. Had bulls and cows and spikes and calves all on the camera. in fact the last pictures were from a group with a nice mature bull taken 20 min before I go to the camera. I was so stoked about all the pictures, i just knew this was the spot to try to hunt.

My hunt started saturday morning and i sat that tank for 3 days. i had 3 cows some in first light on saturday and not another elk came in for the rest of my time there. I have no clue what turned them off so suddenly to the water tank. There was a lot of activity a few canyons over from some party campers enjoying the long weekend. maybe that is what changed things. I am not sure at all. I did hear some bugling around me early and late in the day so the elk are still around.

Ill be back at it next weekend. not sure what the area hold but if that big bull i spotted Sunday, saw his at about 100 yards moving away with some cows in the very early morning light, is still bugling i may have to try a little spot and stalk on him. he is in some nasty thick stuff but he sure is a nice bull.