Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Any recommended outfitters for Gila Wilderness N.M.

Any outfitters that you have used or heard good things about for this area?

Can't remember their names, but there are two brothers out of Saccorro NM that know it well.

Stay away from USO...or any outfitter for that matter. Why not go it DIY?

I would contact Tommy Maldonado at Gila Wilderness Hunting (www.gilawildernesshunting.com). He runs a scouting service and lives in Tyrone just south of Silver City. He can fix you up and help you plan a hunt on your own for a whole lot less than hiring a guide or outfitter.

DIY is fine for some, BUT sometimes an outfitter is worth his weight in platinum....no I am not an outfitter or quide.

It is still in the stage of a preliminary idea at this time, you know trying to get an idea of what the odds are of getting a tag, and the costs of an outfitted trip.

A few years ago someone had posted photos of a string of mules packing into the Gila wilderness with just one hunter and one guide which looked like it could be fun, and it turned out to be succesful with a good bull.

Seriously, contact Tommy Maldonado. He can give you lots of information about your options and I am sure that he knows most of the outfitters. It would be a very good place to start. Probably should wait until early December as he is pretty busy right now.

Go to the NM DGF website (www.wildlife.state.nm.us). They list the drawing odds for all the units. The Gila units are basically Unit 15 (bow and muzzle loader only), all of the 16s, and parts of 22 and 24.

Thanks mudhen, that is a good place to start.

Limestone Outfitters out of Winston NM. Daryl Welty. He used to run a very good outfit. I have not talked to him in a few years, but I have not heard nothing bad about him either.

Toby Joe

Lonesome Dove Ranch, San Francisco Peaks Outfitters, El Lobo Outfitters.

Check with several locals if possible. Promised Land Taxidermy gets to see a lot of the big ones worth a call. Outfitters change staff and the level of service so get as current a report as you can. Haven't hunted with any of these recently so check them out thoroughly. Local Game Wardens can be helpful too.

Van Hale will hunt you there as well. He can do horse back or just stab in each day. I don't know what he charges for that type of hunt, My guess is that it would be close to $1000/day.

Wayne Billings out of Silver City, NM also does well with a pack-in hunt. Let me know if you want contact info.

I found his website, thanks to everyone for the tips.