Anyone been to the Jicarilla on an elk hunt. If so, would you recommend it.

Not hunted there, but I have driven through a few times. From what I saw from the roads in the evening, I'd recommend it.

Got friends that have hunted it and generally it was a good hunt if you got a good guide. If you got a sorry one that laid out drunk you were just SOL. If there is any problems like that, you can kiss your $ goodbye from all I have heard from some folks that went there.

Have never hunted the Jic. but have hunted around it. I would say it depends on what you are looking for in your hunt.

Went there on a Cow hunt several years ago. Everything went well was done by lunch, first day.
At the time, the guides were resident game wardens also.
Saw some very nice bulls.
I do not know how things are now, we had a very good experience back then.

I hunted there in the mid-1990s and shot a 6x6 bull on the third day. It was so long ago that I can't comment on today's conditions.

Bill Quimby

Hunted ranches adjacent to the res. Lots of elk. Saw a few decent bulls, none of the big trophies you see in the marketing, though. If they are there, the locals can find them. Talked with one of the tribal wardens at the property boundary one evening. Very nice guy, definitely into shooting and hunting and knew his elk and deer. Never actually been on the res, but would certainly give it try given time and $s.

I have hunted the Jicarilla twice. I had a guy that worked for me that was also a guide on the reservation. The first hunt was a cow tag and I bet we saw 400 elk the first 1/2 day.

The second was later the same year for a bull. I only had a weekend and took a 320 bull the first day.

The skinning room with walk in cooler are a nice feature.

1 word of advice. Get references on the guides and CALL them.

I hunted a neighboring public land unit 3 years ago that bordered the Hic. Saw elk every day.

Watched a 340+ bull eating in a meadow at 257 yards for 30 minutes. He had several slightly smaller bulls with him.

It's neat country and fairly easy to hunt physically(compared with other trophy elk areas).

If cost is not an issue, there are certainly some big elk in there....

I hunted land immediately adjacent once and certainly, it is easy country to hunt in and elk can be tremendous in number. We saw some big ones as well, but did not get a shot on any of them, so settled for smaller bulls. But a great area to hunt and I would love to do it again. That region had really pronounced migrations. If you catch it just right, you could set yourself up to watch 50-100 animals walk on by. I never did catch up to one of those herds but I saw them and gave it my best.

They used to have a fenced "reserve" not far from Dulce. They may still. Big elk-big money.
When we hunted the Jicarrilla we would pay the guide to stay at the bar but that was in the late 80s. Things have changed at least a little.

The jic has fabulous hunting, but the guide is everything.

I have hunted theJicarilla several times. Great elk country. Toughest part of the hunt will be finding the right guide you can count on. They are there for sure but you would be wise to make sure. Kirt Vincenti was who I used each time. If he is still there and guiding I would use him again in a minute. He was only doing part time when I was there last but he is honest, sober, & dependable.

There is a little strip of Carson National forest on the west boundary that runs all the way to Colorado.It can be accessed by a road that cuts west about 1/2 way up the reseravtion from the south. Same elk as on the Jicarilla.

From what I've heard it can be a wonderful spot. But the guide situation is way to challenging for me. Way too easy to find a place where one doesn't have to deal with that kind of crapola.

Bottom line, for the ching I'd be looking elsewhere with more consistent guides.

Dober