Unit 23 Unit 23
Trophy Coues country from the Arizona line to the Bootheel desert.
Southwest Gila borderlands — Burro Mountains & Blue Range · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
2,936
sq mi
Public land
55%
approx.
Elevation
4,250–8,827
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 23 is a sprawling southwest New Mexico unit that runs from the Arizona state line and the Blue Range Wilderness south through the Big Burro Mountains and down into the desert grasslands near Lordsburg and Deming. Its Burro Mountain hunt area is famous for big Coues whitetail, while Rocky Mountain elk hold in the higher Blue Range and Gila National Forest timber. Mule deer, pronghorn on the flats, bear, and lion fill out a unit with a wide elevation and habitat spread — and correspondingly heavy pressure on the accessible public ground.
Terrain
Elevation runs from roughly 4,250 ft in the Lordsburg/Deming desert to 8,827 ft on Whiterocks Mountain. Rugged forested mountains and the Blue Range Wilderness in the north give way to pinyon-juniper foothills in the Burros and open desert grassland in the south.
Cover: Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, and mountain mahogany up high; pinyon-juniper, scrub oak, and brush at mid-elevation; flat desert grassland with scattered brush and trees down low.
Landmarks: Big Burro Mountains · Blue Range Wilderness · Whiterocks Mountain · Saddle Mountain · Brushy Mountain · Gila River · San Francisco River
Access
A mix of Gila National Forest, BLM, State Trust, and large private ranches. The Burro Mountain portion inside the National Forest boundary carries private inholdings managed as a landowner hunt area, and elk on private ground are hunted via NM's E-PLUS system. Public ground sees heavy pressure; the Blue Range Wilderness is roadless and lightly hunted. State Trust land requires a recreational access permit. No reservation land in the unit.
Managers: USFS Gila NF, Blue Range Wilderness, BLM, private ranch (E-PLUS), NM State Trust
Access points: US-180 corridor (Silver City to the AZ line near Luna) · NM-90 toward Lordsburg · Burro Mountains forest roads off US-180 · Blue Range Wilderness trailheads · I-10 / US-70 desert access in the south
Species notes
Whitetail Deer
common trophyCoues whitetail are the marquee draw — the Burro Mountain hunt area produces big bucks and tags there are hard to draw. Recent overall deer harvest ran near 485 animals at about 26% success.
- →Glass oak-brush and pinyon-juniper hillsides at dawn and dusk in the Burros
- →Sit water and saddles during the December rut when bucks move
- →Hunt steep, broken foothill country away from roads to escape pressure
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityElk hold in the higher Blue Range and northern Gila timber; some bigger bulls come out of the Blue Range. Recent harvest around 108 elk at roughly 24% success.
- →Push into the Blue Range Wilderness where few hunters go
- →Locate bugling bulls in high mixed-conifer parks during the rut
- →Glass timbered north slopes and meadow edges at first light
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer share the mid- and higher-elevation country alongside Coues; the two overlap through the transition zone.
- →Glass open ridges and juniper benches at the mule-deer end of the elevation band
- →Hunt transition draws where oak brush meets grassland
Pronghorn
limited opportunityAntelope roam the southern desert grasslands toward Lordsburg and Deming, much of it private or checkerboard BLM.
- →Glass wide grassland flats from high points
- →Sort out land ownership carefully in the checkerboard before hunting
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear use the forested Burros and northern timber, feeding heavily on fall acorns.
- →Glass oak-brush slopes during the acorn drop
- →Check canyon bottoms and water in dry stretches
Cougar
common opportunityLions follow the abundant deer through the broken foothill and mountain country.
- →Cut tracks on forest roads after snow or rain
- →Check deer wintering areas and kill sites
Pro tips
- →The Burro Mountains are the trophy Coues engine — put in for and learn that hunt area
- →Time the December rut for the best crack at a mature Coues buck
- →Escape the heavy public pressure by hiking into the Blue Range or the steepest Burro country
- →Carry water and a good land-ownership map for the southern checkerboard
- →Confirm E-PLUS/private boundaries before hunting elk on ranch ground
Watch out for
- !Heavy hunting pressure on the accessible public ground
- !Large private ranches and inholdings; elk access runs through the E-PLUS landowner system
- !Southern desert is a BLM/private/State Trust checkerboard — verify ownership and carry a State Trust access permit
- !Water is scarce in the desert south; plan for it in early hot seasons
- !Fall fire restrictions on the Gila NF
Logistics
Silver City is the main hub for fuel, lodging, and supplies, with Lordsburg and Deming serving the southern desert. US-180 and NM-90 are the primary paved arteries; interior access is via Gila NF and BLM roads. Distances are large in this unit — plan fuel and water for long drives between the northern mountains and the southern flats.
Nearest towns: Silver City, Lordsburg, Deming, Cliff, Gila
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official New Mexico sources:
Research sources: NMDGF Unit 23 Boundary Map (PDF) · GOHUNT New Mexico Unit 23 Profile · Hunters Domain — NM Unit 23 Info
FAQ
- How big is Unit 23 in New Mexico?
- Unit 23 (Unit 23) covers about 2,936 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,250 to 8,827 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 23?
- Approximately 55% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Gila NF, Blue Range Wilderness, BLM, private ranch (E-PLUS), NM State Trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 23?
- Whitetail Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official New Mexico agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 23 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.