Unit 48 Unit 48
High-success plains antelope with a genuine bull-elk herd, but access is the puzzle
Northeast NM — Sangre de Cristo foothills meeting the plains, private ranch country · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
379
sq mi
Public land
29%
approx.
Elevation
5,900–10,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 48 sits northwest of Wagon Mound where the east slope of the Sangre de Cristos and the Rincon/Ocate high country tumble down into shortgrass plains across Mora and Colfax counties. Antelope are the standout — a small tag pool with outstanding success on the open grassland (92%). The unit also carries a real elk herd for its size, with mature 260–300 inch bulls, plus decent mule deer. The catch is land: the eastern half is dominated by private ranches and Spanish land grants, and only the western half offers a workable scatter of public ground.
Terrain
Rolling shortgrass plains and mesas on the east climbing west into rugged foothills, canyons, and forested ridges of the Sangre de Cristo east slope.
Cover: Roughly 59% grassland on the plains, 28% evergreen (ponderosa and mixed conifer) forest on the higher west side, and scattered shrub and pinyon-juniper on the breaks and canyon edges.
Landmarks: Wagon Mound (landmark butte) · Maxwell Grant boundary (north) · Rincon Range / Ocate high country · I-25 corridor · Sangre de Cristo east slope
Access
Only about 29% public — the eastern half is almost entirely private ranch and land-grant ground, while the western half holds a workable but broken distribution of BLM, State Trust, and small forest pieces. NM's elk here move heavily on private land through the landowner E-PLUS system, so much of the best elk ground is tag-tied, not open. State Trust parcels require a recreational access permit. Study a land-ownership GPS layer carefully before hunting.
Managers: private ranch (E-PLUS), Spanish land grant, BLM, NM State Trust, USFS Carson NF
Access points: Roads west off Interstate 25 near Wagon Mound · NM-120 toward Ocate · County and BLM two-tracks on the western public pieces · Forest access on the higher west-side ridges
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe unit's headliner — a limited draw with excellent success (92%) on antelope roaming the open shortgrass plains, mostly on the accessible flats.
- →Glass wide from high two-tracks across the grassland basins
- →Watch water tanks and stock ponds in hot early stretches
- →Locate a buck, confirm public ground, then make a patient stalk using terrain rolls
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityA solid elk herd for the unit's size producing mature 260–300 inch bulls, though many animals winter and hold on private land tied to E-PLUS tags.
- →Hunt the forested west-side ridges and canyon heads away from roads
- →Work timber-edge meadows and springs at first and last light
- →Pin down which public pieces elk actually use — access dictates opportunity here
Mule Deer
common qualityRespectable mule deer through the foothill breaks and canyon country, capable of quality bucks with the private ground again holding much of the best habitat.
- →Glass foothill breaks and mesa rims at dawn
- →Still-hunt pinyon-juniper draws and oak brush pockets
- →Focus the transition where plains meet timber on the accessible west side
Pro tips
- →Treat access as the primary problem — run a GPS land-ownership layer and plan around the western public pieces
- →The antelope hunt is the sleeper value: tiny tag pool, outstanding success on open ground
- →For elk, get into the timbered west-side ridges and canyons where public ground actually exists
- →Pull a State Trust recreational access permit before hunting those parcels
- →Confirm land-grant and ranch boundaries — E-PLUS elk ground is not open general access
Watch out for
- !Eastern half is almost all private ranch and land grant — no general public hunting
- !Elk lean heavily on private E-PLUS ground; open-land elk opportunity is limited
- !NM State Trust parcels require a recreational access permit
- !Water is scarce on the plains — carry your own
- !High-country weather can turn fast in late seasons; ranch roads mud up in monsoon
Logistics
Wagon Mound and Springer on I-25 cover basic fuel and supplies, but stock up in Las Vegas (NM) or Raton for anything substantial. Roads range from good highway to rough ranch two-tracks; carry a spare, extra fuel, and a reliable land-ownership map. Cell service is spotty off the interstate.
Nearest towns: Wagon Mound, Springer, Ocate
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official New Mexico sources:
Research sources: NMDGF Big Game Unit Maps · GOHUNT — New Mexico Unit 48 Profile · Hunters Domain — NM Unit 48 Hunting Info
FAQ
- How big is Unit 48 in New Mexico?
- Unit 48 (Unit 48) covers about 379 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,900 to 10,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 48?
- Approximately 29% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch (E-PLUS), Spanish land grant, BLM, NM State Trust, USFS Carson NF. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 48?
- Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official New Mexico agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 48 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.