Unit 51A Unit 51A
A big, largely public Carson Forest unit with strong public-land bulls and quality mule deer
North-central Carson NF — Tusas Mountains, east of US 84 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
797
sq mi
Public land
86%
approx.
Elevation
6,000–9,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 51A covers roughly 797 square miles of the Carson National Forest and adjacent BLM in Rio Arriba and Taos counties, spreading east of US 84 across the Tusas Mountains between the Rio Chama Wilderness and the Tres Piedras / Taos Junction country. It is one of northern New Mexico's better public-land elk units — known for good elk numbers and strong trophy potential on bulls — with a moderate but quality mule deer herd across its mesas and canyons. Access is overwhelmingly public (about 86%) national forest, but private valley ranches participate in New Mexico's E-PLUS landowner-tag system, and Jicarilla Apache tribal land lies to the west and is closed to general hunting.
Terrain
Rolling forested mountains, mesas and volcanic uplands cut by canyons and creek drainages, rising from lower pinyon-juniper benches into high timbered ridges.
Cover: Pinyon-juniper and sage on lower mesas grading into ponderosa pine, mixed conifer and aspen on the higher Tusas ridges, with grassy parks and oak brush.
Landmarks: Tusas Mountains · Carson National Forest · Rio Vallecitos · San Antonio River · El Rito area · US 285 / US 64 corridor near Tres Piedras · Abiquiu country to the south
Access
Predominantly public Carson National Forest and BLM, hunted off an extensive network of forest roads from the US 285, US 64 and US 84 corridors. Private ranches occupy the valley bottoms and some carry E-PLUS landowner elk tags, so confirm public status before hunting. Jicarilla Apache reservation land lies west of the unit and is closed to general NMDGF hunting. The Rio Chama Wilderness edge on the west is foot/horseback only.
Managers: USFS Carson NF, BLM, private ranch (E-PLUS), NM State Trust
Access points: US 285 north to Tres Piedras · US 64 from Tres Piedras west toward Tierra Amarilla · El Rito and Vallecitos forest roads off NM 111 / NM 554 · Ojo Caliente / US 285 approaches from the south
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityThe headline draw — a healthy public-land elk herd with genuine trophy potential on mature bulls across the Tusas high country.
- →Glass grassy parks and aspen-timber edges at first and last light
- →Work the higher mixed-conifer ridges and north slopes where mature bulls bed
- →Locate wallows and water for the dry September rut
- →Push away from forest roads into the wilderness-edge timber to escape pressure
Mule Deer
common qualityA moderate but quality mule deer herd across the pinyon-juniper mesas and canyon breaks — good bucks are taken here every year.
- →Glass pinyon-juniper and sage transitions at dawn
- →Work mesa rims and canyon benches
- →Hunt oak-brush and aspen pockets in the higher country
- →Still-hunt broken canyon country between parks and timber
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bear inhabit the forested canyons and oak-brush drainages of the higher Carson NF country as a secondary opportunity.
- →Glass oak-brush and berry slopes in early fall
- →Watch canyon bottoms and drainages at dawn and dusk
- →Check acorn-heavy Gambel oak pockets when mast is on
Pro tips
- →Water dictates September elk movement — inventory wallows, seeps and tanks before the rut
- →Grassy parks and aspen edges are your best glassing terrain for bulls
- →This is a big unit — invest scouting time learning a few drainages rather than roaming
- →Confirm public vs. private E-PLUS ground in the valley bottoms before setting up
- →The mule deer hunting rewards glassing the pinyon-juniper mesa breaks patiently
Watch out for
- !Private ranch bottoms and E-PLUS landowner tags mean not all elk ground or tags are public
- !Jicarilla Apache reservation land to the west is closed to general NMDGF hunting
- !The Rio Chama Wilderness edge is foot/horseback only
- !Water is scarce in dry years — carry your own on the mesas
- !Rough, remote forest roads with little to no cell coverage
Logistics
Tierra Amarilla, Tres Piedras and Ojo Caliente offer fuel and limited supplies; Española to the south is the larger hub for lodging, groceries and gear. Plan for gravel forest-road access and self-sufficient camping on the Carson NF. Cell coverage is spotty to absent off the highway corridors.
Nearest towns: Tres Piedras, Tierra Amarilla, El Rito, Vallecitos, Ojo Caliente, Abiquiu
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official New Mexico sources:
Research sources: NMDGF Game Management Unit 51 Boundary Map · GOHUNT — New Mexico Unit 51A Profile · Hunters Domain — New Mexico Unit 51 Hunting Info
FAQ
- How big is Unit 51A in New Mexico?
- Unit 51A (Unit 51A) covers about 797 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,000 to 9,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 51A?
- Approximately 86% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Carson NF, BLM, private ranch (E-PLUS), NM State Trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 51A?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official New Mexico agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 51A on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.