Mid-October is prime time in elk country, and the current round of hunts is already under way across the Carson National Forest. For hunters holding draw licenses, and for everyone else sharing the trails this week, knowing which units are active helps make for a safer, calmer trip.
In Unit 51, the any-legal-sporting-arm hunt runs October 10-14 under hunt code ELK-1-195, with a mature bull bag limit. Unit 52 takes a different turn this week: its October 10-14 hunts are muzzleloader hunts, including a mature bull hunt, a mobility-impaired muzzleloader hunt, and a resident-only antlerless muzzleloader hunt. Nearby Carson units follow a similar pattern. Units 49 and 50 have any-legal hunts October 10-14, Unit 53 has a muzzleloader hunt that week excluding the Cerro portion, and the Valle Vidal unit has a muzzleloader hunt in the same window.
The calendar does not slow down after this round. In Unit 51, further any-legal mature bull hunts run October 17-21 and October 24-28. Unit 52 follows with any-legal mature bull hunts on those same two later windows. Antlerless hunts for New Mexico residents arrive later in November in both units, so activity in elk country will continue well into the fall.
A few basics matter for anyone hunting this week. Each license carries its own hunt code, unit, sporting-arm type, season dates and bag limit, and hunters should hunt to that license, not to a general season idea. In the state rules, a mature bull designation means a spike bull is not legal, and all harvested elk must be tagged. Hunters unsure about a detail should check the current New Mexico Department of Game and Fish rules for their specific hunt code before heading out.
Hikers, anglers, campers and fall-color watchers will be sharing the forest with hunters through these windows, especially around dawn and dusk and at trailheads and forest road pullouts. A bright outer layer is a sensible choice this month, dogs are best kept close, and giving parked hunters space at first light is good trail etiquette. Expect a little more vehicle traffic on forest roads near popular access points.
Before any trip, check the Carson National Forest alerts for seasonal road restrictions and current notices by ranger district, and review the Motor Vehicle Use Map for the area being visited. Conditions and designations vary by district, including the Questa district that covers Questa, Red River and the Valle Vidal.
October in Carson country rewards everyone who plans ahead. Hunters get a fair chance in some of northern New Mexico's best elk habitat, and other visitors can still find quiet trails and golden aspens by timing their outings and choosing routes with the season in mind.