NM Mule Deer Unit 18

NM 18 — Tactical Analysis. Terrain & Access Unit 18 spans roughly 1.56 million acres across a broad elevation band (4,546–7,407 ft), mixing lower-elevation sagebrush and pinyon-juniper with higher ponderosa and mixed-conifer terrain. Seventy percent public land provides solid access; the remainder includes private ranches and state lands. Road networks service the lower and mid-elevation country, but higher drainages and ridge systems require foot travel. Water is a limiting factor in this region — drought conditions affect tank reliability on public land, though some BLM float tanks exist. Private inholdings often hold the most dependable water sources during..