Unit 25, New Mexico

Unit 25 is predominantly flat Chihuahuan Desert basin punctuated by isolated mountain ranges and volcanic features. Elevations range from roughly 4,700 feet in the desert flats to 7,448 feet at Florida Peak in the Florida Mountains; Gym Peak reaches 7,106 feet and Baldy Peak 6,703 feet within the same range. The Tres Hermanas Mountains average approximately 5,200 feet at the crest, and the East Potrillo Mountains average 5,127 feet on higher peaks. The Aden Lava Flow, southwest of Las Cruces, is an extensive field of rough, broken basalt from extinct volcanic cinder cones. The West Potrillo Mountains are geologically distinct: a series of 48 volcanic cinder cones interspersed with small sand dunes and seasonal playas. Canyon bottoms throughout the unit are sandy, and arroyo crossings can become impassable during summer monsoon flash flooding. Terrain in mountain ranges is steep with rocky ridgelines accessible primarily by high-clearance 4WD vehicle or foot travel.

Unit 25 is bounded by: Interstate 10 (north), the U.S.-Mexico international boundary (south), NM-146 / old NM-81 north from Hachita to I-10 (west), and the New Mexico-Texas state line (east). Primary access highways within or bordering the unit include NM-9 (east-west along the southern portion, connecting Columbus and Hachita), NM-11 (south from Deming toward Columbus), and NM-549 / county roads reaching the Florida Mountains east of Deming. The Florida Mountains are accessed via Mahoney Park Road (high-clearance 4WD required due to extremely rough, steep terrain) and Spring Canyon Road (paved, enters Rockhound State Park). The West Potrillo Mountains Wilderness (BLM Las Cruces District, ~30 miles southwest of Las Cruces) is accessed from I-10 near Anthony (Exit 8), then west on TX-178/Artcraft Road approximately 9 miles, then west on NM-9 about 24 miles to County Road 005 north approximately 1.5 miles. The East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness (BLM) is accessible via NM-9 from the Santa Teresa/Columbus corridor; from I-10 Exit 8 head west on Highway 136 to the border then northwest on NM-9 approximately 16.5 miles to County Road A008. Managing agencies are the BLM Las Cruces District (primary) and the New Mexico State Land Office (State Trust land, requiring a Recreational Access Permit). Approximately 74.6% of the unit is public land. There are no National Forest lands in Unit 25. Private-land inholdings exist throughout, particularly within the Florida Mountains where some ranchers have historically posted roads used for ibex and deer access. IMPORTANT ACCESS NOTE (as of April 2025): The U.S. Army designated approximately 109,651 acres of BLM and federal lands along New Mexico's southern border as the New Mexico National Defense Area (NDA), covering portions of Units 25, 26, and 27 in Dona Ana, Luna, and Hidalgo Counties. Hunters with valid tags in the NDA must obtain a visitor access badge by submitting personal information and passing a federal background check through the Fort Huachuca website. Additional rules include mandatory blaze orange on hat and upper body regardless of season, a one-quarter-mile standoff from buildings, vehicles, and border wall, and prohibition of wildlife cameras and drones. Hunters should check current NMDGF and Fort Huachuca guidance before the season as protocols may evolve.

Low-elevation desert flats support creosote-bush scrub, ocotillo, soaptree yucca, barrel cactus, jumping cholla, prickly pear, and desert grassland (grama grasses dominant). Sandy arroyos contain mesquite bosques with interspersed desert willow. Transitional mid-elevation slopes carry pinon-juniper woodland with scattered scrub oak, particularly in the Carizalillo Hills and on the flanks of the Florida Mountains. Higher rocky slopes in the Florida Mountains support denser scrub oak and juniper. The East Potrillo Mountains feature Chihuahuan Desert grassland with yucca, acacia, and a diverse cactus flora on limestone substrates, including unusually large barrel cacti and the state-endangered sand prickly pear. The volcanic West Potrillos are dominated by desert grasses and drought-tolerant shrubs with minimal tree cover.

The unit supports desert mule deer in mesquite thickets, foothills, and low mountain canyons; densities are low to moderate, with quality bucks reported in the Carizalillo Hills (juniper-covered foothills near the international boundary) and in the rougher terrain of the West Potrillos and Aden Lava Flow. Persian ibex (introduced 1970) maintain a free-ranging population in the Florida Mountains; populations have declined in recent years, prompting NMDGF to reduce total licenses beginning in 2023-2024. A small elk population is present, with draw hunts offered for archery and any-legal-weapon seasons. Pronghorn occur in limited numbers on the desert flats and grasslands. Javelina (collared peccary) are present in the desert scrub and mesquite flats, managed as a draw hunt with two seasons (January and February-March). Mule deer, javelina, and pronghorn are the primary ungulates on accessible public lands in the northern portions of the unit. Desert quail (scaled and Gambel's) are widespread. Raptors including golden eagles, great-horned owls, and peregrine falcons are especially abundant in winter over the East and West Potrillo Mountains. Mule deer, pronghorn, and raptors concentrate seasonally around the playas and seasonal water sources in the West Potrillos. No established Coues white-tailed deer population has been documented in Unit 25. Desert bighorn sheep are not confirmed as a hunted population in Unit 25 per available NMDGF data. The off-mountain Persian ibex license (IBX-1-528) is statewide/year-round with unlimited tags.

1. Elevation floor corrected to ~4,700 ft (from draft's 4,000 ft) per GOHUNT unit profile. 2. Mule deer any-legal season expanded: eRegulations confirms Nov 22-26 and Dec 6-14 windows not in draft. 3. Elk seasons corrected per eRegulations: archery adds Dec 20-24; any-legal is Oct 11-15, Oct 25-29, Dec 6-10, Dec 20-28 (draft had incorrect October dates and missed December windows); no separate muzzleloader season confirmed. 4. Javelina: draft omitted JAV-1-102 (1,100 tags, Feb 1-Mar 31) — added. 5. Ibex IBX-1-103 is once-in-a-youth (not generic youth); IBX-3-106 dates vary by year per admin code (Feb 3-28 range). 6. Persian ibex hunter_success_pct of 3% applies to archery only; NMDGF 2023-2024 forecast confirms 3-5% archery success; rifle/muzzleloader near 100% per outfitter reports. 7. Black bear and cougar retained in species list as regionally present but no confirmed draw data for this unit found. 8. NDA acreage (~109,651 acres) and blaze orange/drone/standoff rules confirmed via NMDGF NDA page. 9. Public land pct 74.6% per GOHUNT; effective accessible public land may be lower post-NDA withdrawal. 10. Mule deer and elk tag quotas not available without full NMDGF draw statistics database.