Unit 2B, New Mexico

Elevations range from approximately 5,550 to 7,665 feet. The western lowlands are wide, flat river bottoms along the San Juan River lined with irrigated crop fields; the central zone consists of rolling hills, short mesas, and canyon drainages (Largo Canyon, Cereza Canyon) at mid-elevation; the eastern highlands along the Carson National Forest boundary rise into timbered mountains and forested mesas above 6,500 feet. Terrain is generally easy to moderate across most of the unit; fine-powder sandy soils in the sage flats become treacherous when wet and require chains or high-clearance vehicles. Hundreds of pump jacks and oil well pads are scattered throughout the foothills, and compressor station noise is constant in oil-field zones.

Primary highways: US Highway 64 runs along the southern portion of the unit; NM 527, NM 539, NM 173, and NM 511 provide internal access. The Navajo Dam community (NM 173/511 junction) is a key staging point. BLM Farmington Field Office administers the majority of public land (~211,456 acres of BLM); Carson National Forest (Jicarilla Ranger District) manages the eastern highlands. State Trust land requires a State Land Office access permit for public hunters not covered by a big-game license (confirm current rules with NMSLO). Good gravel and dirt roads provide access to most BLM areas; many oil-field roads are gated and closed to public travel. Roads west of the community of Rosa toward Navajo Reservoir and near the Rosa Station are seasonally closed for deer wintering range protection — consult current NMDGF closures before accessing this corridor. The Jicarilla Apache Nation boundary (east/south) is clearly marked; hunting requires tribal authorization and a separate tribal license — do not cross. Private inholdings within BLM are often unmarked; fluorescent flagging warnings are posted near some oil-field leases. No wilderness areas exist within 2B itself, though Carson NF lands are roadless in places.

Lower elevations support western sagebrush flats, greasewood, and shrub/scrub (estimated 60% of land cover). Mid-elevation slopes carry pinyon-juniper woodland, oak brush, and sandstone canyon scrub. Riparian corridors along the San Juan River, Los Pinos River (Pine River), and Navajo Reservoir arms support cottonwood, willow, and dense grassy wetlands. The eastern fringe within the Carson National Forest transitions to ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forest above 6,500 feet, which provides the unit's primary elk and turkey habitat. Croplands occur in river bottom areas near water sources.

Mule deer are the dominant big-game species and the historic primary draw of the unit; the San Juan River corridor and mesa edges concentrate deer, and the unit has historically produced large-bodied bucks with high Boone and Crockett potential, though hunting pressure and habitat changes have reduced trophy consistency in recent years. Elk numbers are present and described as expanding, concentrated mainly in the Carson National Forest highlands to the east and on private/reservation-adjacent lands. Pronghorn occur on the sage flats and rolling grasslands, managed under a multi-unit (2/7/9/10) combined draw with very limited public-land tags. Black bear inhabit the forested eastern highlands and canyons (OTC license, Zone 2). Mountain lion (cougar) range throughout the unit year-round (OTC, Zone A). Merriam's turkey are present in the Carson National Forest portions of the unit and are managed under a spring draw permit. Navajo Reservoir and the San Juan River tailwater attract waterfowl and provide year-round habitat for riparian species. Oryx, Barbary sheep, ibex, bighorn sheep, and javelina are not established in this unit.

1. Elk tag_quota (660) and mule deer tag_quota (1,725) are summed from all 2025-26 hunt codes listed in the official Rules and Info PDF — elk codes cover the combined 2A/2B/2C pool (NMDGF does not sub-allocate elk tags at the 2B level in public draw tables); treat elk quota as a unit-complex figure. 2. Hunter success rates and harvest counts for 2B specifically were not available from any public source; HuntScore 2021 aggregate (29.5% overall, 3,748 hunters) covers the combined unit complex across all species — not reliable as a species-specific rate. 3. Public land percentage (85%) sourced from GoHunt profile (84.6% rounded); HuntScore lists 95% but their breakdown sums to over 100% and is likely incorrect. 4. Oryx and Barbary sheep listed by HuntScore for this unit have been removed — these non-native exotics are not established in northwestern NM and belong to southern units (18/19/20). 5. Road and area closures (Rosa wintering range, oil-field gates) are subject to seasonal NMDGF orders — verify with NMDGF Northwest Area office (505-222-4710) before accessing northern sections. 6. Pronghorn tag_quota (35) is estimated from available licenses across the Units 2/7/9/10 pool; 2B-specific allocation is not published separately. 7. Turkey tag_quota (185) combines the 2B/2C Carson NF draw pool.