Plan Your Hunt
Dressing For Your Hunt
New Mexico weather can be unpredictable year round, When packing for your hunting trip
You should keep all day comfort in the field in mind and dress accordingly.
No matter what time of the year you hunt, a lightweight, breathable field pack is a necessity. Your pack should fit well so it’s comfortable without a lot of adjusting, should be small enough to carry what you need, but large enough that you don’t have to empty the contents to find what you want. If it makes your back sweat, or needs constant adjusting, it will interfere with your hunt.
Sturdy, waterproof, comfortable, previously worn lace up boots. If you are buying new boots for your hunt, purchase them months in advance making sure they are well worn and comfortable when you arrive, ill fitting, uncomfortable boots will ruin your hunt experience. Field and Stream and Outdoor Life both shared great advice for hunting boots.
Wool, or wool blend moisture wicking socks, Gortex lined boots or Gortex boot liners for cold weather. Waterproof head cover, gaiters, and gloves. Gaiters can prevent wet pant legs and prevent minor brush injuries. Head cover will shield you from the sun, rain and aid warmth if necessary.
A lightweight pair of gloves will keep your hands warm when glassing and ensure they aren’t too cold to take a shot, Goretex gloves will keep your hands warm during colder weather hunts.
Early Season Archery
Archery hunters should expect cool/cold mornings and evenings with warm, even hot days. New Mexico is notorious for temperature fluctuation, ranging from around 35-60 degrees
mornings and evenings with temperatures between 50-80 degrees during the day. Keep in mind you’re likely to be in the field from before dawn until after dusk when the temperature is cool, you may experience light rain, or very warm weather during the day. Make sure you pack enough clothing to layer for hunting during the day, and for clean dry clothing when you’ve come in from the field at night. Looking at the weather predictions before dressing for a day in the field can help you determine what you wear and what extra clothing to leave in the vehicle.
Layered, moisture wicking clothing should keep you comfortable from sun up to sun down. Ensure you have full coverage long sleeved, full length clothing that won’t leave you sweating during the day,
but will help retain body heat when the temperature is cool or cold. Packing an extra pair of extra socks in your field pack will ensure comfort in case of rain and help prevent blisters when on longer hikes.A lightweight waterproof rain suit (jacket and pants) will break the wind keeping you warmer if necessary and keep you dry in case of a shower.
Cold Weather Hunts:
October: You can expect morning and evening temperatures from around 30-50 degrees, with daylight hours ranging between 50-70
November: Mornings average temperatures mornings and evening generally range from 10-30 with daylight hours ranging from 35-65 with an average of about 45
December: Weather is similar to November, with average temperatures dropping approximately 2-6 degrees below November averages.
Merino Wool is naturally moisture wicking and will help eliminate some body odor. Consider a base layer of socks, boxer briefs, and top and bottom long underwear in Marino wool, followed by varying weight Marino wool layers you can add or removed during the day depending on weather conditions. Outer layers should be both waterproof and lightweight. A lightweight down vest weighs nothing and takes up little space in your field pack. A waterproof softshell jacket that can be added over the top of all of your layers, it should be large enough to accommodate several base layers including your down vest, too small and it could prevent the perfect shot. A warm/heavy down jacket is recommended if you’re hunting late in the year when expected weather conditions will be cold. You don’t have to carry all of your layers with you into the field, but it’s better to have them in the vehicle if you need them so you don’t lose a hunt day. Kuiu has a great layering system
Items For Your Field Pack
Ammo/arrows
Binoculars/rangefinders
Compass (optional)
Emergency space blanket
Food/water supplies
Game calls
Hand warmers
Headlamp/flashlight with battery pack/batteries
Lip protection, sunscreen, sunglasses – Suggested year round
License
Medications if you’ll need them during time in the field
Scent killer
Unscented bug spray for warm weatehr hunts
Waterproof matches/lighter
Wet wipes
New Mexico Weather
As mentioned earlier, New Mexico weather can change significantly in just a few short hours. We’ve included examples of New Mexico’s average temperatures in the months you’ll be hunting. You can find more detailed weather information by clicking on each month.
September Hunts: Highs 70-85 / Lows 35-50
October Hunts: Highs 55-65 / Lows 20’s
November Hunts: Highs 45-60 / Lows 10-20
December Hunts: Highs 25-50 / Lows 20 to below zero
New Mexico Airports
There are 24 airports in New Mexico, 8 Major airports and 16 smaller
Major airports in New Mexico
Albuquerque International Airport