Unit 16E is the eastern Gila region, and it'll surprise you—much of it is shockingly flat. Wide, brushy plains with few trees stretching out under a sky that feels twice as big as normal. The southern portion includes the Pelona Mountains along the Continental Divide, and the southeast corner holds the mostly state-owned Luera Mountains. Vegetation on the flats is saltbush, blue grama, alkali grass, and sagebrush; mid-elevations carry juniper, pinon, and ponderosa; and the high peaks (6,500 to 9,600 feet) get ponderosa and Doug fir. Land ownership is 88 percent public but the composition is unusual for the Gila: only 3,800 acres USFS, with approximately 150,000 acres BLM and 232,000 acres state trust. Much of the flat country is private ranch. Coyote Canyon Road and NM 52 lead to trails in the Continental Divide Wilderness Study Area; NM 52 and NM 163 reach state and BLM lands farther north. Truth or Consequences is the nearest full-service town. Cell service is marginal along highways. This unit is wide-open and exposed—bring the best optics you own and be prepared for wind that will make your eyes water. Water is scarce on the flats, so locate stock tanks and springs during scouting or risk spending your hunt walking insted of hunting. Eastern edge of the Gila along the Continental Divide. The Luera Mountains are mostly state-owned, and the Pelona Mountains follow the Divide. NM 52 and NM 163 provide access. Less hyped than 16A or 16D but still produces quality bulls in a less pressured environment. The terrain is transitional between the rugged Gila interior and the more open rangeland to the east.