Hunting Public Lands in New Mexico

Someone on the thread complaining about the future of Texas hunting suggested public land hunting in neighboring states. So, in NM is it simply a matter of getting a non-resident license, going to a hotel in a town near a NF, and then driving to the NF and hunting? Hunting in the western states has always seemed confusing to me.

No. You have to put in and get drawn for a tag.

A different tag for each species? What about on private lands? Do they automatically get a certain number of tags? And how likely is it you'll get a drawn tag for mule deer -- and for elk?

Yes different tag for each species. Not easy in New Mexico. I think you can get small game (rabbits and squirrles) wiyhout drawing a tag, but elk and mulies are tough to draw. If you own land they allocate you a certain amount of tags each year.

You can do as described in your OP if you want to hunt small game.

Very few opportunities exist anymore for simply going to another state and buying an elk tag at the sporting goods store and then going out into the woods and hunting. Colorado still offers an "over the counter" elk tag to nonresidents allowing you to hunt public land in many units, Arizona has a very limited number of archery tags in some very very low success units, Idaho offers some tags and you can scratch out a few in some other locations for elk. Mule deer tags have become increasingly difficult to get. As a rule of thumb you will need to become versed in the different seasons, times to appy and the hunting units for the different western states and put in for a lottery type of drawing to be awarded a tag. Even residents of many states have to draw for tags in the same fashion. Some units and Tags in certain states are easier to draw than others. Land owner tags "if you can afford them or meet the right people" are certainly an option in many states for elk and deer. I have 4 specific tags in 3 different states that I have been putting in for over 12 years and have yet to draw them. My fear is that I may draw them all in the same year or that I will become too old to hunt them when I do draw em!

I went over to the NM Game and fish site.

So only 6% of tags are allocated to non-residents hunting on their own?!?

And, if I'm reading this properly, you have to buy a license before you can put in for a tag and that tag is $548? And, if you don't draw a tag, you get your draw fee back, but not your license fee? Or is the license and the tag fee the same thing?

Yep. 65.00, if I remember right. It's the Land of Enchantment. Feel enchanted yet?

A lot of the western states make you buy the license before you can apply. And you do not get that $$ back. IMO Colorado and Wyoming are the most straightforward and no $150 license.

Yelp you get the tag cost back if you don't draw.

I have put in for 6 year for NM and havent drawn a tag. With that said I only put in for premium units. If you are going to hunt NM. I highly suggest getting on the website and researching the units( # of NR tags, amount of public land in that unit, draw odds etc). I know guys that draw almost every year but the units they draw are most people's back up or last chance units.

You still get the tag cost back, in all states. CO charges a entry fee of you didn't hunt the year before.

It really comes down to where you want to hunt. States like CO and Idaho have OTC tags also.

Western hunting takes a long-term plan these days, plus a fair amount of money in most states just to play the game. Costs me about $1500 out-of-pocket to put in for sheep in 10 or so states.

You can do it much more economically for elk and mule deer if you just concentrate on a few states.

There are a lot of ways to play the game. It comes down to how much time and money you want to invest. You can hunt every year somewhere using 3 methods:

1)Hunt general/OTC units only-you better be a great hunter if you want sustained success;
2)Put in for good units and hunt when you draw them-a long term plan putting in for lots of tags across many states will have you drawing much more regularly after a few years. But this is not cheap to do; and/or
3)You can buy guided hunts and/or guaranteed tags when you are ready to go. This is very costly.

Most folks do a combination of 1 and 2 above.

Another big choice is whether to go guided or not. Most folks will always have more success with a guide. Again, the cost factors in.

If you do deer, put in in unit 30 or 31. Probably won't kill a monster but you will have a better chance to draw out. The other nice thing is those units have tons of public land, so you dont have to know the area as well and be a map reading expert to make sure you arent on private. For $350 bucks or whatever it is, I would say it is worth a shot. And if you draw, send me a pm and I'll tell you some places to go where you will see some deer.

Texas leases don't seem so bad now.

It can get confusing. Heres NM info.

To obtain a draw license for deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, javelina, ibex, bighorn sheep, Barbary sheep, or oryx or to obtain a draw permit for turkey, bear, waterfowl or upland game birds, hunters must first complete an application.

By applying for a hunting license, you acknowledge that you know, understand, and will follow all New Mexico Department of Game and Fish laws, rules and regulations set forth and presented in Chapter 17 NMSA 1978 (New Mexico Statutes Annotated), Title 19 NMAC (New Mexico Administrative Code), and the New Mexico Hunting Rules and Information booklets. You certify the information you are providing is true and correct and you are eligible to apply for a hunting license. You grant the Department permission to charge your credit or debit card, or your checking or savings account for full license fees and non-refundable application fees.

All completed, paid-in-full applications are entered into a random computerized drawing that distributes permits and licenses to residents and nonresidents according to a quota system established by state law. New Mexico does not grant preference to unsuccessful applicants.

Applicants for big game licenses must first purchase a game hunting license. The Department has developed a menu of options which include the option for a refund if unsuccessful in the Big Game Draw. If you plan to hunt spring turkey, do not request a refund.

Do you get the license fee back ? Because that's what I was speaking of. Of course you get the tag fee back. Not sure many folks would fork over $1000 sheep fee for 20 years without getting a refund.

No.

You apply and get drawn or you can buy land owner tags for things like elk, pronghorn, etc. I buy a cow elk tag and hunt with friends that live there. Usually around , Sunspot areas in NM. I grew up there so the hunting is pretty good for us if you know where you are going.

You can hunt NM either thru their draw system or buy a Landowner tag. Draw system odds are like hitting the lottery for a Non resident hunter. Limited slots are available and way too much competition. LO tags are expensive in High Demand units. As I've said before....LO tags can be a great thing if you research and have the money. But beware there are a lot of shady characters trying to act as a middle man and upcharge LO tags to Non-resident hunters. You'll find them in all the usual places like Facebook, Ebay, and Craigslist. I have several guys every year texting me for elk and mule deer LO tags they can get for me for some ridiculous price. Usually the tags are in low demand and/or low success units. Think of NM hunting as lake fishing....a successful fisherman does his research and finds the honey holes. Good luck.

Correct
Some states require you buy a non refundable licenses to apply but the fee is nominal compared to the tag cost

My experience has been, if the units are popular and produce big deer or elk, don't get your hopes up for getting drawn. Odds are similar to winning the lotto. There is a big difference between units just to hunt versus units with a good chance to kill monster deer or elk. Good luck!

You think that's confusing? My wife of 13 years has family in New Mexico that owns about 19000 acres and I've never been able to hunt it. Her uncle sales the tags to a freakin outfitter from Houstin Texas. And then they guide a bunch of rich folks to there prize. This is confusing! I've been married into that family for 13 years without even an invite. I guess there aint no love for a poor boy.