So I'm a life long resident of New Mexico and I cannot draw an elk tag if my life depended on it. I have been skunked 30 years in a row. I have had a lot of success with mule deer, antelope, barbary sheep "Aoudad in Texas", and even a couple of oryx. But I have never tagged a bull elk. So this year I am looking at other states for a hunt. I was thinking Colorado but would not rule out other states. I am looking for a DIY or semi-guided hunt but probably on private property, I am getting older and don't walk as far or fast as I used to. So any advice or contacts??? I don't mind throwing some money at this within reason, as this is a bucket list item for me. But I don't think an elk hunt should cost as much as a new car. I am not looking for a 350 inch bull, a nice 5x5 would do just fine. Thanks in advance THF....

Colorado has some OTC units left but they have gotten pretty crowded. Hunted up there with a lot of NM residents who couldn't draw a tag in their home state.

But, I would look at options like buying a landowner tag from a rancher. My business partner bought one from a rancher several years back, tag was around $6k but he shot a real nice elk. Was a semi-guided type of hunt.

ya Id buy Unit tag or ranch tag in NM before OTC in CO.

PM me - might be able to assist you.

PM sent

Some NM Game Units are hard to draw anyway, and being a non-res it is even harder to draw! Consequently, I was advised several years ago to not apply for any rifle hunts, so I began muzzleloading simply because I could get drawn easier. As a result, and by applying in muzzleloader only Units 15 & 17, my draw success increased for bulls especially! However, now that NM no longer allows scopes for muzzleloaders, you might have better chances at getting drawn.

Ironically, 1996 was my first year to apply for any type of hunt in NM, and I got drawn for unit 16A - that was and is an incredible stroke of luck. especially for a rifle hunt! However, the hunt was unsuccessful, as that area got 14" of snow overnight the first night, and mobility became extremely difficult for the entire hunt and the elk had scattered. The only bull we saw was at the fairgrounds outside of Reserve. NM!

Yeah I'm a resident and all I have applied for lately is muzzy tags thinking with the scope restriction it would be easier to draw and still no luck. Might have to delete a bull elk from my bucket list. I did draw a muzzy deer tag this year, the same hunt I drew last year and got a decent buck.

BTW I was mistaken about how long it's been since I drew and elk tag. I did draw about 15 years ago but unsuccessful. The hunt was during a full moon and the daytime temperatures were 80 degrees.

NM ML have actually been harder to draw than rifle tags. Especially the earlier ones like unit 17 has. unit 17 ML for early oct season is a lottery tag. Basically hunting rutting bulls with rifle. Be a few years before odds drop back down. Newer ML turret systems still have some range.

Late season archery elk tags are best odds, kind of like AZ.

What percentage draw hunts are you putting in for?? Man there are bulls to be had hate to hear you have had to wait that long. My uncle is a new mexico resident and he also is not successful very often, but he puts in for difficult to draw units...There has to be some opportunity units you could draw with NM residency?

Only thing I can think of is you were/are swinging for the fences, even back 20+ years ago. I could draw my unit 2 out of 3 years back 20-25 years ago as a non resident. Sadly N.M. is a long-term plan using the draw now days

I'm doing a land owner muley hunt this year on my cousin's ranch outside of Silver City. He's had some real rock bangers on his place the past few years! It will be a rifle hunt, so very optimistic.

That will be a great time

That should be a great hunt.

Yeah not so much, Unit 13 second muzzy, unit 52, so nothing crazy like Valle Vidal or unit 16A first rifle. I even always put in alone to better my chances. So just snake bit

I feel your pain @NMGW. I drew elk once in 2016, as a nonresident no less. I have been a resident since 2019 with no elk tag to show for it, meanwhile my wife has now drawn four rifle tags and some of those were very hard to draw hunts!

I wouldn't totally discount OTC in Colorado. I did it once a few years ago and experienced several days of the most epic bugling action but my experience was the outlier as everyone else in my group and camped around us wasn't seeing any elk. That particular unit is no longer OTC and I suspect, as mentioned earlier, more and more hunters are being squeezed into fewer units. Maybe an opportunity for a not-exorbitantly priced NM landowner voucher will open up for you.

https://jicarillahunt.com/hunting


check with the utes up in ignacio also, they used to do semi guided but you had to hire one of their packers and or guides. depended on the hunt.

it's been a lot of yrs. since I was up there but both are worth checking into.