Collective wisdom about hunting NM

[channelkat]

So, looking for some collective wisdom about New Mexico. It is my impression that there is plenty of public land and good hunting in New Mexico. Is it easy to draw decent tags or fair OTC hunting available as a resident? What is it actually like on the ground there? Plenty of space on public ground or is it a pumpkin patch during season?

As silly as it sounds, this is a big part of my consideration of a job out in Carlsbad. Pay is awful, but if I could get some space and spend more of my time in the field, I am sure I will be happier. I suspect I would fit in more in NM than WA these days...

 

[LopeHunter]

Non-resident but have hunted NM for three decades though not much since all the changes that hurt my odds to draw tags.

Here is my take. May be flawed but, hey, do your own research.

Similar to WA in NM since you can have multiple choices which are considered before the draw goes to the next application. Points are not squared in NM as are no points.

In WA you had the ability to draw any of the tags since no consideration is given to residency in the WA draw. In NW, you as a resident have access to 94% of the tags (actually, 100% of cow elk), first shot at leftover tags and NM excludes non-residents from some lands during hunts.

You should be able to get away from the crowds in most units by hiking an hour or two from the public road before sunrise. There is also private land you can pay to access if you want even fewer people to bump into. If on public, you may pass on an animal then hear a "boom" come from the other side of the ridge.

Exotics: Excellent variety. Go for it. You are giving up moose and mountain goat as leave WA but get access to draw aoudad, oryx and Ibex plus (see below) pronghorn.
Sheep: Better odds plus Desert rams are on the table (better as a NM resident in NM vs what you had in WA as a WA Resident)
Elk: Plenty of opportunity and some giants though odds for the Blue Chip tags are tough so use some of your choices for opportunity hunts if you enjoy being in the woods and like elk meat
Deer: Not much mule deer quality in draw units, imo, so I used to chase Coues tags
Pronghorn: Good opportunity and some giants are possible if moisture is in place early in the year

 

[channelkat]

Thank you, very insightful post!

It seems impossible to draw a decent tag in WA. For the money I spend putting in for tags I never draw, to a state that treats its hunters with animosity, I can simply travel out of state. So that is what I started to do. I don’t have a bunch of land, don’t know the right people and am not one to go door to door begging for permission to hunt, so I have about given up on here. The thought of something different is a great appeal to me.

 

[channelkat]

Forgive my continued rant, but what really gets me is that WA seems to be killing the golden goose. I am a First Hunt foundation volunteer. It hurts me that I can't help all those that reach out to me, chiefly because I do not have enough access to land to take new hunters. Who is going to have the passion to pay for the continued conservation of WA wild lands? Hikers, HA!?

End rant! and my apologizes, should not happen again!!

 

[bulldawg10]

As a resident, draw odds would not be terribly at all. Especially when you learn which hunt codes / units to target...and how to stack your 1st to 3rd draw selections.

For elk, land is cheap in NM and you can possibly buy in the right place to get tags that way, plus the draw.

You always hear the public is crowded, but NM sells a lot less tags than CO for example and has no OTC. So it really isn't nearly a crowded.

It's a primo elk State.

I am a non-resident landowner in NM. I bought land there so I have a way to hunt every year and don't have to worry about my terrible draw odds as a NR, which are like 1%.

Instead, I can hunt elk every year. My property allows me to buy an OTC mule deer, prong horn tags too.

If you move to Carlsbad, you aren't far from the Oilfields. Plenty of good money in the oil jobs.

 

[bobbadbob]

life long resident of nm...cbad is a different town than any others in nm...i used to work there on the rail road...lowest elevation in the state..its hot in summer but nice in the winter...low guadalupes mountain on the west with a giant rim on the west side...used to be a ton of small mulies, i hit one with a rock once...some really good bucks are taken occasionally....havent hunted there in years but now theres elk tags there...carlsbad is unique...saw a giant buck while on the sulfur train in texas south of cbad on delaware creek make you wanna break down and cry...mass, points, width, the whole shiteroo...i have no idea how that buck could get that big with dirt and no vegetation...this was in the 70s

 

[David658]

Don't get fooled. Draw odds are not the greatest, and of the 94% of the tags that go to residents, almost half end up in the hands of Nonresidents via landowner tag sales.

Reading above, didn't realize that a NR can buy land and get landowner tags. If true, that kinda sucks.

David
NM

 

[bulldawg10]

Don't get fooled. Draw odds are not the greatest, and of the 94% of the tags that go to residents, almost half end up in the hands of Nonresidents via landowner tag sales.

Reading above, didn't realize that a NR can buy land and get landowner tags. If true, that kinda sucks.

David

Resident draw odds aren't anywhere close to terrible either. NM has a small population, a good number of hunt codes and units. Guys that really learn to work the draw, as residents, have a great opportunity and chance to draw every year.

0% of the resident public draw tags are transferred to non-residents.

As a non-resident land owner, I bet I have done more to support elk in NM than 99% of residents in the draw. I've added multiple surface water sources, eliminated competitive cattle grazing and altered fencing to improve elk and other wildlife uses. Water is absolutely a huge thing.

I also have opened over 1000 acres of private ground to the public via unit wide designations.

I'm easily a net positive to elk and elk hunters in NM, resident elk hunters included. As are many other non-resident and resident landowner all over the state. Landowners are one of the most important groups of people for elk, allowing NM to carry the herd capacity it now has and supporting their ever expanding range too.

 

[Khunter]

Thank you, very insightful post!

It seems impossible to draw a decent tag in WA. For the money I spend putting in for tags I never draw, to a state that treats its hunters with animosity, I can simply travel out of state. So that is what I started to do. I don’t have a bunch of land, don’t know the right people and am not one to go door to door begging for permission to hunt, so I have about given up on here. The thought of something different is a great appeal to me.

What are your costs (nonrefunded if do not draw) to apply as a resident?

 

[bulldawg10]

What are your costs (nonrefunded if do not draw) to apply as a resident?

For NM residents, it's $22 or $26 that is non-refundable if you do not draw.

 

[Khunter]

For NM residents, it's $22 or $26 that is non-refundable if you do not draw.

yeah, I was asking the OP who said WA was expensive for residents.

 

[channelkat]

yeah, I was asking the OP who said WA was expensive for residents.

Sorry for the late reply. There is not really a straight forward answer for this. My total (not counting wife and kids) I believe is around $380 (Fish, hunt, OTC tags and special hunt applications) every year. If you draw a multi season deer/elk tag is $140/$180 to $333 for a sheep/goat/moose tag. It is a convoluted system and the tag costs are not the only costs (like different Vehicle parking passes, depending where you hunt). To me that ends up being a lot of money for marginal hunting. Now that my boy is hunting too, that money seems more and more, to be better spent on a decent out of state hunt.

In my opinion, unless you have land or special access, the only decent OTC hunt (especially for west side hunters) is the High Buck hunt. If you are in shape and have a few days these backpacking hunts can be a great deer hunts. Other than that, the better areas are draw only and you need to build points to hunt them.

Most of WA state is private property and the game density is generally low. Traditionally the big logging companies provided access, that’s where I first learned to hunt, but now you have to fight for a coveted access pass which can also cost a few hundred bucks. Those are still no guarantee, and you are not necessarily assured of getting an access permit when you have to decide to put in for any special draws for that unit either…

 

[Trial153]

I have yet to draw an Elk tag, mostly because of what units I put in for. The three Elk hunts have done in NM have let send arrows into two best bulls. I am looking forward to my next elk hunt there for sure.

I used to draw a late season mule deer tag pretty often and had access to a really good ranch…that was when the late tag was a separate code. Since it switched over to early and late I have only drawn it once.

 

[cgasner1]

What these guys aren’t telling you in New Mexico has bears. I’d very careful….just so you know.

 

[bobbadbob]

Resident draw odds aren't anywhere close to terrible either. NM has a small population, a good number of hunt codes and units. Guys that really learn to work the draw, as residents, have a great opportunity and chance to draw every year.

0% of the resident public draw tags are transferred to non-residents.

As a non-resident land owner, I bet I have done more to support elk in NM than 99% of residents in the draw. I've added multiple surface water sources, eliminated competitive cattle grazing and altered fencing to improve elk and other wildlife uses. Water is absolutely a huge thing.

I also have opened over 1000 acres of private ground to the public via unit wide designations.

I'm easily a net positive to elk and elk hunters in NM, resident elk hunters included. As are many other non-resident and resident landowner all over the state. Landowners are one of the most important groups of people for elk, allowing NM to carry the herd capacity it now has and supporting their ever expanding range too.

done more to support elk than 99% of residents in the draw? you would lose that bet...you done good but dont get carried away...thank you for your efforts

 

[bulldawg10]

done more to support elk than 99% of residents in the draw? you would lose that bet...you done good but dont get carried away...thank you for your efforts

I think, maybe 1 Out of every few hundred residents in the draw probably do any more than just put in for the draw. Then hunt, or collect a refund. The 1 goes out and volunteers, is also a landowner doing project for habitat, etc.

I really don't think I would lose that bet. What is it that you think the majority of residents are doing for elk? Just the average guy in Sante Fe or Abq

I think this is true everywhere in any draw. Most just put in, hope to get drawn, maybe do or don't. Otherwise they aren't doing hardly anything productive towards the animal they want to hunt.