New Mexico 2023 Draw Thread

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Yep, but that's what you get with any lottery type of draw......always the potential that you NEVER draw, especially with the numbers of people applying these days. Odds just keep getting lower and lower every year. Yet many folks keep hating on point systems and want a lottery system. SMH
Don’t forget the 10% for guided and the DIY guys really don’t have much of a chance these days.
 

Bobbyboe

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Yep, but that's what you get with any lottery type of draw......always the potential that you NEVER draw, especially with the numbers of people applying these days. Odds just keep getting lower and lower every year. Yet many folks keep hating on point systems and want a lottery system. SMH
What do you think happens when more people keep jumping into point systems? I’d rather have a chance at a tag, then never be able to catch up with creep.
 
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I would love to see some hard numbers on first time applicants. Other than anecdotal accounts is there anything backing up these claims? Enough people are bringing it up that it warrants a hard look.

I have a family member that drew a Gila Elk tag 3/4 years while he was a NM resident from 2018-2021.

You can request that info from Game and Fish, just be specific in the request you only want results from applicants that have never applied before.
 

eltaco

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This is my first year in for NM, so I hope what you are saying is true

For you guys with experience in the NM draw, are you thinking the results will hit around the 20th? I’m sure hoping they’re out before UT deadline…
 
OP
Mojave

Mojave

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I moved back to New Mexico in 2019 after not living here since the 1990s.

In 2020 I drew a Gila elk, 28 javelina and a bear tag in the Valle Vidal.

In 2021 I drew a 34 deer tag.

In 2022 I drew a 24 deer tag.

So maybe?
 

5MilesBack

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What do you think happens when more people keep jumping into point systems? I’d rather have a chance at a tag, then never be able to catch up with creep.
CO has had a point system for many decades, and one can still draw a tag frequently. Obviously with the numbers we're seeing applying these days that changes some things, but it's still possible to get draw tags pretty often even as a NR. Whereas with a lottery it is possible to never draw......ever. At least in CO, it's easy to know what you can and can't draw at any given time because of the point system. NM is a prayer and a hope every year.
 

Brent

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For you guys with experience in the NM draw, are you thinking the results will hit around the 20th? I’m sure hoping they’re out before UT deadline…
Should be the 19th if the recent pattern holds.
 

Ucsdryder

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CO has had a point system for many decades, and one can still draw a tag frequently. Obviously with the numbers we're seeing applying these days that changes some things, but it's still possible to get draw tags pretty often even as a NR. Whereas with a lottery it is possible to never draw......ever. At least in CO, it's easy to know what you can and can't draw at any given time because of the point system. NM is a prayer and a hope every year.
Comparing Colorado and New Mexico and saying “you can’t reliably get a tag in New Mexico because it’s a random draw” isn’t fair. Colorado has way more opportunity than New Mexico. Start putting in for Colorado unit 10 1st rifle and tell me your odds of drawing. Less than putting in for the gila. If someone wants to put in for the top New Mexico unit every year they aren’t going to draw, most likely, but if they put in for the lesser units they’re likely to draw. If Colorado had a random draw, you could reliably draw the current 0 point units yearly (statistically speaking). A quick google search says 36k elk tags vs 221k elk tags…once again, apples to oranges.

New Mexico is a hope and a prayer because they don’t have the opportunity that Colorado has, just look at the total number of tags, NOT because it’s a random draw.
 

Blackcats06

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CO has had a point system for many decades, and one can still draw a tag frequently. Obviously with the numbers we're seeing applying these days that changes some things, but it's still possible to get draw tags pretty often even as a NR. Whereas with a lottery it is possible to never draw......ever. At least in CO, it's easy to know what you can and can't draw at any given time because of the point system. NM is a prayer and a hope every year.
I think the main difference in Colorado is the amount of tags they give and number of hunts they have. Most deer units in Colorado have 3 rifle hunts where when you look at Arizona most units only have one mule deer hunt.
 
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+1 to @Ucsdryder ... "Because [NM doesn't] have the opportunity that Colorado has," ... mostly because water falls from the sky in Colorado. Not so much in NM.
 

Ucsdryder

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+1 to @Ucsdryder ... "Because [NM doesn't] have the opportunity that Colorado has," ... mostly because water falls from the sky in Colorado. Not so much in NM.
And let’s face it, New Mexico produces way better bulls. If you say the potential for a unit is 40% success and 330” potential, how many Colorado units truly offer that vs New Mexico, and don’t tell me “every unit in Colorado has a 380” bull”. Most of Colorado is managed for opportunity to draw a tag and hopefully kill a bull (you better shoot the first bull you see). Most of New Mexico is managed for quality of animals. I’m not saying one is better than the other but animal quality and tag quantity don’t go together. You get one or the other.
 
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And let’s face it, New Mexico produces way better bulls. If you say the potential for a unit is 40% success and 330” potential, how many Colorado units truly offer that vs New Mexico, and don’t tell me “every unit in Colorado has a 380” bull”. Most of Colorado is managed for opportunity to draw a tag and hopefully kill a bull (you better shoot the first bull you see). Most of New Mexico is managed for quality of animals. I’m not saying one is better than the other but animal quality and tag quantity don’t go together. You get one or the other.
No complaints about the lottery or managing for quality. What does irritate me is 10% of the NR tags being available only to outfitters clients, leaving 6% for all other NR. NRs have been taking a lot of hits lately but NM has been doing it before it was cool 😂
I still apply for that 6% though!
 

nnmarcher

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No complaints about the lottery or managing for quality. What does irritate me is 10% of the NR tags being available only to outfitters clients, leaving 6% for all other NR. NRs have been taking a lot of hits lately but NM has been doing it before it was cool 😂
I still apply for that 6% though!
I'd like to see that outfitter pool go away and a 90/10 split between residents and NR.
 

Ucsdryder

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No complaints about the lottery or managing for quality. What does irritate me is 10% of the NR tags being available only to outfitters clients, leaving 6% for all other NR. NRs have been taking a lot of hits lately but NM has been doing it before it was cool 😂
I still apply for that 6% though!
We all do! My argument was against the “points are better than random draw”. I’d take New Mexicos system over the disaster in Colorado any day!!
 
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I believe as the point systems continue to mature in these other states (like Colorado) they will slowly transition to be more random than preference/bonus point driven. New Mexico‘s draw system is as good as any. Just wish there were more resources on the landscape to issue more tags.
 

Jethro

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I like that some states are random and some take points. I like that WY has points and random pool. I don't want them all to be random.

Of those 36K elk tags in NM, only 22-23K are available through the state draw. The other 13-14K are the Eplus land owner tags.
 
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