New Mexico Non-resident DIY

[Trevor96]

From what I can find is they want to raise the resident numbers to 90% and it would force all nonresidents into 10%, including people who would go with an outfitter either way, so draw odds would go up for residents and down for nonresidents

 

[Danomite]

It’s senate bill 312. https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?Chamber=S&LegType=B&LegNo=312&year=21

The link above (if I did it right) takes you to the bill webpage. The bill was tabled once, amended to drop the 90/10 split, brought back, and tabled again yesterday. The bill would do a lot of things other than change allocations, but that’s probably for another thread or the conservation sub forum.

 

[Trevor96]

Thanks, I hadn't seen that

 

[Wheels]

Been averaging to draw a tag every 8 years in a “trophy” HD unit. Prior to US Outfitters suing the state back in the early 2000’s, we drew the same tag 9 out of 10 years. Since then, only have drawn it twice.

 

[Gapmaster]

Drew 3 tags in 4 years from ‘98-‘02. The _A unit in the Gila twice...been 19 years since I drew. Seems like the good days are gone. Getting tough everywhere now.

 

[BBob]

Been averaging to draw a tag every 8 years in a “trophy” HD unit. Prior to US Outfitters suing the state back in the early 2000’s, we drew the same tag 9 out of 10 years. Since then, only have drawn it twice.

Yep, you can pretty much blame good old George Taulman/USO for all that crap and more. He unsucessfully tried to bring his BS to AZ via a lawsuit but thankfully got rejected and sent home. At least a lawsuit by a NM resident got some tags back for themselves. That uncovered (not surprisingly) a fair amount of corruption, the state lost and residents were vindicated. I lived the good old days and hunted the Gila a lot back in the day but even back then you had to fight regularly with the outfitters dirty tactics over there. USO was a dirty name with residents and non-residents alike and I'm sure that hasn't changed.

 

[BBob]

Been averaging to draw a tag every 8 years in a “trophy” HD unit. Prior to US Outfitters suing the state back in the early 2000’s, we drew the same tag 9 out of 10 years. Since then, only have drawn it twice.

Part or maybe most of the reason we drew so many tags back then was the state was actually giving non-residents far more tags than they actually should have been allowed. It took a lawsuit to bring that to light. We all knew it was happening because a resident just never drew tags, you hardly ever found one out in the field. The Gila seemed like it was 99% out of state plates. When you talked to resident they waited forever to draw a tag and we were drawing 50% or more of the time.

 

[Wheels]

Part or maybe most of the reason we drew so many tags back then was the state was actually giving non-residents far more tags than they actually should have been allowed. It took a lawsuit to bring that to light. We all knew it was happening because a resident just never drew tags, you hardly ever found one out in the field. The Gila seemed like it was 99% out of state plates. When you talked to resident they waited forever to draw a tag and we were drawing 50% or more of the time.

Money talks, or at least it used to.

 

[CAM_D]

Landowner tags are expensive, but cheaper than an outfitter. I meet out of state hunters pretty much every year who are buying landowner unit wide elk tags. I'd try for the draw, and if you strike out, buy a landowner archery tag.

 

[NABG Hunter]

In 2005 I talked my buddy into applying for a NM Elk tag. I told him we’d never draw, but we’d probably get a postcard reminder every year to apply, and maybe some year we’d draw a tag. He agreed and we both applied for our first time in NM and literally forgot about the drawing. Until one day I started receiving multiple letters from NM outfitters advertising their services. Then I received one that said “congratulations on your elk tag!” I thought to myself ”no way!” I contacted the NMFG and they confirmed that we both drew a bull tag. Later I found out that we applied for a hunt that only had a couple tags, but we applied as a party and both drew. Our hunt was for Non-Residents, unguided, for bull elk, with rifle...in the Valle Vidal! (It’s an OIL tag.)

We ended up hiring guides since we didn’t want to waste such precious tags. We both shot 6x6 bulls. (Mine is in my Avatar). Our guides said we were so lucky that we should apply in the Gila for Bull Elk. So we did...the following year. We both drew tags again in Unit 16 (”D” I think), for Non-Residents, guided, bull elk with rifle. We went back and both shot 6x7’s.

In short we applied twice, drew both times in back to back years in the Valle Vidal, and then the Gila, and shot four (4) nice bulls. I’m not exaggerating any of this. Rest assured we haven’t drawn any more NM tags after that. I’m sure we used up our luck for a while.

One more thing...I drew a Mountain Goat tag (another OIL tag) in WY in 1996, which was the one and only time I applied for one. I drove to WY and shot a nice Billy at 9:00 AM opening morning, unguided.

Hopefully I’m due to draw another great tag soon.

 

[bozeman]

NABG Hunter- with that luck, care to share PowerBall lottery number picks? lol

Good on you!

 

[HNTR918]

Only apply to areas with 25 tags or more as unguided nonresident.

 

[NABG Hunter]

NABG Hunter- with that luck, care to share PowerBall lottery number picks? lol

Good on you!

LOL...I wish I could. But I've been on quite a dry run since 2006. Who knows though. LOL.

 

[beforethehunt]

When you put in for New Mexico do they charge you the entire license cost?


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[Felix40]

When you put in for New Mexico do they charge you the entire license cost?


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Yes

 

[CAM_D]

Yes

They do, but you get your $ back if unsuccessful. Copied from NMDGF page:

Application and full license fees for each species are charged at the time the application is submitted. Unsuccessful draw applicants will be refunded the draw license fee, but not the application fee.

Draw Licenses and Fees - NMDGF

Introduction to the New Mexico draw hunt system and drawing quotas, and a list of draw fees.

www.wildlife.state.nm.us

 

[Felix40]

They do, but you get your $ back if unsuccessful. Copied from NMDGF page:

Application and full license fees for each species are charged at the time the application is submitted. Unsuccessful draw applicants will be refunded the draw license fee, but not the application fee.

Draw Licenses and Fees - NMDGF

Introduction to the New Mexico draw hunt system and drawing quotas, and a list of draw fees.

www.wildlife.state.nm.us

Minus the game hunting license.

 

[CAM_D]

Minus the game hunting license.

Good point. You have to buy the hunting license regardless, and you won't get that back. No big deal for a resident, but if you don't draw as a NR, it's not likely you'll get any use out of it.

 

[trophyhill]

Tough state to draw for sure. Even for us residents. I drew a great elk tag this year but got skunked on eveything else. Last year and the year before i drew nada. NM does a great job of turning us R hunters into NR hunters

 

[Hondo0925]

Been applying for 5 years and finally drew my first tag. First year I’ve applied as a group, so I told my buddy that applied with me he has all the luck so I’m never applying without him again!!