New Mexico price increase.

[The_Jim]

I'm with @wind gypsy - It sucks to see it get more expensive, but those prices aren't out of line. Nothing like what Utah did. There are some pretty decent units in the "standard" elk category that are better than most of the otc and 0 point Colorado units. I think its fair to charge that same price.

 

[The_Jim]

I did always figure shed hunters had a low IQ, but to pay $200 for a tag and travel out of state just confirms it

 

[Gobbler36]

I did always figure shed hunters had a low IQ, but to pay $200 for a tag and travel out of state just confirms it

Haha I’m glad I’m not the only one the feels shed hunting is an odd concept

 

[Jake Larsen]

Haha I’m glad I’m not the only one the feels shed hunting is an odd concept

It’s fun…like a giant treasure hunt that resets once a year. Good way to get boots on the mountain early in the season. But there’s no way I’m paying for a permit to do it lol.

 

[thisguy]

Is there going to be a shed hunter license for residents as well? Seems like a good way to discourage the average person from picking up an antler, which in turn caters to the greedy "shed business" guys.

Also imagine drawing an elk tag in NM (haha funny joke I know) and finding a nice shed on your hunt but not being able to pick it up unless you go buy an additional $200 license

 

[30338]

It would seem the western states have moved to a for profit game management system.

 

[Mish-pop]

It would seem the western states have moved to a for profit game management system.

It's looking more and more that way. But people will still keep applying

 

[elkhunter505]

The only positive I see coming out of this price increase is the ability to hire more biologists/researchers. NMDGF relies on one professor at NMSU to do a lot of their big game research and he cannot do everything they want. Additionally, unless new professors have showed up there, there is really no other professor doing big game, management focused research. This could help them hire their own researcher and be able to do more research across the state while taking some of it off of that professors plate so he can put more effort into each project rather than being spread thin. For NR hunters though, it is a kick in the teeth. That’s coming from a born and raised New Mexican that is currently a NR. I’ve seen the cohesiveness and the ability of MTFWP to do research and I do think it could be positive in that realm, but it definitely is disheartening to the normal NR.

 

[RyanT26]

The only positive I see coming out of this price increase is the ability to hire more biologists/researchers. NMDGF relies on one professor at NMSU to do a lot of their big game research and he cannot do everything they want. Additionally, unless new professors have showed up there, there is really no other professor doing big game, management focused research. This could help them hire their own researcher and be able to do more research across the state while taking some of it off of that professors plate so he can put more effort into each project rather than being spread thin. For NR hunters though, it is a kick in the teeth. That’s coming from a born and raised New Mexican that is currently a NR. I’ve seen the cohesiveness and the ability of MTFWP to do research and I do think it could be positive in that realm, but it definitely is disheartening to the normal NR.

I think you’re being very optimistic this new money is going to used to better wildlife management.