New Mexico Resident and New hunter

[Broadsideofabarn]

As the subject line says, I live in northern NM and just started hunting. Lurked around here for a bit, now I'm saying 'hello'.

I was lucky enough to shoot a couple elk with a bow last year. Now I am absolutely hooked. I want to learn all I can about species, behaviors, hunting methods, weapons etc. I'm a long distance athlete with a lot of experience camping in the backcountry. I've got a good bit of experience mountaineering as well. Getting a rifle setup now. I don't know many people who hunt, but I'd be keen to find some hunting partners in this state or ones nearby. Maybe take some trips to Alaska or other Western destinations. Hoping to go on an OTC Barbary hunt at the end of January('25).

 

[Lou (Louis)]

Welcome to the Rok!

 

[Gila]

Welcome! Unfortunately Elk hunting….actually hunting in general has become a joke in New Mexico the last few years. The outfitters own most of the tags….The residents go without, that simple. But if you do get drawn or have 8-20K in your pocket to buy a bull tag; the National Forests have some awesome elk hunting.

 

[Broadsideofabarn]

Welcome! Unfortunately Elk hunting….actually hunting in general has become a joke in New Mexico the last few years. The outfitters own most of the tags….The residents go without, that simple. But if you do get drawn or have 8-20K in your pocket to buy a bull tag; the National Forests have some awesome elk hunting.

Ooof. That sounds bleak. I guess me and a couple neighbors got lucky this year and we all drew tags in our Unit(45).

I wonder if there are any good ways we can push legislation that could repatriate some of those tags to non-outfitter residents. I know Alaskan's have been organizing to do the same.

 

[Gila]

There are some ideas floating around. Back Country Hunters and Anglers fights the good fight and so does New Mexico Wildlife Federation and there are other groups as well. The two biggest problems I see right now are the outfitters pool and E-Plus along with similar programs. Personally I think NM needs to do away with the outfitters pool and allocate 6% to residents and allocate 4% to non-residents. So it would be 90% to residents and 10% to non-residents. There are no preference points. Some other Western States are looking at that same model. Some of the states have found that point creep defeats the purpose of having preference points in the first place. E-plus has some “holes” that are being exploited without going into the details. There are more hunting opportunities up North in general.

 

[throughhiker]

welcome from idaho!