New Mexico Residents - Hunting Opportunities?

[DmrbigEshotT]

The wife and I have the opportunity to move to the ABQ area and have traveled there several times to visit family and explore NM.

As a resident, are you able to draw halfway-decent public elk, antelope, and mule deer tags each year?

Ideally, it would be archery elk, rifle antelope and mule deer.


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[cal30_sniper]

I have hunted both years as a New Mexico resident. I haven’t put anything down yet here, but that’s more to inexperience than anything else. I was into elk every day during my hunt last fall in what’s supposed to be a poor elk unit. I’ll be hunting winter cows this year because I find the unit interesting to prowl in and it was a high odds tag to draw.

I haven’t drawn Muley in two years of trying, and I’m using all my choices without putting in for top tier units. There’s a lot of rumbling among residents about corruption in tag distribution including private land owners and residents, but I haven’t wrapped my head around it enough to assess at this point.

Cant speak to pronghorn, not my cup of tea. A buddy I work with puts them down every year, but he’s a native born resident landowner with good connections.

Being a totally random state, it’s all about odds. You know pretty well what your chances are going into the draw, and have to accept the results based on what chances you submit yourself to.

 

[dtrkyman]

I have been a resident only two years, I apply for virtually every tag available(archery), Have only drawn one archery mule deer tag in a poor unit.

Guys seem to draw archery Pronghorn a little bit.

OTC Bear and Javelina opportunity.

Guys at the archery club talk about the same deal.

 

[cal30_sniper]

Pays to remember that in NM, your odds aren’t really affected by what choice you assign a hunt code to. Since they draw all your choices in the same sweep, the determining factor in your odds is what random number in the sequence you are assigned.

“All drawing applications are randomly assigned a sequence number. A computer program then examines each application in the sequence in its entirety, prior to moving on to the next application. When an application is examined, the computer attempts to fulfill the first hunt choice, subject to the quotas described above. If the first hunt choice is already filled, the computer will try to assign the second choice to that application, then the third choice.”

Key here is that if you want to throw a Hail Mary unit down as your first choice, you’re not really hurting your overall odds of drawing other than removing one opportunity to submit for another higher chance draw tag.

 

[cal30_sniper]

I personally think it would be a more interesting system if they drew all first choice hunts in one sweep, then reassigned random numbers and drew second choices, then repeat for 3rd. As it stands, you’re almost completely beholden to your sequence number for success.

 

[DmrbigEshotT]

So drawing an elk tag each year sounds reasonable, but not mule deer.

Any other input on antelope? Seems like a lot of the antelope country we’ve seen (NE, E part of the state) is locked up from public hunting.


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[butcherboy]

It’s possible to draw some kind of tag every year but don’t get your hopes up. Depends if you want top units, middle, or low. I haven’t had a deer tag in 22 years! Five years now for elk. Three years for an Oryx tag. The only guarantee animals to hunt every year are bear, lion, and turkey. Unless you are a big waterfowl or upland bird hunter.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

Wouldn't move to Albuquerque. If hunting is priority I feel like other states have better options.

 

[RuggedYogi]

This is my first year as a resident and I drew an archery deer tag. Shot a gobbler last month, too.

 

[dtrkyman]

Elk tag every year


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[roadrunner]

The wife and I have the opportunity to move to the ABQ area and have traveled there several times to visit family and explore NM.

Don't do it.

As a resident, are you able to draw halfway-decent public elk, antelope, and mule deer tags each year?

The short answer is 'No'.

Ideally, it would be archery elk, rifle antelope and mule deer.

Antelope is a tough draw, as are some mule deer. Elk is so-so.

 

[tlowell02]

Don't do it.



The short answer is 'No'.



Antelope is a tough draw, as are some mule deer. Elk is so-so.

This is correct. I haven't drawn an elk tag since 2016 and since the archery seasons have been split I've not drawn a deer tag. I suppose you could almost guarantee a September archery deer tag but have fun baking in the desert sun.

 

[DmrbigEshotT]

Thanks all for the input so far


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[Dwnw/theAltitudesickness]

Was there 3 years. Never drew an elk tag... Couple deer tags both mule deer & Coues- have some of a shot of a leftover deer tag if you don't draw. They sell out in about 10 minutes. Exotics never know. Was lucky on that front.

 

[Mojave]

No, none of this is true. Most years if you very your applications you will get 1 tag per year. The key is to apply for 1 amazing tag, and 2 average tags.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

Based off this year's draw.

I drew a deer tag in a real low quality unit from third choice.

One buddy drew a gila tag after 5-6 years without drawing anything. (All archery applications too.)

None of my other friends drew anything. Even with low quality hunts on their choices.

My dad hasn't drawn a tag in probably 20 years. He stopped putting in the last couple years, but prior to that just bad luck.

I foresee mass hiring in NM lowering odds significantly over the next few years as well.
Sometimes I love the random lottery style. Sometimes I get frustrated seeing people who grew up here not getting any tags and wish we had bonus points from all the years we don't get tags.

 

[AppalachianHollers]

My impression from people who have lived in ABQ is that New Mexico is basically the Maryland of the West…that bad. Though I wonder if Nevada gives it a run for its money.

 

[Felix40]

My impression from people who have lived in ABQ is that New Mexico is basically the Maryland of the West…that bad. Though I wonder if Nevada gives it a run for its money.

NM is almost last in every metric that states are measured by, education, economic growth, crime per capita, healthcare. The positive is that cost of living is super cheap and the hunting is great.

The last 5 years I’ve drawn:
4 elk tags
4 deer tags
1 Barbary sheep tag
1 bighorn sheep tag

I don’t apply for antelope.

You can hunt elk and deer almost every year if you want. Add in OTC bear, javelina, Barbary sheep, and turkey and it’s almost more than a guy can find time for.

Guys who say they can’t draw tags don’t want to hunt.

 

[Mojave]

If you are a bowhunters, your odds of drawing any tag are much higher.

If you are rifle only, and you only put in for trophy hunts you will go a lot of years with no tag.

I am a rifle hunter and in 4 years I have had tags for elk in the gila, a good coues, an ok mule deer, javelina and a valle vidal bear tag.

This year I drew bubkas.

You have to spread it out over the 3 applications.

For instance not to name units, but this is my rifle only strategy. If I wasn't able to hunt other states, I would put in for more cow tags.

Elk
1. Trophy high demand rifle during the best season.
2. Rifle during the late season
3. Cow tag rifle

I live an hour from a good area, and 3 hours from another good area. I don't put in for hunts in Northern New Mexico as most of the units I'd hunt up there are 5-6 hours away.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

Guys who say they can’t draw tags don’t want to hunt.

Some people just have bad luck. Even on low quality high odd units.