That's about the right amount of time to stay on a stand. I usually stay about 20-25 min. As for distance between stands, it all depends on wind, terrain, did you get busted by a coyote, so on and so on. I like to put about .5 - 1.5 miles between stands depending on what I mentioned previously. Where about are you hunting in NM? I'm stationed at Cannon AFB just outside of Clovis, and hunt mostly around the cap rock, Floyd, Arch, and Roswell.