RE: NM elk shame, its all about money
Seen this twice now and I hunt NM as a nonresident but some years I get drawn and some I don't. Biggest problem there is the state is a checkerboard of private mixed with public. After hunting a good spot for a decade I ran into outfitters who paid a landowner to hunt his property. OK but twice they saw me earlier than they were able to get clients up and tried to tell me that I was crossing THEIR property and don't think about doing it. I proceeded to tell them to KMA in front of their clients and showed them the map. I was on federal land and they knew it. Game officer said they had big problems with same outfit so hope they get license pulled. Bottom line is I think AZ and NM do a good job of balancing non-res and resident. Biggest problem is too much sex. Too many people screw up the draw and the habitat. Oh well. Also it's like anything else in America. Some people have enough money to buy anything and that is fine with me. Maybe I'll be able to afford a good outfitter someday. Good luck and shoot straight.