New Mexico
 

I am getting ready to apply for tags on line as soon as my 90 day residency requirement is up in a week and so many choices of species I am a little overwhelmed as what to apply for and where; so any advice would be appreciated.I came from IA and there were two choices; deer and turkey. I now have elk, oryx, ibex, 3 species of deer, bighorn sheep, barbary sheep, antelope, bear, cougar, and javelina. The damn weather is perfect, no coat weather everyday, the sun always shines, it is a cheap cost of living, and the economy is strong here. The state has 9 million acres of National Park land and 13 million acres of BLM land, all of which most of it can be hunted. I am waiting for something to happen as this is too much like paradise.

RE: New Mexico
 

May consider subscribing to the hunting fool, $100 bucks a year, will tell you all this and more.

NM elk......3 spots, the Gila, then south unit 34 I think, and a unit up north has big elk, though the Gila is where all the monsters in NM mostly come from. Horrible odds though in the Gila. Like anything, hard to draw the good areas, so maybe put int for the great areas this year and hopefully learn some local spots for years to follow wher eyou can draw a tag more easily. Also NM doesnt have pref pts, so a guy who has applied for 20years has the same odds as a guy who has just begun this year. So you may want to build pts in another state, may get a chance to hunt another state sooner than you will your home state! many guys apply everywhere and hope they get lucky somewhere!

Antelope, I think all of NM has monsterous antelope.

Muley's Rio Arriba co is #1 in the nation! though the draw odds are horrible, and maybe even worse for residents im not sure. the later hunt is when you want to hunt there, though you can draw different seasons/tags there easier, you wounld'nt want them, big deer migrate there later in the year. The rest of the state I dont think really has monster muleys, but some good muleys elsewhere in the state, just nothing great ya know.

What else? not sure, good luck.

RE: New Mexico
 

hardcorehunter: Go to Charlie's Sporting Goods around Menaul & Moon they will give you a good idea of where to go. E-mail me at [email protected], and I will try to help you, but go to Charlie's to start off. Good luck.

RE: New Mexico
 

I don't know much about NM, but from your description, don't be suprized ifwe're neighbors some day :D

RE: New Mexico
 

Wow 90 days. In Wyoming you have to wait 1 whole year.
car

RE: New Mexico
 

I know the laws change from state to state...90 days resident, 1 year.....though if you're really planning on making a state your home.....ie for more than one year, ideally quite a few years, and have a resident driver's license, I consider just applying as a resident, esp if I filed taxes already etc....paid some utility bills or something, plead ignorance or something, haha. Though you can still apply as a non-res, what's 1 year going to hurt? sometimes poorer draw odds, occasionally better! either way you're still in the draw/lottery and have a chance.

Cost of living's expensive, but it's worth it, and you can't take it with you!

RE: New Mexico
 

Thanks, it is very beautiful here indeed. I have until April 9th to apply for my tags but must wait one more week before I apply to meet my 90 day residency requirements. The state says I must be here 90 days before I apply even though the deadline for apps is way into my 90 day requirements.So many decisions on what big game species to hunt and where I want to go. I have been researching and will be doing a lot more this week before I apply. I plan on getting quite a bit of use out of my walltent. 80% of the tags go to residents. I appreciate the info. Here are some pics from the weekend.















The snowy pics were 1 1/2 hours NW of Albuquerque at approx 9000 ft.







These pics are at 5200 ft where we live and it was 60 degrees out. The scenery is so diverse in NM. Every 10 minutes on the highway and the scenery changes dramatically.

RE: New Mexico
 

Hey were in NM do you live? I live by Grants, Welcome to NM!!

RE: New Mexico
 

Rio Rancho; how far are you away?

RE: New Mexico
 

Grants is about 1 hour west of you, on I-40

RE: New Mexico
 

Hey neighbor, I mean Hardcore! LOL Beautiful pics. I could only dream. Thanks for sharing! Troy

RE: New Mexico
 

HardCoreHunter:

Since you have never entered for the NM draw (might get lucky)I would go for Valle Vidal Unit 55 Sept. 1-22 (Once in Lifetime if drawn), Valles Caldera Sept. 13-17, Unit 16 A-D-C or Unit 17 all duringSept. 19-24 for elk. For Deer Unit 44/45, but you will need to hunt deep in the Pecos Wilderness due to hunting pressure.

For your first pick, pickthe hunt you really really want to draw!!!

Good luck.

RE: New Mexico
 

Thanks for the info. I have a walltent and plan on wearing the damn thing out here in NM. Can't wait for the adventures this lifestyle here is going to bring.

RE: New Mexico
 

I have been in Noth West NM for 5 years. I have put in for the draw for 4 years and have been drawn once!!. My first year. I have been putting in for some really tough draws, Sargents(Chama), I think they drew 10 tags last year andI think only one went out of state and my next door naighbor got a really nice bull. My wifes family are from here and they have good luck for deer and elk in unit 2. Not to scare you away from a quaility unit but some draws are very hard. but good luck The land and animals are great.

RE: New Mexico
 

Stop!!! Stop!!!! You're making me homesick!!!! I grew up in New Mexico and went to college there. However, I left the state in 1971 to go somewhere that I could earn a living for my new family. (Job availability was really lousy back then.) Now that I'm semi-retired, I'm really wanting to move back. Heck, I grew up hunting there and they make me buy a non-resident tag now. Somehow, that just chaps me royal. Got to get that corrected someday.

Regards, & Good Huntin',
LlindeX

RE: New Mexico
 

Yeah the job availability is still really lousy,

RE: New Mexico
 

The Albuquerque area is booming and growing rapidly. All of my neighbors are from CA, TX, or AZ. It is suppossed to be the next Phoenix from what the talk is around the city. CA investors especially are responsible for the nonstop housing boom here.

RE: New Mexico
 

Stop!!! Stop!! Please, you're making me even more homesick!!! Like I said, I grew up hunting in New Mexico but left there after school to get a job and support my new family. Now even though I spent the first 25 years of my life there, they make me buy a non-resident license. Just doesn't seem right to have to pay non-resident fees to hunt my old stomping grounds. Sure do miss it!!! Some of the best hunting and fishing I've ever had was in that state. I've tried to get back there at least every few years since I left and each time I do, I swear that someday I'm going to move back. Maybe now that the economy around ABQ is starting to pick-up, I'll have to look into it again. At any rate, go check out the scenery and hunting possibilities around Chama. You won't be dissappointed.

Good luck on your hunt, & think of me while you're out there,
LlindeX

RE: New Mexico
 

I lived in Silver City,New Mexico. I love New Mexico, lots of game to hunt & the most beautiful women in the country.
I left New Mexico to make a better living for myself 15-years ago. I am sureit has changed, but the the women are still beautiful.
Iwould like to move back to New Mexico. Maybe in a couple more years I can afford to move & live there?

Good luck hunting,

WK

RE: New Mexico
 

Brand new homes here are selling for $100 a sq ft and that is a custom one with granite counter tops, marble bath/showers, tile floors , 3 car garage. Area is booming.