Wyoming/New Mexico draw questions?

whitetailaddict · Oct 29, 2008

If I understand New Mexico's draw system, once your name is pulled you are given up to 4 chances, is this correct?

For example, say my name is drawn 100th, they go to my first choice-if there are tags left, I am given one, if not on to the second choice, and so on until my choices are up, if not drawn then my application is basically discarded. Is this correct?

Can nonresidents apply as groups for New Mexico?

For Wyoming, from my understanding, it is different. Let's say I pick unit 7 Type 1. For '08 in the random draw, there was 28 NR tags available. Well there were 1556 applicants for those tags, so if they were already gone by the time I was drawn, what happens? Obviously I don't get a tag, but do they do like NM and go to your 2nd choice from there, or does your application get thrown into another box, for the 2nd round (choice) draw? This is my understanding. If this is correct and my 2nd choice was, let's say 16 Type 1, which had 3 tags available, but 361 first choice applicants, that means all those tags were gone in the first round and I have no chance anyways, correct? Then my 3rd choice was unit 5 type 1, which had 3 tags and 87 apps first choice, and 25 second choice, and mine was one of 4 in the 3rd choice. Pretty much seems like my only chance to draw was on my first choice, on that set-up would I be correct in looking at the draw this way?

In Wyoming, say we want to have a group of 4 apply as a group. Say we apply for a unit that had only 3 tags available this year, what happens? If drawn, do we all get tags, or do we not even have the chance to get drawn? Or something else?

Again for Wyoming, can one apply for a unit, without using their preference points, and still draw your first choice, and buy an additional preference point for that year? I am thinking it would be random draw with preference point option, if possible?

All of this is hypothetical, as I have not yet applied for any Wyoming or NM tags elk tags. I do have 2 Wyoming points. but am thinking of trying to bank them for a few years, and do the random draw in Wy (if possible), and bank on NM as a back-up, and then ID/CO as back-up-backup options.

Just trying to get my ducks in a row and everything sorted out. Thanks to any willing to help.

WTA

stinkystomper · Oct 29, 2008

Everything you said is correct except for your fourth choice statement. You are only 90% correct. You get 3 choices. The fourth choice is a quadrant. If the firts choice is unsucessful then you go on to the second and then the third. Your fourth choice is a desperation choice. At the bottom of your application its asks if you want a fourth choice? if you say yes you have to select a quadrant. What that means is that you will assigned any remaining elk tags, in the order you were drawn, if there are any remaining in the quadrant you specified. quadrants are straight forward, NE NM SE SW. As for non-resident pools the answer is yes. Only non-residents may apply together. Non-residents may not apply in pools with residents. That is all there is to it. good luck and plan on not drawing for 20+ years straight. Oh, and welcome to New Mexico. Home to the no-prefrence point, idiot run nmdgf state who's director got nailed for poaching and had his hunting privleges revoked in October.

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When I die I'm leaving this world the same way I came in.......Accidentally!

kysersosay · Oct 29, 2008

Your right about how the two systems work. NM changed to this way a few years ago and it's much better as far as I'm concerned. You can put in for a hard to draw- Once-In-A-Lifetime hunt for your first choice, a good solid unit for your second, the ol' standby unit for your third and depending on where your numbers drawn have the appropriate chance at each- otherwise the 2nd and third choices are pretty moot. Obviously, I like it better than Stinkystomper does, but I try to work the system with all the above in mind, and I've been drawing some 1st 2nd, 3rd choices pretty regularly.

Non-residents can apply with residents, but it doesn't exclude you from coming out of the NR pool of licenses.

I'd say be cautious putting in for the fourth choice unless you really just want to "go" elk hunting, as many of the units that don't sell out are aweful hard to find elk in and can be pretty discouraging. Most of them are areas where they are effectively trying to kill the elk out of so they have more tags then elk. There are a few decent hunts in there for primitive weapons.