Moving to New Mexico--- where to start!?

Hey guys looks like i will be moving from the east coast to the land of enchanment. I have been an avid hunter my whole life, but my hunting has always consisted of sitting in a stand over a cornfield or sitting in a blind. I realize new mexico is a completely different type of hunting. I cant wait to get out and try, but I definitely feel out of my element. I have no idea how the "lottery" system works, what the best strategy for utilizing the lottery system, how to hunt the federal lands (gila, sandia, cibola), how to spot and stalk, where i should hunt etc etc

Should i just pick one animal and load up my lottery slots on that? Or scatter it throughout all the animals I would like to hunt?

Is there a book I can buy that goes over the basics of such simple things as how to get in and out of the federal land? Do you just pull your truck on the side of the road? How do you know where to start hunting with such vast wilderness? Do you need horses? Can you camp anywhere?



I am thinking I should fork over the money for a guide for my first few trips and learn from them before i start practicing on my own. Also, i saw you can pay a fee and hunt indian reservations? Is this worth it?

I am so excited to live in a state with such awesome hunting opportunity. I will be living in the abq area, but i plan on seeing as much of new mexico as my wallet and work schedule allows.

Sorry for all the newbie questions!

Put in for every species,pick a spot on a map, and go.
New mexico is am amazing state with such vast hunting opportunities you pretty much can't go wrong. Do a ton of research, pick up a proclamation, and talk to as many people as you can.
We have mountains here so get in shape and cover as much country as you can.
I don't feel you need a guide but that's up to you. Welcome to new mexico now go smoke a monster

Per New Mexico regs you have to be a resident no less than 90 days before you apply for the draw to be eligible for resident tags. The cutoff for the 2017 season is March 22 so if you have not moved you will be looking at buying a landowner tag to hunt as a resident later this year.

What animals are you interested in? Read the reg book that is posted on G&F website and see what the state offers. Talk to co-workers that hunt and plan your desired hunts. It is pretty hard to draw in the good units. Learn the process and figure out your strategy. Don't get discouraged if you don't draw.

Yup, it looks like you will miss the cut off for making residency, however you should look into left over tags when they come out. You will be a resident by then. Pick up a stink pig tag. that is a good one to start off with and maybe a deer tag with the bow. both should be decent hunts.

If it were me I would put in as a non-res for at least one animal now so you at least get a chance at a good hunt. The price will suck, but if you draw you will have a good hunt close to home.

As far as access national forest, BLM, and State Land are all good for you. Get yourself a GPS with mapping software and you will be good to go.

Welcome to the most amazing state to hunt and get ready for a great adventure!
I don't even know where to start, so if I go all over the place, please forgive me.


First off there has already been so much good information said in here, so if I double up on it I am sorry,


It does look like you're gonna miss the cut off, but don't let that stop you from exploring.
Grab a GPS and get out there and start exploring units and public land. I use the OnX maps and it shows all public/private land and is a huge help.

This will help you acclimate you to the new altitudes and terrain. You can also start trying to pin down areas with deer, elk, bear and more. Plus, nothing beats a great day in the woods.
Take camping and hiking trips to visit units all over NM. There are some beautiful national forests that are great for camping and exploring.


http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us

Here is the main NM site^

http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/home/publications/

Here is where the publications are posted^

http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/hunting/maps/big-game-unit-maps-pdfs/

Here is all the NM units^ Definitely start looking at this one.
Look at units near you, find the public land and start walking.

I think someone else mentioned it, but after you hit your 90 days you should hit left over tag time. We also have OTC tags for bear, barbary sheep, and turkeys. (In some, but not all units)


As far as what tags to put in for, do what you can afford. If you can do them all... DO IT!
You pay for the tags up front, but if you don't draw you'll get all of it back minus the application fee.

When you apply for a tag do your research, this is where I think a LOT of people shoot themselves in the foot.
You get three choices for each species application. You want to make sure you give yourself optimal draw chances by following unit draw odd %s.

Let me explain and I hope I can hit home with this. So much easier to explain in person ha ha.
You want to put your lower draw odd units first and then taper off to the larger draw units.

Lets say we have unit A, B and C. A is 9% draw odds, B is 15% and C is 32%
Your draw application should go A, B, C.

If you did C, B, A you're minimizing your draw odds and decreasing the chances of you drawing your optimal unit.

That was kind of a crappy explanation, but if you need to hear it more, let me know. Or maybe someone else can explain it better.

http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/hunting/applications-and-draw-information/how-new-mexico-draw-works/

^ This is how I figure draw percents.
You can do some quick math and see how many people are applying for a unit, how many tags are available, and then I factor in how many are allocated to residents.

Another thing to look at, but don't let this sell you is the harvest rate.
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/hunting/harvest-reporting-information/

The reason I say don't let this sell you is because of the fact there are deer and elk all over. Put in your scouting time and you'll make it happen.



Here is a tip I learned as well. When you find good areas, keep a good lid on them and share them with people who you trust. Moving out here I was so used to sharing all the information about where I hunted because it's just what we did.

I did that here a few times and my honey holes turned into overrun areas.

Another tip is be respectful to the locals and don't trash their land.
I've met some of the nicest people in the world up in the mountains. They have been raised out here and their family have hunted or camped this land for generations. They love it and appreciate people who respect it back.


Shoot me a PM if you need any additional info.

Welcome to NM. You will meet some good people here and have some great hunting once you get settled in for sure. The only down part of NM is Albuquerque it's self !! ABQ has got to be the most thieving city in America ! The thieves "Cholos" here will steal you blind !! I hate to say it but it is that bad. Hell they even steal from the fire dept. Got a Ford truck ? leave it outside at night and in time it will be GONE. The report is they steal between 10 and 20 Ford Super Duty trucks in ABQ per week. NM is high in crime and low in education, Other than that NM is a great place to hunt.

Welcome to New Mexico. You've gotten great advice so far. I'll chip in a few resources regarding public lands. Yes, you can just go out there an enjoy them. BLM typically is the least restrictive, the Forest Service is becoming more restrictive andthe Park service is running nature preserves (hands off!). Still, there are literally millions of acres for you to go out and hike, camp, fish and hunt in.

The Forest Service is starting to limit the areas for dispersed camping-- you'll need to get the Motor Vehicle Use maps (which are pretty horrible) and probably a regular map to sort it all out. I think just spending time in the woods is the best way to figure out where the wildlife are. Spend some time turkey hunting in the spring or looking for sheds. You'll start to see where the animals prefer. NM is the second driest state-- find water and the animals are almost always somewhere nearby.

Anyway, here's some places to start:

Public Lands mapping website. Has good interactive map with land ownership and recreation areas. You can also buy tons of paper maps through the website.
http://publiclands.org/Get-Books-and-Maps.php?plicstate=NM

These "recreation maps" for New Mexico are a great tool to get you oriented. They have hunt unit boundaries, land ownership, rec areas, etc all on one regional map.

http://publiclands.org/books.php?plicstate=NM&tab=books&cat=66

100K (scale) maps from the BLM that show topography, landownership, roads, etc. Pretty coarse scale though:
https://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/more/geographic_sciences/100k_index.html

USFS Motor Vehicle Use Maps for the southwest region:
https://www.fs.fed.us/r3/gis/USFS_Southwestern_Region_MVUM_Repository.html

Very few corn fields in NM.
Relatively few trees too!

I like the 1:100K scale BLM maps for identifying land use/ownership (See Salsosa's post) and Google Earth for desktop scouting. There are GPS aftermarket products that show the same data.

Both residents and non-residents may apply for a license for each game animal (~11). For each big game animal you get three (or more!) entries into the license lottery. Each entry defines a game management unit (GMU, a limited area of the state), a weapon (bow, ML/CB, rifle), and maybe a hunt date. As discussed above, there are many ways to "game" the lottery, but generally set your priorities carefully, and make your highest priority hunt your first choice. If you must hunt Valle Vatever or not hunt at all, that is your choice, and you can fill out a lottery application to reflect that, but no whining if you don't draw. Refundable license fees are paid upon applying and returned if unsuccessful in the draw. The application fee is not refundable and there are a couple of inexpensive public land access 'stamps' you may need.

Because you will not meet the residency requirements in time for the lottery, you need to be careful in the lottery. Non-residents are only permitted to draw a small fraction of the available licenses, so choose hunts that have enough licenses to ensure NR's are allocated at least one license.

If you are unsuccessful in the lottery, residents and non-residents may choose to buy a "Land Owner Authorization" (LOA) for elk and pronghorn. The LOA only authorizes you to buy a license from the state and does not necessarily authorize private land use. That's a "guaranteed license" instead of entering the lottery. It's also one of the most expensive way to get a license.

Selecting where to hunt... Well each game animal is found in more or less limited portions of the state. The licenses that are available generally reflect big game populations. For example, there are lots of elk in the Gila mountains (2900 licenses), but very few in the Permian Basin (short-grass prairie in the SE corner of the state with zero elk rifle licenses in units 29, 30, 31, 32, 33). Ibex are pretty much limited to one small (heh) mountain range in one GMU(because their left legs are shorter than their right legs, they don't like walking on flat desert between the mountains, so they stay put).

The administrative Wilderness Areas (capital W) prohibit motor vehicles, and generally don't have any "roads" anyhow, so horses can be very useful, but not necessarily required. The rest of the public land tends to have plenty of motor vehicle access to get you within hiking distance. A high clearance and 4x4 vehicle is useful because there are no paved roads in NM. Like the guys above have said, you'll have to get out and pick which part of the state you want to hunt in. I recommend that you don't limit yourself to units that are close to home because almost half of New Mexicans live in the ABQ/SF metro area and that makes some mediocre hunts pretty popular (low draw odds).

You can certainly throw money at a hunt to increase your access, likelihood of harvesting, trophy size, and isolation. Treat the Indian reservations like private land. If you want to hunt the res, you'll need a special res license and other stuff. Guides in NM usually have a limited service area. You cannot generally contract an outfitter for the Gila and then ask them to take you to the Sangre de Christo's. If you choose a guide, you've chosen where to hunt. I've hired guides 1) on a once-in-a-lifetime hunt where I didn't want to screw up too bad (screwed up anyway), and 2) a Wilderness hunt when we wanted to use somebody else's horses. It's up to you if the extra $$$ is worth it.

ABQ has work, services, and is kinda centrally located w/in the state. It's a great place to start. You'll learn pretty quickly why we refer to distances in units of time, and that 5-hours is a short drive. I've been here for 20 years and I still have my truck, but it's a li'l F150, not a Super Duper Duty. Every place has it's knuckleheads.

Forgot the best resource of all:

http://www.monstermuleys.info/cgi-b..._thread&om=6381&forum=DCForumID34&archive=yes

NM said to be.. Worst place to raise a family....

With being a democratic state that is easy on criminals, gang bangers from TX and CA are flocking to the land of Enchantment....Sad but true. But it does have some good hunting. I love NM but hate the way it is run by these crazy liberals !

http://www.lcsun-news.com/story/new.../96718142/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin=

>NM said to be.. Worst
>place to raise a family....
>
>
>With being a democratic state that
>is easy on criminals, gang
>bangers from TX and CA
>are flocking to the land
>of Enchantment....Sad but true. But
>it does have some good
>hunting. I love NM but
>hate the way it is
>run by these crazy liberals
>!
>
>http://www.lcsun-news.com/story/new.../96718142/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin=

Got to disagree. Found NM a great place to raise a family. I dont live in Albuquerque, but, I can assure you Albuquerque is childs play compared to Los Angeles or any of the big cities.

My wife and I don't have kids yet but I can't imagine raising them anywhere but here in NM. Born and raised in Farmington and loved every second of it. Now live in Rio Rancho and work in Abq and have never had a problem in the 10 years I have been here. Don't look for trouble and you probably won't find it. Sure there are exceptions, but I love this place and I am certain you will too.

Hunt Hard. Shoot Straight. Kill Clean. Apologize to No One.

I wasn't looking for any trouble the night I was putting fuel in my truck and was robbed at gun point off of University Ave or the night I had my 2015 F350 Powerstroke stolen from in front of my motel room at the Sheridan in ABQ at 6:30 pm, hell it was still day light and I don't even live in ABQ.

You guys ever watch the news KRQE, KOAT, KWBQ etc. full of stories of murder, shootings, thieves, thieves and more thieves !ABQ is rated number 1 or 2 for stolen cars and trucks in the whole US....look it up. Teryinitup...if you live in RR you dang sure know what I'm talking about. How about all the vagrants on just about every street corner holding up signs for money.

NMPaul from reading your post over the years don't you live in some small town in Southern NM.....big difference than ABQ. Just search crime in ABQ I'm not talking s..t !
NM is beautiful and has some great hunting.

I live in a real small town, but, I worked and lived in CA for a long time. CA is just dead to it. They dont even bother to put on the news killings and robberies, unless some scum bag goes above and beyond and does something really crazy.

Any big city is like that. I know albuquerque is bad, and I would not live there, but, you cant paint NM with the same brush.

NM has its problems, but, great place to raise kids if you stay out of the big cities. Of course, you must realize from the very beginning, where you raise your kids has almost nothing to do with how they turn out. 99% of it is the parents.

Some great kids raised in bad areas, and POS kids raised in good areas.

Sorry about your problems in Albuquerque. My daughter lives there, so I have spent some time there. Same garbage as all big cities.

This started as a very helpful and informative thread.
Maybe a separate thread can be started talking about NM and raising a family?

I'd live in Paul's neighborhood in a second. My favorite place on earth so far.

I'll second Paul's statements.
Buerque bangers would last maybe 5 min in Fresno..lol
I have had some problems in the Q but that's life,I avoid it.
I also live in a remote part of the state.....least populated county....lol

Welcome and there is some good advice here.

LAST EDITED ON Jan-20-17 AT 12:49PM (MST)[p]NMpaul I live in a small southern NM town too, I love NM I'm just telling it like it is.
I don't live in ABQ just had some bad times there. My brother was hurt real bad in a horse wreck last year and was flown to UNM Hospital, spent 2 weeks there then 2 weeks at Lovelace Reab. Hospital 2 GREAT places !! So ABQ does have a few good things going for it.

As a non-native New Mexican, I love living in New Mexico. That is all.

.....$5 says he never comes back to respond to all your useful info....


"As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and complete narcissistic moron."
- H.L. Mencken, the Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920

If it was me I would look at the units that would be close to where I moved (close to my house) as in if moved in to northern NM I would be looking at those units in the north to find what I could hunt first.
But Homer is probably right. LOL

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

That is some great information as I am in a similar situation. I moved to New Mexico a few years ago in the Rio Rancho area and have yet to go hunting due to the significant differences in hunting here versus hunting in Georgia which is where I am from. Over time I have become acquainted with the draw system and understand it but you gave me a better understanding of how to improve my odds of drawing a hunt. Also the information on where to hunt and the gps information was helpful as well. I recently signed up to the onX maps and yes it is a huge help. I think most of the issues that I have now will just be resolved with trial and error and research/scouting. Finding decent spots and learning the habits of the deer and other species out here. thanks for the help. I have submitted an application for a turkey tag in 6b as well as 9. I am waiting to put in for a deer tag after i do more research but this was a nice addition to what I have already learned.

Ok since this got WAY OFF TOPIC,
get you a great pair of Binos, once that you can glass for hours and won't suffer from eye fatigue. Great boots to walk in and keep you warm. Good backpack to haul meat and horns out. Others have talked about GPS.You can pick up some late season tags from landowners or leftover tags. I live in the N.E. corner of the state. Good animals but not very much state land.
Good luck and if you have any questions just ask.

WOW!!! Thank you all for all the awesome info! This is like a how-to guide. I appreciate everything!!


**remember to call your representative about HR 621 to keep our public hunting lands!! **

Thanks to all who posted on this thread. I moved from Oregon to Alamogordo last week, and look forward to having my residency in time for the 2018 draws. Already been up to Sacramento, south of Cloudcroft, looking for the old family ranch area. Saw a lot of deer, but no elk. Nice country for sure!

Alamogordo is a nice little town and you cannot believe the hunting opportunities you have within a couple hour drive. Costco is an hour or so away in El Paso, and all easy driving.