Residency Requirement Question - Moving Post Draw

TX_Diver · Jan 17, 2019

Hi All,

I am currently a NM resident but am likely relocating for work later this year. Possibly before the draw deadline even

The way I'm reading the residency requirements though I'm seeing that I should be okay to apply as a resident provided I apply before I move as I have resided here full time for more than the past 90 days (currently have NM drivers license, truck tags, etc).

Just want to make sure as I'd hate to run into trouble if I am stopped in the field later this year and have a resident license/tag but an out of state ID. I really want to apply as a resident as long as it's legit though as I'm not moving to a state with any good big game hunting even!

Copied from NMGF site:

*To qualify for New Mexico resident license(s), an individual must meet one of the following criteria:
A United States citizen who has resided in N.M. for a period of not less than 90 days immediately preceding the date of application (or purchase) for the license, has been domiciled in N.M., and has not claimed residency elsewhere for any purpose. Temporary or seasonal residents and home owners, who maintain a primary residence outside of N.M., do not qualify for resident licenses.

WFGinNM · Jan 17, 2019

Call G&F.

?Bill

Bolt Tripper · Jan 17, 2019

>Call G&F.
>
>?Bill

I second this, you don't want to get screwed

TX_Diver · Jan 17, 2019

I should have mentioned in the original post that I do plan to call G&F.

Just asking on here as I read a lot of horror stories about G&F in other states not knowing the regs and the answer depending on who you talk to (and have personally received bad info from CA DFW in the past) so was just wondering if anyone here had first hand experience or knew of anything else in the regs that I'd missed.

I'll post up the results when I talk to em for reference too.

Cheers

Bowdeadly · Jan 17, 2019

Of all the years in the field and being checked by Game and fish I have never ever been asked to show ID. Hell I could have been anybody and from anywhere.

wilhille · Jan 18, 2019

"and has not claimed residency elsewhere for any purpose. Temporary or seasonal residents and home owners, who maintain a primary residence outside of N.M., do not qualify for resident licenses."

If you claim residency any where else for any reason makes you ineligible is the way I read it. Plus if you maintain a primary residency outside of nm, you don't qualify. I would contact them to make sure but it seems pretty clear that anyone who moves is not a resident anymore and doesn't qualify for the perks of being a resident. Good luck and let us know what you find out.

iccyman001 · Jan 18, 2019

So I am in a different situation, but I will post it incase someone else is wondering.

I am active duty military. I am stationed in FL, but a NM resident.
I have a NM drivers license, pay NM taxes, etc and I claim NON-RESIDENT status for my FL tags.

I called G&F and I am good to go as far as applying as a resident.
However, if I would have claimed resident status for Florida hunting then I would not be eligible for NM.

Im putting this out as a caution to other military members.
There was a large investigation run last year on people and it was found certain people were claiming residency when they in fact were not. I partially think that's why the requirements for NM residency have changed or are more detailed in the book.

kimbersig · Jan 18, 2019

call them or email them to be safe. but when I left NM it was after I applied. they told me I was good to go as long as I was a resident when I purchased my license and applied for my hunts.

TX_Diver · Jan 18, 2019

>call them or email them to
>be safe. but when
>I left NM it was
>after I applied. they
>told me I was good
>to go as long as
>I was a resident when
>I purchased my license and
>applied for my hunts.

Called this morning and they confirmed how I read the regs and what kimbersig experienced.

Residency is based on time of application. So I can apply legitimately as a resident today and move out of state tomorrow with no issue as I currently meet all the resident requirements.