Considering they have to draw for antelope, bighorn sheep, deer, elk, ibex, and javelina...keep in mind the following information.
ONLINE APPLICATIONS INCREASE FOR 2005-2006 BIG-GAME HUNTING PERMITS
SANTA FE ? More New Mexico big-game hunters discovered the convenience of applying for hunting permits
online for the 2005-2006 seasons.
Of the 145,126 total applications for 2005-2006 deer, elk, antelope, ibex, javelina and bighorn sheep permits,
78,146, or 53.8 percent, were done online. This is only the second year the Department has offered online
applications.
?Our goal was to give people a convenient way to apply for hunts that doesn't require paying the full license fee in
advance,? said Patrick Block, chief of the Department's administrative services division. ?The online system is
more efficient because it is built to prevent many of the errors that people make on paper applications.?
Hunters who use the online application system are charged $6 application fees to their credit card. Permit fees,
which vary by hunt, are charged to an applicant's credit card if and when the applicant is successful in the
drawing. The application deadline was April 9 for this year?s drawing for deer, elk, antelope, ibex, javelina and
bighorn sheep. The drawing will be in June and results will be available on the Department web site,
www.wildlife.state.nm.us, before the end of June.
This year is the first year New Mexico deer hunters were required to participate in a drawing to hunt on public
lands. That accounted for an overall increase of more than 30,000 applicants for deer hunts. Online applications
comprised 44 percent of the 52,737 applications for 2005-2006 public deer hunts. Elk hunting permits were most
popular for the 2005-2006 drawing hunts, with 64,538 applications, almost 3,000 more than the previous year.
Applications for antelope were next at 15,844; followed by bighorn sheep, 6,701; javelina, 2,904; and ibex, 2,412.
For more information about the hunt application and drawing process, call (505) 476-8000 or visit
www.wildlife.state.nm.us.