New Regs...2,695 draw tags for 34 elk

hunt1

Active Member
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352
Sheesh...can't wait for the cow:calf ratios after next year! Add the number of landowner tags to the count...
 
Seems to be the standard MO: wipe out a species/unit, then try to build it back. They never seem to make minor tweaks like add/reduce tags by 10%. It's always slash them in half, double them, add 4 more seasons, whatever. But yeah, there's something about 34 they don't want many elk there...
 
G&F has been adding Cow/ES hunts slowly for years in 34 & 36 to try to decline or stabilize the population. I don't live in that unit or visit it very often, so can't give an educated opinion on the population trend. The last 4 years they have given 2,375 public draw tags annually. So the increase is not really drastic from current. G&F said in proposal presentations they think Mescalero Elk are replacing harvested elk and that's why pop is stable or increasing. Seeing that many tags does concern me too.
 
Seems to be the standard MO: wipe out a species/unit, then try to build it back. They never seem to make minor tweaks like add/reduce tags by 10%. It's always slash them in half, double them, add 4 more seasons, whatever. But yeah, there's something about 34 they don't want many elk there...
I really do wish G&F did more to evaluate every year not just every 4 years to avoid this boom and bust cycle we seem to have, especially with Ibex. If a quick reduction in population is needed, do it 1 year and then reevaluate. Granted we don't have winter kill like Wyoming, but they do tag recommendations/adjustments every year and get public input.
 
I really do wish G&F did more to evaluate every year not just every 4 years to avoid this boom and bust cycle we seem to have, especially with Ibex. If a quick reduction in population is needed, do it 1 year and then reevaluate. Granted we don't have winter kill like Wyoming, but they do tag recommendations/adjustments every year and get public input.

Agree. The 4 year rule for everything is an uneducated approach.
 
Those new cow hunts, whats the thoughts on the odds for thos? similar to the previous years cow hunts? been hunting in new mexico for 2 years with no elk tags and I kind of just want an easy draw opportunity
 
There are no easy draw opportunities in NM. Haven't been for many years now. You might find these hunts to be better odds until a lot of people realize they have been added. Then again if we are talking about them here, surely it's common knowledge on every public forum, so very few things fly under the radar and go unnoticed. So I doubt much different odds than you see for other cow hunts.
 
Those new cow hunts, whats the thoughts on the odds for thos? similar to the previous years cow hunts? been hunting in new mexico for 2 years with no elk tags and I kind of just want an easy draw opportunity
They’re all going to suck I’m sure!
 
I hunted the late Dec. APRE/6/A
and I didn't think you could drive across 34 and not see a cow elk, WRONG. I hunted all five days and never saw a cow elk.

Same hunt last year you could find a few along the highway between Cloudcroft and Mayhill on private land.
 
Resident only cow hunts - that piques my interest is all Ill say. its drivable and scoutable for me and i know the unit pretty well.
 
I wonder how many elk tags they can drop on 34 and still there is a great elk population. The age class is terrible, but, still crazy population compared to other units/states.
Its a 5 day hunt is part of the reason they get away with issuing so many tags, that and people come through 34 during off hunting season and think their cow tag will be a cake walk. By the time the cow seasons come up, you better be prepared to hike.
Deer in 34 on the other hand have been destroyed.
 
I wonder how many elk tags they can drop on 34 and still there is a great elk population. The age class is terrible, but, still crazy population compared to other units/states.
Its a 5 day hunt is part of the reason they get away with issuing so many tags, that and people come through 34 during off hunting season and think their cow tag will be a cake walk. By the time the cow seasons come up, you better be prepared to hike.
Deer in 34 on the other hand have been destroyed.
Deer in the majority of the state have been destroyed. Could stand to cut back the tags dramatically state wide to help the herds but that won’t happen.
 
Deer in the majority of the state have been destroyed. Could stand to cut back the tags dramatically state wide to help the herds but that won’t happen.
Looking over the new proclamation it looks like deer tags in several units were cut from 10-12% for any legal weapon hunts.
 

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