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|
Standard |
Quality |
Resident |
$90 |
$90 |
Nonresident |
$548 |
$773 |
Resident Junior |
$58 |
$58 |
Nonresident Junior |
$548 |
$773 |
| Standard | Quality |
Resident | $90 | $90 |
Nonresident | $548 | $773 |
Resident Junior | $58 | $58 |
Nonresident Junior | $548 | $773 |
One of the premier states in the west for quality elk hunting, New Mexico has mild winters and a limit on elk tags, allowing bulls to survive long enough to grow trophy-size antlers. Drought in recent years has reduced the quality of feed, impairing antler growth, but mature bulls are common across the state. Top-shelf units produce some bulls exceeding 350" Boone and Crockett, while all units usually produce animals scoring more than 300". In most areas no hunting is allowed during the last few days of September, or the first few days of October, a period that is considered to be the peak of the rut. Exceptions in some areas include rifle seasons exclusively offered to hunters who have mobility impairments or who are no more than 17 years old. Parts of the state rarely produce large bull elk. An example is in the northeastern part of the state near Raton. Though hunting pressure is light, and despite the fact that some large ranches are managed specifically to produce elk with big antlers, few bulls approach B&C minimum scores. The biggest bulls in the past few years have been coming from those that border the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation in southcentral New Mexico, a group of units in and near the Gila Mountains in southwestern New Mexico, and other units along the Arizona border. Some other units have few elk and few hunting tags, but bulls occasionally reach record-class size.
When planning a hunt for elk in New Mexico there are three different situations to consider when selecting your three choices. These three situations are based on how the state of New Mexico is managing the elk herds in the different areas/ecosystems of the state.
** Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county.
** Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county.
Online applications are accepted
Telephone applications can be submitted by calling (888) 248-6866
Unguided nonresidents are limited to 6% of drawn tags
Hunters who have contracted with a resident outfitter get 10% of drawn tags
Residents who have not contracted with a resident outfitter get the remaining 84%
Some seasons, especially bow seasons, give hunters a chance to hunt during part of the rut
No bonus or preference points
Some prime seasons are set aside for youth hunters
Landowner vouchers allow bearers to bypass tag drawing
Trophy and opportunity hunt choices available
Many units provide a realistic chance at a bull scoring 300" B&C
Mobility-impaired and youth hunters enjoy some prime season dates
The north-central portion of the state has some of the highest elk density. Because of this, the state issues many more permits in most all of these units and offers much more opportunity to go hunting. However, it is difficult to find a bull over 300” in these areas of the state. It does happen, but it’s not as common as in units further to the south.
The Gila and the Sacramento mountains both found in the southern half of the state as well as some of the closer surrounding units do not have as large of populations of elk as the northern units do; however, with fewer permits offered each year, the chances of finding an older age class bull is much better and more consistent in these portions of the state. Yet, these units are often the hardest hunts in the state to draw.
The remaining areas of the state are the outlying units in the more arid and lower elevations of the state. These units range from the very dry desert units that can be found in all corners of the state as well as the northeast quadrant of the state that is much more prairie than anything else. These areas of the state can be difficult to hunt as they usually have a very low density of elk. There is a chance to luck into an older age class bull, but can also have better drawing odds.
County |
Entries |
Units within county |
Catron |
31 |
12 / 13 / 15 / 16A / 16B / 16C / 16D / 16E / 21A / 22 / 23 |
Cibola |
12 |
9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 |
Otero |
9 |
Lincoln |
8 |
Colfax |
7 |
48 / 49 / 54 / 55A / 55B / 56 / 57 |
County |
Entries |
Units within county |
Catron |
9 |
12 / 13 / 15 / 16A / 16B / 16C / 16D / 16E / 21A / 22 / 23 |
Otero |
5 |
Socorro |
5 |
13 / 16E / 17 / 18 / 21B |
Cibola |
4 |
9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 |
Colfax |
3 |
48 / 49 / 54 / 55A / 55B / 56 / 57 |
Sierra |
3 |
16B / 16C / 17 / 19 / 20 / 21A / 21B |