I didn't hit a one Anybody get lucky?

Yeeeeeeeeeeha, got the antelope but NOT the sheep. Early October in NM is great time to be there.

I drew unit 21A for archery elk!!!

I drew Elk-1-175 rifle season in October

Did okay here - cow elk with a muzzleloader, javelina with my choice (probably bow, maybe pistol), and ibex with my bow. No antelope, deer, or sheep, plus no oryx earlier this year. I guess three out of seven ain't bad.

DR, how does the antelope LOCATION work. As I read the regs, when I get my license in early July they will assign me a ranch and that is my only location other than if they approve I can be moved to another area after the first day but always within the same Unit? Is this correct? Do you know if there is any leeway to ask for a different ranch/Unit?

Thanks and good luck on your hunts.

That is correct. I think they're supposed to issues licenses in early July. When you get your license, it will indicate the specific ranch on which you are to hunt. It should also include a ranch map and contact information. Last year my mom hunted antelope in the eastern part of the state. She was assigned to a relatively small ranch on which she was the only "public" hunter (there were two guys with landowner tags). I talked with the ranch owner a month or so before the season and set up a meeting. The day before the season he showed us around the place and gave us a better map.

I am not aware of a way to request an alternate unit assignment. If you're aware of problems on the ranch, or have other concerns, you may be able to convince the G&F to move you to another ranch in the same unit, but I'm not sure how that works. Otherwise, you have to wait until the hunt starts and petition the local game warden, if you can find him/her.

Good luck on your hunt!

My 14-year old niece drew a youth antelope tag in the NE somewhere that I'll be taking her on. I'm looking forward to that.

I think DesertRam explained the antelope assignement pretty well. I drew an antelope tag this year, and will be hunting in the Northeastern part of the state in late August. I talked with someone in the region office yesterday about the ranch assignments, and got pretty much the same answer given above. You don't get any say in which ranch you are assigned, and you are mostly stuck on that ranch. The officer did describe that you can be moved to another ranch after the first day if there is a problem on the ranch. This request must be made in the field to the CO, or at the regional office (Likely a long drive away). As my hunt is only three days, functionally I will just make the most of a (hopefully) great situation. I understand they have few problems with ranches, so requesting a change is just a hypothetical.

Apparently the assignment of ranches is done at the region office, and seems to allow alot of room for "special treatment". I was told the region manager just sits down with a list of successful permitees and ranches, and just pairs them up. It seems likely that if you are the region managers brother, uncle, best friend, etc., that he may assign you to a preferred ranch. Since I don't know anyone, I guess I am just another name to the region manager. Actually, I hear nothing but good reports from most on their NM Antelope hunts, but it does not seem to be the most transparent system.

Bill

DR and Bill, thanks so much for your information. Kinda what I was thinking but always good to get anothers insights. I will be driving in and the southern part of the units are some 200+ miles from the northern so I am hopeful of getting something in either Socorro or contiguous Unit South or West of there. Will take what I get in any event and glad to get it.

Good luck on your hunts as well. OH, Bill I did get a good speed goat with landowner tags in Unit 25 a few years back. Some good units in the NE sector.

I drew Unit 17 deer with rifle.

I was looking at NM's Game and Fish website. Do I read the book right that each hunter only gets a "window" of a few days (2 to 10 days, it appears, depending on species) to hunt each animal? So, for example, the guy above who drew three of the seven animals he put in for would have only two weeks or so (again, depending on species') of hunting the whole year???

Please excuse me if this is a silly question. Understand that, being from Michigan, I look at it with the perspective of somebody who has an archery deer season that is three months long and who can buy two buck tags and practically unlimited doe tags over-the-counter.

My surprise is really a form of concern, since I am applying for a job in Albuquerque shortly.

Congratulations on your tags, by the way! You sure have some interesting animals in New Mexico, that a Michigander like me usually only gets to dream about!

I am a Texas resident but hunt elk in New Mexico (and will be again this year - cow elk in the Valle Vidal no less.) In many of the western states the season for elk is only 5 days or so for firearms - there are exceptions such as Montana, and bow seasons tend to be longer. For example Colorado has several 5-day rifle seasons (pick only one) but a month-long archery season.

Perhaps I will add to what has been said. Generally all animal seasons (hunt dates) do not land on top of each other. One does need to take that into consideration when applying for many hunts and/or in many states.

Right, our seasons are generally shorter than those in the east (or WY and MT). But, as pointed out, they rarely overlap if you pick the right hunts. For instance, I put in for deer (no go) Nov 1 -5, elk is Nov 29 - Dec 3, ibex is Jan 1 - 15 (archery is usually longer), and javelina is Feb 1 - 15. Sheep, if you're lucky enough to win that PowerBall is about 6 - 7 days. Antelope is the tough one, as seasons are short. My niece is the only one in our family who got a tag this year and she gets two days to find her goat.

So actually, if I had enough vacation, I could hunt for 35 days this year, assuming I didn't kill an ibex or javelina in the 15 days each.

What's really going to tick you off about moving to NM (if you get the job) is that every big game species is draw only. If you want to hunt public land, you have to draw a tag in our wonderfully crooked draw system. If you "know someone" you can buy an over the counter deer license, otherwise the only OTC tags you can get are bear and lion. There's barbary sheep and ibex too, but I haven't spent much time looking for them on the OTC tags because it would take a bunch of gas...

quote:

So actually, if I had enough vacation, I could hunt for 35 days this year

See, that bugs me already. Of those 35 days, how many will you actually get to go out, considering work and other commitments? Probably a lot less than the full 35.

I guess I'm totally spoiled. In Michigan from September 1st through March 31st some kind of hunting is open. Deer runs October 1st to January 1st (bow only, firearm is 15 days within that and muzzleloader is within the bow season, too). After March 31st turkey picks up and you get two or three more weeks to hunt, depending on which season you draw.

That's kind of disappointing about NM. Seems like you have a lot of different species, but a very limited opportunity to hunt them. I guess it's not too big a deal to run over to Texas for a day and whack a few hogs, is it?

quote:

you have to draw a tag in our wonderfully crooked draw system

"Crooked" how?

True, I'll probably get about 10 days in the field this year chasing big game here in NM. I also hope to have about 7 in WY.

The big game hunting is tough, but if you don't mind going after them with a bow or ML, there are some decent chances of getting a tag. Nothing like over the counter for whitetails, but something.

There's also some good small game and bird hunting (dove, quail, waterfowl) in some places in the state. And don't forget coyotes - I have a blast calling them throughout the winter. There's some decent fishing too.

I'm in southern NM (near Las Cruces), and it's about 7 hours to get into hog country in TX. I hunt a place at least once per year down by San Antonio that's a 9 hour drive from me. But pigs are good fun, so I go anyway.

Shoot me a PM if you get more serious about the job. I'd be happy to chat with you about some of the opportunities (and bitch about the lack of others).

Troy

Javalina in the sw near lordsburg
Deer- Unit 2C rifle in november
Elk- 1st muzzleloader bull hunt in 15
Best I think I've ever done considering the september muzzleloader unit 1 arizona bull tag that I also drew. I don't mind if ya'll hate me, all of my friends alrady do!

Struck out,totally.

quote:

Originally posted by PostDriver:
Struck out,totally.

Now I don't look forward to THAT at all. A year without any big-game hunting??? Ouch...

quote:

Originally posted by DesertRam:
Right, our seasons are generally shorter than those in the east (or WY and MT). ..

WTF?

Both Wyoming and Montana are WEST of New Mexico.

I have hunted in Wyoming and seen Antelope in the Union Pass area, which is north of Utah and Arizona.

Check a map"!

Sergeant_Sabre

Living in the west is all about variety, sometimes it's about quality, and it's never about plenty.

We have more species, but if you add all our game populations together no state can match what you have in total whitetails.

Most western states have 500,000 deer, 250,000 elk, and 200,000-500,000 antelope. Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, and Utah. New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona have slightly different numbers and a few different species. Every western state has about 5000 sheep, and some like Montana and Washington have almost 5000 goats. Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho have a few thousand moose. So we are in that 1.5 million total big animals number to 1.1 million.

No western state has the plenty that Texas has in wildlife, Florida, Michigan, or Minnesota has in wildlife.

We have more variety, sometimes we have good quality, but we never have plenty.

And now that a lot of western hunters can afford it we like to apply in other western states. In addition to our own. So like you we are in competititon for the same tags you want as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Sergeant_Sabre:

quote:

So actually, if I had enough vacation, I could hunt for 35 days this year

See, that bugs me already. Of those 35 days, how many will you actually get to go out, considering work and other commitments? Probably a lot less than the full 35.

I guess I'm totally spoiled. In Michigan from September 1st through March 31st some kind of hunting is open. Deer runs October 1st to January 1st (bow only, firearm is 15 days within that and muzzleloader is within the bow season, too). After March 31st turkey picks up and you get two or three more weeks to hunt, depending on which season you draw.

That's kind of disappointing about NM. Seems like you have a lot of different species, but a very limited opportunity to hunt them. I guess it's not too big a deal to run over to Texas for a day and whack a few hogs, is it?

quote:

you have to draw a tag in our wonderfully crooked draw system

"Crooked" how?

DR, I have to agree with you on our draw system. Our dept and game commission have not revamped the system to be fair or justified at all. With a few simple changes, things could be a lot better. I belive that the youth are our biggest losers. Knowing that we are losing kids to other crap daily, we need to be fighting for their opportunities to hunt. I will have attended several commission meetings this summer to recommend changes in the youth hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by D99:

quote:

Originally posted by DesertRam:
Right, our seasons are generally shorter than those in the east (or WY and MT). ..

WTF?

Both Wyoming and Montana are WEST of New Mexico.

I have hunted in Wyoming and seen Antelope in the Union Pass area, which is north of Utah and Arizona.

Check a map"!

I know where they are. I put "or WY and MT" in parantheses to indicate that I was mentioning those states in addition to states in the east, which typically have longer seasons than my home state. How 'bout you take a chill pill, get the hell off my back, and actually read a post before going off on someone you don't know. I get so sick of people going on attack mode here for the smallest of perceived infractions, even by someone who doesn't understand the context of the post.

So piss off.

I drew a deer tag in Unit 26. If any of you guys have any suggestions on where to hunt/stay, I'd be eternally grateful.

-Dan

Dan,
It would probably be best to stay in lordsburg. As far as where to hunt, I would call the district officer for that area, he can lead you in the right direction. Call 505-532-2100 and ask them who the officer is.
wapiti7

Thanks for the tip wapiti, I'll give them a call in the morning.

-Dan

Anyone hunted 21A?

quote:

Originally posted by clark98ut:
I drew a deer tag in Unit 26. If any of you guys have any suggestions on where to hunt/stay, I'd be eternally grateful.

-Dan

Is that the October 25 hunt? A buddy of mine drew that hunt too. I may tag along with him if I don't have other commitments. We'll try to go scout it out in early October. Maybe we'll find something promising that I can relate back to you. I've never hunted deer down there before, though I've seen a few while hunting quail and javelina in years past.

Geno's right, Lordsburg is probably your best bet if you need a hotel. There's a little dive on the west end of town that was pretty inexpensive, but clean and comfy. I'll try to dig up the name so you have a place to start.

Good luck!

It's the first rifle hunt which, I think, is Nov 1-5. A hotel for a night or two would be nice, but if we're far enough away from civilization we'll probably just camp.

Thanks for the help!

-Dan

Yeah, I see that now. My buddy's going on the muzzleloader hunt the week before you. If I make it along with him, I'll have some real fresh intel for you.

There's a lot of public land in that unit that you can camp on.

That would be about perfect. Do you know if he has any place in mind down there?

I've hunted 21A and 21B, several times each, but gave up on them due to crouds and dirtbag outfitters. I'd be happy to answer any questions about hunting there.

I drew the 2nd bow hunt for Elk in 16E; rifle Deer in unit 20; Javelina in the Southwest corner in February; and an off-range Oryx tag for next January.

Thanks Toomany Tools. I sent you a PM.

Desert Ram,

That was tongue in cheek, Jesus man lighten up!

You say that now, but the "WTF?" and "Check a map!" statements, with exclamation points, don't give that impression in the single-faceted communication of the internet. If you're going to go on attack, and you mean it light-heartedly, I recommend that you try the emoticons that are available for just that purpose. See, it's really not hard.

I perceived your post as an attack, hence the strong language in return. There are just so many ways to misconstrue what's trying to be said on the 'net...

Dang John, you'll have a busy fall/spring eh? Good luck with that oryx tag - I hear they're getting a bit tougher to fill due to the pressure those critters are getting off-range. Hopefully you've got some leads. If not, shoot me a PM and I'll share what little I know.

Good luck!

DR,

Wasn't much of an attack, sorry about the misunderstanding.