Now that I am out of school, working, and have some disposable income, I want to start putting in for tags throughout the west.

The problem I am having is that there is just TOO much information out there, and most of it isn't very clear or concise. I have looked at the state websites, and this site:
http://www.hunterstrailhead.co...ID=47&XID=47:0:0:0:0

Like everyone else out there, someday I would really like to hunt Bighorn, so I figure I should start accruing points now. Due to my work schedule, I probably won't be able to get away hunting this year anyways, so anything I apply for this year is mainly for points. I am primarily interested in elk and muley's, but would be excited to hunt anything. Any websites, magazines or other sources I should look at to learn about the nuances of each states draw?

Any advice or experiences you guys share would be great as well.

Thanks in advance.

I like Eastmans hunting journal, It's MRS section is what keeps me renewing my subscription.

The Huntin Fool has good info.

www.huntinfool.com

quote:

Originally posted by Thomasjohn:
The Huntin Fool has good info.

www.huntinfool.com

+1

Start with this january issue. Draws are now open in 3 states.

Good luck!

+2 I have subscribed to the Huntinfool for several years, great information for hunting in the west.

quote:

Originally posted by Brian Clark:
I like Eastmans hunting journal, It's MRS section is what keeps me renewing my subscription.

+1

What i did, and my suggestion would be to talk and go through cabelas tags program. They are VERY Helpfull, and know a ton of information. And very importantly, they float all the tag fees, which, if you put in for alot of tags, you could easily be out over 8000 dollars.
I use Frank Cole.
Good Luck,
W.

Storm,

Keep in mind that the rules keep changing.
I just recieved this about New Mexico's non resident program:

NMCOG
P.O. Box 11816
Albuquerque, NM 87192
Your opportunity, as a non-resident, to make
guided hunts in New Mexico is under attack!
Dear New Mexico Non-Resident Hunter,
In 1997, the New Mexico legislature passed a law allocating 12% of New Mexico hunting licenses to non-resident
hunters who engage a guided hunt in the state (another 10% of licenses are set aside for non-residents who want
to hunt without a guide).
Under this system, New Mexico has developed into a premier destination for antelope and elk hunting. In fact,
many of the largest bulls in the country come from the state.
Some New Mexico legislators think the outfitter pool short-changes resident hunters, even though locals still
receive the vast majority of licenses. ey have decided to try to eliminate the set-aside for guided hunts when
the State Legislature convenes in January. e legislation is already being drafted for filing in January!
e New Mexico Council of Outfitters and Guides is undertaking a concerted effort to head off this legislation!
e effort will involve a hired professional lobbyist as well as our own staff and outfitter members.
It will cost the Council a substantial amount of money to put on a full court press on this issue. Since our
budget is limited, we are asking you, as a hunter who understands the value of guided hunts—and the quality
of big-game hunting opportunities in our state—to help with this effort.
Your donation of $25, $50, $100, or even more, to this effort can help us preserve the opportunity for you and
others to have continued access to New Mexico big game and to book the services of a professional guide here.
is threat to guided hunt opportunities in New Mexico is very real! Please help if you can.

Huntin Fool.
It's a hundred bucks a year, but the information is worth it.
-----------------------------------------------
woodsie, with all due respect, there are a lot of horror stories about Cabelas "T.A.G.S. program.

A couple of years back, they mailed the AZ apps late, and hundreds of people lost their chance to draw that year, plus a bonus point. Bonus points in AZ are very valuable.
On another forum, there is a guy who filled out the T.A.G.S form for a DYI deer hunt in New Mexico, drew a tag and drove hundreds of miles to New Mexico, but found out Cabela's had put him in for an "Outfitter only" tag, and he didn't have an outfitter so he could not legally hunt. He lost the tags fees, his week of vacation and his hunt.
I buy stuff from Cabela's, but I wouldn't use T.A.G.S. if it was free.

Ide,

It's not the lesislators that are trying to change the non-resident rules in N.M., it's the resident hunters that are driving the change. The whole draw process needs a complete overhaul. The landowners in NM get the majority of the permits. It is almost impossible for a resident to draw a decent tag anymore. Non-residents have a better chance than residents. For the average hunter, the landowner tags are priced completly out of sight. NM offers nonresident hunters more tags than any other western state at the present time. Who is this fair to? The residents who support the tax base and license fees in the state get shortchanged because they can't draw a tag. The non-residents who pay more for a tag often get to hunt more than residents. Yep, that extra money goes into the game dept budget. Does the game dept favor the resident or non-resident on the license fee issue? I don't know, but residents think they favor non-residents because of the extra revenue generated.

I have friends that are outfitters in NM that have offered me a deal when hunters cancel, but its still higher than I can afford. They like the more well heeled hunters for out of state too, more bucks in their pocket. Try to find a quality elk or deer hunt in the Gila or Chama for less than 5,000.00. Yep I have saved my money and hunted out of state or out of the country, but I can't do that very often. It's a shame I can't hunt my home state.

I feel your pain. A decent deer lease here in TX will run you $5k if it has any 150 class deer. Add $2k if it has 160 class and if it has any 170 class expect to bring your mortgage papers. And that's just for deer...