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Hunting NM

My daughter and son in law just moved to Carlsbad NM. Would love to go down and join them for a elk hunt. How hard is it to draw a tag for non Resident in NM? Are there any general units that have good opportunity?

New Mexico doesn't have general units like some western states. All elk tags are awarded in a lottery style draw. Nonresident odds are pretty steep since the nonresident DIYers are limited to 6% of the tags in a unit. The new proclamation should come out in the next month. In the mean time I'd recommend looking at last year's proclamation and draw odds report.

Broad brush generalization, 10-20% odds for resident bowhunter odds, 3-5% odds for NR DIY bowhunter odds, 3-10% odds for NR Outfitter bowhunter odds. Specific units will vary but there are no units that are easy or "guaranteed" to draw.

Best of luck though.

Also if you apply as a mixed group, non res and res, your non resident odds will drag down the residents odds. Best to apply separately.

Here's last year's best NR DIY draw odds for for elk units near Carlsbad ... Unit 38 elk Rifle367 ... 14% draw success Unit 30 elk Bow360 ... 10% draw success Unit 30 elk Bow361 ... 10% draw success Yes, there are 14 other hunt codes between 6% and 1%. Yes, if guided then odds increase, with 7 hunts from 10% to 17%. I'd say apply and pray. My best man has only been on one big game hunt ever: Elk rifle on Valle Vidal. Somebody is going to draw the tag you want, and it won't be you if you don't try. $13 non-refundable application fee.

The good news is you don't have a preference point system. The bad news is odds are very poor in the 6% draw. Also non-residents can no longer apply for a cow tag or any hunt in a WMA. Since they changed the format I have drawn only once. In the unit I chose (2nd rifle)13 hunters drew out of 180 NR applicants or near a 7% chance. (230 total tags). Odds on muzzleloader hunt were far worse. A (unit wide) land owner tag is an option if you can justify the high costs. I can't afford the cost of a bull tag, license, and tag fee. I don't know if a NR can by a landowner cow tag. That might be a option that you could look at.

LaGriz

Thanks everyone for the info. What is the best elk unit within 200 miles of Carlsbad or do you have to travel farther for good elk hunting on Public land?

Unit 36 is only about 100 miles away from Carlsbad. Can be some steep country. Just head up to Artesia and make a left. Further from there puts you in unit 17 outside Socorro or the south end of unit 13, not sure the exact distance (I think around 250 miles) but it's an easy drive, all highway pretty much. This time head up to Roswell, make a left and try not to hit any deer around Carrizozo. I've never been to the other 30's for elk so I can't say how good they are.

Edit: Oh, to add to LaGriz post, the public quota doesn't apply to LO tags. Anyone can buy them. UW cow tags can be found for relatively cheap if you don't draw but just want to get out and hunt. It's another option.

Unit 34 and unit 36 are your closest units and both are very hard to draw. Last season Landowner bull tags for both units sold for $5500 to $7000 All elk units in southern NM are very tough to draw.

Ive been applying as a nr for units 34 and 36 since 2008 and never drawn.

The specific antler less hunts in the draw are resident only. If you go archery the tags are ES ( any one elk). It is the only hunt I know of that spike bulls are legal.

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