Quick Answer
DRAW TAG ALLOCATION FOR NEW MEXICO ELK HUNTING IS BASED ON A COMBINATION OF FACTORS INCLUDING RESIDENT AND NON-RESIDENT APPLICATIONS, DRAW RATES, AND PUBLIC LAND ACCESS.
Application Process
In New Mexico, elk hunting draw tags are allocated through a computerized random drawing. The New Mexico Game and Fish Department (NMGFD) holds a drawing for both resident and non-resident applicants. Non-resident applicants are required to pay a higher application fee and are limited to a single application per year.
Draw Rates and Quotas
The NMGFD sets draw rates and quotas for each elk management area based on population estimates and harvest goals. For example, in the 2020 season, the draw rate for the Chama elk management area was 11.4%, with a quota of 125 tags. The draw rate and quota can vary from year to year and are influenced by factors such as habitat quality, prey populations, and hunter effort.
Public Land Access and Private Land Licenses
In New Mexico, elk hunting is primarily conducted on public land, with many units offering limited private land licenses. For example, the San Juan Unit offers 50 private land licenses for the CWMU (Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit) area. These licenses are allocated through a separate drawing process and require landowners to participate in the CWMU program. Public land hunters can access elk herds through the use of maps, GPS technology, and scouting techniques to locate areas with high elk activity.
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