02/24/2026
Without a doubt, my favorite and the coolest state to apply to is….New Mexico! Here’s the states breakdown:
The best part about New Mexico…it’s a random draw state. There are no bonus points or preference points. Your first year applying, you have the exact same draw odds as a person who has been applying for 20 years. The kicker for New Mexico though, is that nonresidents without a guide are limited to only 6% of the tags. This requires a minimum of 13 tags available for a unit in order for a nonresident to have a chance of drawing. I do not recommend applying to New Mexico as a party application.
New Mexico is very affordable compared to other states to apply. You are required to buy two non-refundable products: a hunting license($90 for nonresidents) and a HMAV stamp ($4). If you are drawn, you will most likely have to buy a habitat stamp as well ($10). The crappiest part about New Mexico… you have to pay upfront the entire tag cost when you apply. The positive about that though…if you are unsuccessful in the draw, it only costs $13 per application!
Example:
The Aoudad tag amount due to apply is $373….if unsuccessful in drawing, the state returns $360 to you!
There’s a few more details to the draw, and you can reach out to me with any questions. The state also offers youth, disabled and military special hunts for those who fall into those categories.
They offer some extremely high quality hunts for Rocky Mtn Elk, Mule/Coues Deer, Desert/Rocky Bighorn Sheep, Pronghorn, Oryx, Aoudad and Ibex.
New Mexico offers some of the coolest opportunities like no other state for free range DIY exotics. You can travel to other parts of the country(high fenced/outfitters on private ranches) or world to chase these species. My recommendation is you can put your name in a hat in NM and chase them on their own landscape.
Exotic release years:
Aoudad- 1940s
Ibex- 1970
Oryx- 1969
The draw deadline is March 18th at 5pm MDT. Draw results will be posted on April 22nd.