New Mexico
(Note: This overview was extracted from the December 2007 issue of The Huntin' Fool) 
New Mexico has an online system where hunters only need to pay a $6 application fee per species to apply and if drawn the credit card will be charged the tag fee. If you draw a deer permit you have until the opening day of the season to purchase the deer license. The online system is the most forgiving system there is since you are allowed to adjust the hunts you applied for after you apply or correct any mistakes prior to the deadline. Paper applications are also accepted.
New Mexico does not have a point system in place at this time. All of the limited tags are allocated through a true random drawing process every year with no advantages given to long time applicants. For the deer, elk, and antelope tags, 12% of the quota for each unit is reserved for non-residents who are contracted with an outfitter. Ten percent of the tags are for non-residents who do not apply through an outfitter. Hunters who draw one of the 10% tags that are in the non-guided pool can hire an outfitter if they so desire. The total non-resident allocation for these species is 22% which in our opinion is fair! Oryx, Ibex, Desert, and Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep are not subject to this allocation of tags.
New Mexico has some great Desert and Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep! Every year, a 180" plus Rocky is harvested out of 17 total tags in 2007! The Desert sheep are nothing short of incredible as well with 170" plus rams alive on the only unit open to hunting, the Peloncillo Mountain unit. The odds of drawing are terrible and the tag is expensive but luckily it only costs $6 to apply online!
New Mexico has been known for big bull elk. The best bulls are coming from the southern and western half of the state. It is high desert terrain consisting of pinion and juniper trees mixed with sagebrush. The higher elevations in these areas contain mainly pine trees. New Mexico is a lot like Arizona in the respect that if there are drought conditions then the bulls will have noticeably smaller antlers. On wet years, giant bulls will be killed!
Mule deer and Coues deer have some limited opportunity for trophy bucks. As a general rule a good buck can come from any unit but consistent producers are few and far between. The best season, hands down, is the January archery hunt. The deer are rutting this time of year and we have yet to talk to anyone who has not had a great hunt during this season.
New Mexico’s antelope are phenomenal. The central and western half of the state produce some absolute world class bucks on wet years! There are incredibly huge numbers of antelope across the state with plenty of opportunities to buy guided hunts with landowner tags included or just buy landowner tags. More B&C bucks come from New Mexico than any other state making it the best or second best producer of giant bucks in the West from year to year!
New Mexico is a “must apply for” state as the application fees are reasonable and trophy animals exist for all species. The drawing odds are great in most cases in relation to the quality available. True trophy hunters should not miss out on applying for New Mexico on great moisture years.