Most New Mexico big game tags come through the state draw. We run the whole application for you. Here is exactly how it works.
New Mexico has a quota system for big game draw tags, and outfitters get a 10% pool. That is the route most of our clients take. The ten steps below are the whole process from your first phone call to your boots on the ground.
Not every hunt needs the draw. Black bear and mountain lion licences are over the counter, and private land elk, mule deer and antelope tags can be purchased without applying, which makes them a guaranteed backup.
Contact Derek or Dalton Martin directly and let us know the species you want to hunt, your preferred style of hunt, and your goals for the trip.
After a consultation phone call, we will email you a Draw Contract and a Limited Power of Attorney form. All hunters must have a signed draw contract on file before entering the New Mexico draw, per New Mexico Game and Fish law.
If you do not already have an account with New Mexico Game and Fish, you will need to create one on their website.
Complete the Draw Contract and Limited Power of Attorney and email them back to us.
Once we receive your completed documents, we will send you an invoice for our $50 application fee.
After we confirm your application fee has been paid, we will log into your New Mexico Game and Fish account and submit your application for the species you wish to hunt. New Mexico requires all applicants to front the cost of licence fees for the species they apply for. New Mexico Game and Fish holds these funds until draw results are posted in mid-April. If you draw, the state keeps the licence fee for that species. If you do not, licence fees for undrawn species are refunded.
Your application is now submitted. All that's left to do is wait patiently until draw results are released in mid-April.
Once draw results are posted, we will contact you directly to begin planning your hunt. If you are unsuccessful in the public land draw, we may be able to secure a private land tag as a guaranteed hunting option, if available.
A 50% deposit is required to officially book your hunt. Once the deposit is received you will be added to our schedule and assigned a guide. The remaining 50% balance is due 30 days prior to your hunt start date.
Pack your bags and get ready for your New Mexico hunt.
New Mexico has a quota system for their big game draw tags. If you are interested in applying through the 10% outfitter pool, you must first complete one of our contracts and return it. Once we receive the contract back from you, we will then provide you with the outfitter number to attach to your hunt applications.
Many new hunts and changes have been added for the 2026–2027 season, and the application deadline is March 18 at 5:00 PM MT, so contact us as soon as you can.
Apply for the draw, and use private land as a backup. Public land elk tags come through the New Mexico draw. Private land tags can be purchased without going through the draw application process, which makes them a guaranteed option if the draw doesn't go your way.
A private land tag is ranch-specific: you hunt that property. A unit-wide tag allows you to hunt the entire unit and generally costs more.
Black bear and mountain lion licences are available over the counter, so those hunts can be booked and hunted in the same season. Private land elk, mule deer and antelope tags also avoid the draw process. Fly fishing needs only an over-the-counter New Mexico fishing licence.
A 50% deposit books your hunt and gets you on the schedule with a guide assigned. The remaining 50% is due 30 days before your hunt start date. Our draw application fee is $50 per applicant.
Our guides like getting away from the roads and into the backcountry. We encourage hunters to come in fit condition and ready for the rigors of hunting at elevations from 5,000 to 8,500 feet. Most of our New Mexico hunts are spot-and-stalk style.
Yes, and it is a big part of what we do. Youth hunters enjoy our family-friendly guides and learn important backcountry skills. Several of our hunts have prime areas set aside for young hunters, and Derek specialises in father-and-son hunts.
Yes. The Cockhouse takes lodge-only bookings so a partner or family can relax while their hunter or angler is out. See The Lodge, or call for RV spot availability.
Should you need to cancel your booking, your deposit will be non-refundable. However, you can transfer your deposit to another available date at the discretion of the outfitter. The outfitter will make reasonable efforts to find a suitable alternative date, but rescheduling is not guaranteed and depends on availability.
