Thinking about making a trip to New Mexico

NM has a small game license and a non-game animal license(I haven't figured out why yet)

No coyotes are a non-game animal but with a small game license you have to give cats, badger, and foxes a pass.

I see no reason to purchase the non-game animal license, with it, it bars you from all state lands.
You are better off purchasing a small game license for the same price and you can take non-game animals plus it opens state lands to hunt also.
 
Originally Posted By: Rob_SAs a non-resident, I'm planning a trip to NM to hunt coyotes. In addition to the $65 non-resident game license don't we need a Trapper license since coyotes are furbearers?

Coyotes are unprotected furbearers, thus you do not need the furbearer license (unless you want to trap them). For what it's worth, you can also whack skunks. But if you want to hunt fox, bobcats, ringtails, etc., you have to get the outrageously priced furbearer license. Like AWS recommended above, I say get the small game license. That allows you to also hunt doves and quail, and as he points out, licenses you to hunt game animals with open seasons, which grants you access to state land. Since coyotes are not game animals, and the non-game license doesn't cover game species with seasons, you cannot legally hunt state ground. The small game license covers you there.
 
Hunting partner started calling them in October. He got a total of about 25-30 to come in to him in 5 trips. We’re located in the very southeast corner. Lots of big dogs out here.

He obviously didn’t shoot all of them and many he just watched. We called in a group of 5 together about 4 weeks ago in early October. All were good size and weight and had beautiful coats on them.

They’re out year round here. Colder days are better. Just get yourself setup right at 30 min before sunrise and start calling. Laws prohibit you from hunting any earlier than 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset. So watch your clock...

It seems as if you can find a good group of antelope out here, there will be coyotes nearby. So if you find a nice spot around some pronghorn, quietly setup and start calling.

Occasionally you may find one walking around in a clearing as well. You may be able to close in for a spot and stalk if your lucky or you can try your hand at calling them in toward you.

That’s all the advice I can give you from our neck of the woods.
 
On top of the small game license, get you both the habitat stamp and I think it is called a HMAV stamp. Those are what open up state land and such. They’re another $10 I think.

It will allow you to hunt prairie dog, cottontail, jackrabbit, quail, dove, etc... in January it will still be open on Quail. So bring your shotgun! January is too late for dove though. Rabbit and prairie dog have no season and can be taken year round with a small game license.

Prairie dogs are always fun to shoot with a .222, .223, or .22-250. So bring some sort of small cal centerfire as well if you’d like to try that!

Mountain lion is also available year round but does require tags on top of the lisence. I believe they’re still over the counter though. Depending on where you hunt, it may be worth your while to buy a tag and see if you can’t get one.

Cottontail here makes a good deep fry dish. Very good white meat.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: DesertRamOriginally Posted By: Rob_SAs a non-resident, I'm planning a trip to NM to hunt coyotes. In addition to the $65 non-resident game license don't we need a Trapper license since coyotes are furbearers?

Coyotes are unprotected furbearers, thus you do not need the furbearer license (unless you want to trap them). For what it's worth, you can also whack skunks. But if you want to hunt fox, bobcats, ringtails, etc., you have to get the outrageously priced furbearer license. Like AWS recommended above, I say get the small game license. That allows you to also hunt doves and quail, and as he points out, licenses you to hunt game animals with open seasons, which grants you access to state land. Since coyotes are not game animals, and the non-game license doesn't cover game species with seasons, you cannot legally hunt state ground. The small game license covers you there.

There's a LOT of good hunting in the Southwest. Don't let the desert fool you. You can't swing a dead cat in New Mexico without hitting a coyote that needs shooting.
 


Write your reply...
Back
Top