Thinking about making a trip to New Mexico

E

Eastex

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I am thinking about going to New Mexico around the middle of January or so, I have never been anywhere calling coyotes except for the area I live in, which is tough hunting. Is the middle of January a good time to be in that part of the world calling coyotes. Any advice is appreciated, and I'm not trying to find anybody's spots or anything of that matter it would just be nice to to go completely blind. Thanks
 
New Mexico can be good in January depending on the weather naturally. Lots of national forest and private land you can ask to hunt on. Plains in the eastern half, forested in the mountainous parts. You never know what will come in! I'd recommend it.
 
Because of fall hunts, I often don't get the chance to get serious about coyotes until late December or after the first of the year. Calling then can still be successful. Come on over and give it a try. Mix up the sounds a little to find what they like. Get a little further from the truck and off main roads. You can still have some good action.
 
Thanks and more than likely I will get into New Mexico just far enough to get out of Texas and I was planning on trying to hunt the BLM land. Can you get a BLM map when you are there? I've tried to get it on my phone with no luck.
 
Yes, just stop at the local BLM office, some have maps for the whole state and some just for their region. If you and them before hand you can find an overly map on line with the different maps indicated(by name) and order them by phone from the local office.
 
AWS- thanks I am going to order the map from the link Desert Ram sent me so I can look it over before I get up that way
 
Just a little hint, if you order them from the district office or pick them up they are $4.00/each from the map center they are $7.99/ea.
 
Worst case to save a few bucks, just figure out the ones you want and I'll go buy them for you at the local office, which has most, if not all, of the state. I'll ship them to you and you can reimburse me.
 
Desert ram thanks for the kind offer. I may just do a little research and see which ones I need for the area I am planning on going to
 
Here is the index of maps so you know the name of the maps you want to order.

http://plicmapcenter.org/pdf/NM_BLM_Hunting_PLIA.pdf

I keep them in clear loose leaf binder sleeves. Two maps fit perfect sxs in a sleeve. My NM binder has the whole SW part of the state from Silver City south and Las Cruses west.

I try to set up a binder for each state I hunt, I have them for MT, NV, AZ, NM, and WA.

It is nice to have a DeLorms Atlas & Gazzateer to go along with the BLM maps
 
I wish they allowed coyote calling on state land.

OR has that changed?

I remember an old thread about maybe a get around to that.
 
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They do, but you have to have a license for a currently open/in season game animal. Anyway that was in effect last spring when I was there.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSThey do, but you have to have a license for a currently open/in season game animal. Anyway that was in effect last spring when I was there.

Ahh ok that was it.


So let's say I get a non-res hunting license $65. I go to some state trust land and I am "hunting squirrel" with my .22LR pistol and I'm using an electronic call that has a squirrel distress sound. I also have my AR-15 for self-defense purposes. A coyote just so happens to run by and I shoot him with the AR-15. And I do that 25 more times. Legal?

Not wanting to do anything illegal, I'm trying to stay legal and be able to utilize all of that awesome state trust land for calling coyotes.
 
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According to the game wardens (there were two)in the Las Cruses office I don't even have to pretend to be hunting something else just have a license for a currently open GAME animal in that area.

I don't know if a squirrel is a game animal with a season on them but rabbits don't qualify.

Best bet is to stop at the local office and talk to the warden before. Like any of the game laws in all the states there are grey areas that are up to the interpretation of the officer on site.

Here in WA we can not hunt coyotes with a dog. As the law is written if your pheasant hunting with a dog and you jump a coyote legally you can't shoot it because you have a dog present, same with a coyote in you goose decoys if you have a retriever present. I've made trips to the state capital to discus this and those in charge say that wasn't the intent of the law but it came out that way when it was written and they aren't about to change it. So most wardens wouldn't ever hassle you about it, but if the last hunters he checked really pissed him off you might just get a citation for shooting a coyote with a dog present, just because the warden was in ill temper at the moment.
 
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Originally Posted By: AWSAccording to the game wardens (there were two)in the Las Cruses office I don't even have to pretend to be hunting something else just have a license for a currently open GAME animal in that area.

I don't know if a squirrel is a game animal with a season on them but rabbits don't qualify.

Ground squirrels are non-game. Gray, Red, Fox, and Abert's squirrels are game animals, but those aren't really found in Union County where I would likely try to call coyotes. Hmm.. Maybe Eurasian Collard Dove? Open year round and found all over the state. Yes!
 
If you have a license for any game animal in season, you can hunt unprotected animals on state ground. Squirrels are game animals, so if you have a small game license during their season, you can hunt coyotes on state ground. Quail season is November 15 to February 15, so if you have a small game license and want to hunt coyotes on state land during those three months, you're covered. So yes, basically any time between the dove opener on September 1 and the quail closer on February 15, your small game license covers you for calling coyotes on state land.
 
Originally Posted By: wormydog1724Originally Posted By: AWSAccording to the game wardens (there were two)in the Las Cruses office I don't even have to pretend to be hunting something else just have a license for a currently open GAME animal in that area.

I don't know if a squirrel is a game animal with a season on them but rabbits don't qualify.

Ground squirrels are non-game. Gray, Red, Fox, and Abert's squirrels are game animals, but those aren't really found in Union County where I would likely try to call coyotes. Hmm.. Maybe Eurasian Collard Dove? Open year round and found all over the state. Yes!

Eurasian collared dove are considered upland game with a year-round season, so yes, as long as you have a small game license for upland game, you're good to go. Easiest way probably...
 
Originally Posted By: DesertRamOriginally Posted By: wormydog1724Originally Posted By: AWSAccording to the game wardens (there were two)in the Las Cruses office I don't even have to pretend to be hunting something else just have a license for a currently open GAME animal in that area.

I don't know if a squirrel is a game animal with a season on them but rabbits don't qualify.

Ground squirrels are non-game. Gray, Red, Fox, and Abert's squirrels are game animals, but those aren't really found in Union County where I would likely try to call coyotes. Hmm.. Maybe Eurasian Collard Dove? Open year round and found all over the state. Yes!

Eurasian collared dove are considered upland game with a year-round season, so yes, as long as you have a small game license for upland game, you're good to go. Easiest way probably...


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As 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?
 
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