New Mexico Antelope

I am applying this year for the first time for antelope. Looking at the draw odds it looks like pretty slim odds for rifle. My first choice will be for Units (41, 42, 43, 46-48, 54-59). I am just looking for a unit with good success rate, it does not have to be a trophy, I would just like the opportunity to harvest a quality animal.

Does anyone have any experience in other units with better odds at obtaining a tag? Is it insanely difficult to harvest one with a bow? I am applying for archery mule deer and elk as well, so bowhunting is still an option if it is not impossible.

What kind of antelope you going for?

I've been trying for 5 years for a pronghorn tag - muzzle loader! My cousin lives in NM and even he has problems drawing!

I've been trying for 5 years for a pronghorn tag - muzzle loader! My cousin lives in NM and even he has problems drawing!

what kind, that's funny right there !

I have been drawn 3 times in the last 15 years for pronghorn rifle in various units. Getting a pronghorn with a rifle has never been too tough for me or the other hunters in my group. It really helps if you can pull off a 300 yard shot. If your looking for a trophy it can be tough because you only get three days and there will be other hunters on the ranch you are assigned (at least every time i have been). Our group has always tagged out by day two. Never tried the bow thing for them. Hope this helps and good luck in the draw.

We just lost our Antelope lease on 80k acres in Northeast New Mexico north of Clayton. We had been hunting there for just over 20 years. The last 5 years we were up to 15 tags with 100% success rate.(rifle obviously) Our average pronghorn got a little bigger every year and there were more every year. We took 35 people out to New Mexico for three days and had a great time. Treated the ranch as our own and had a great relationship with the family that owned the ranch. Unfortunately one of the younger generation of the family got the idea that they could make more selling the tags to individuals rather than all to us. They let us know this past fall that they were going in a different direction. We understood and thanked them for the mutually beneficial relationship. Truth be told we were ready to move on, thats a lot of years of killing speed goats, and the group got too big. Really fun animal to hunt. A lot of action, and as stated above, be prepared for long shots!

If you want to hunt antelope on public land then go to Wyoming. New Mexico is almost impossible to draw because nearly all antelope live on private land and the vast majority of tags are given to landowners to sell. I drew once in 89 as a resident and the ranch I hunted said they get to sell 10 tags for every one the state draw issued - I don't know if it was true or not but you get the idea. If you want to hunt New Mexico buy the landowner voucher.

Watch the Livestock Weekly's Classifieds. I have seen a bunch of NM antelope tags on there for sale