How do you guys go so long without drawing, at least as residents.
Do you guys study the application statistics to try to make it work for you? One of the things i've found for people that don't understand the draw is that they try to apply for 3 different awesome hunts with incredibly low draw odds. With the way NM's drawing works, this isn't logical.
There's no sense in putting down-
#1-Valle Videl 1st rifle Bull
#2-16D 1st Rifle Bull
#3-15 3rd Archery ES
This kind of application is kind of a waste of 2 spots in my opinion. Instead make your first choice a awesome hunt with low draw odds, make the second choice a decent unit with ok success rates and make your third choice for something like a Dec cow tag or a 5B bull tag.
This kind of application mindset has made me successful in drawing a elk tag, even some of them were 'not good' units, almost every year. I'd rather be hunting for elk in a crappy unit like 5B or chasing cow elk around unit 9 or 15 than sitting at home.
BTW- I'm just trying to add some insight here. Not trying to insult anyones intelligence.
I probably shouldn't let this out, but I've taken three 300+ 6x6 bulls out of 5b, two more in the 270-280 range, and several raghorns. So don't bother applying for this crappy unit.
Also, I've been told that your 3rd choice is weighted exactly the same in the system as your first choice. In other words, the odds of drawing a decent hunt with your third choice are just as good as with your first or second. Maybe that's true, maybe it isn't.
Personally, I've gotten to the point where I'd rather stay home as opposed to hunting in a non-productive area in this state (and there's a number of those), particularly for deer. You'd be inclined to take any old elk tag, but the deer hunting in NM has deteriorated over the last 20 years to the point where it's not worth the effort and expense unless you can draw something decent.
