Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game New Mexico BLM and state land locked....

Let me begin to thank all, for this nonresident, regarding the public trust state lands. I have learned, been well informed and have a great deal of misgivings via the current NM administration. It is my wish that hunters, fisherman and all can use your lands in harmony. You have a battle ahead! MTG

There is a lot of public land in MT landlocked. The Durfee Hills near Lewistown for example.

Below is what is prohibited on New Mexico State Trust Lands, from their website. Pretty restrictive compared to public lands.

Link here - http://www.nmstatelands.org/uploads/files/Recreational/Prohibited%20Activities%20(updated%2012-13-13).pdf

6. I have never had issues using an ATV on established roads before. You can not take any vehicle off established roads on state to retrieve game . You traveled on one of our best “established “ roads on state land. I hate that road, it has cost me a few tires.

Our state lands can be complicated but it also offers some pretty good opportunities if a person works at it.

Mixed on if replacing the entire commission is what’s needed? The A-Plus was voted unanimously even though every sportsman’s group I ‘m aware of was on record against it.

We’ll see how our new Land Commissioner handles the agreement with NMDGF that ends in 2020.

Hopefully it’s not telling that the first thing she did was ban coyote calling contests on state land.

Let the games begin.

https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/new-mexico-game-commissioners-asked-to-resign/1877907101

Unfortunately you're not wrong and won't be proven wrong. Its going to be an absolute disaster. Every game warden I know in NM is against it due to the amount of issues its going to cause

Ya, it’s going to be ugly.

NM won't get any of my NR money ever again. I have hunted there a few times and it is the most F'd up state in the west for a NR to hunt in regardless of the cost. The outfitters and ranches and LO's control things to an unholy level. I will pay my monies elsewhere. I hope they are able to reform(fix) it but I seriously doubt it will happen in my lifetime.

I don't blame you but you are robbing yourself by not enjoying the outdoor opportunities IMHO. More sad is the elected officials we have now. The pug Michelle LG... even said while running that if she gets in outfitters should have more tags and gun bans would be high on her priorities.

The stupid sheep in this state went for pot and welfare, guess they like being last in everything good.

I love NM though and hope it will change for the better some day.

all these western states need to cater to non-residents better ! they want our money

No "they" don't need to cater to non-residents.

that`s B.S. that Federal land belongs to all Americans and to tell you the truth non-residents on Federal land should pay the same price as residents too for a hunting license or residents on Federal land pay a non-resident fee. no public land or federal land should be land locked either there should free public access to that land , with walk on or horse access only including ranchers ! no horse or motor vehicle use during any hunting seasons,including wardens !

Non residents do pay the same price as a resident to be on federal land.

Nothing.

You are paying more to kill one of OUR animals though.

The issue of land locked state and federal lands is not one of access or hunting licenses issued by the state, but rather trespass. In New Mexico, it is illegal to trespass on private lands that are closed to trespass and which are properly marked at all useable points of access, according to state law. Game wardens are authorized to police trespass violations, as are Sheriff's deputies and any other law enforcement officer in whose jurisdiction they may be. The private landowner can deny trespass or permit it under his or her terms, including charging for permission to cross it and access public lands beyond the private land.

The wildlife belongs to the citizens of the state and are managed by the state in trust for the use and enjoyment its citizens. This issue has been extensively adjudicated, all the way to the Supreme Court. Selling nonresident hunting and fishing licenses is purely a means of raising revenue, and it confers nothing but the privilege of harvesting animals that belong to the state of New Mexico and its citizens.

Pete hunting license doesn't give you access to federal land, access is free, any national forest, BLM etc is free to access. It's the animal you are paying for.

As for walk on only, wow, some of these tracts are huge, millions of acres and many have roads on them. Walk only is not an option

Many of hte land locked blocks are there due to history when a rancher defaulted or turned it over.

Thank you. It's the same in Colorado except the landowner is under no obligation to post or mark private land. It's the responsibility of the user to know where the boundaries are and get permission before trespassing.

But I'm sure your explanation will fall on deaf ears. Some just like to complain, and some were born into a world where everything that's not how they want it to be is "unfair."

We have lots of public land sitting behind private land with no access other than climbing over a mountain range. If you can get to it, it's open to the public but unless the landowner cooperates, you can't cross his land to get to it. When the land was settled, settlers staked claims on much of the land with good water and flat land for farming. The steep stuff behind it wasn't claimed. Many large ranches were able to get possession of small parcels that controlled the water so the surrounding land can't be used for grazing because there's no water. That gave them sort of a defacto ownership. They don't own it but you can't get to it.

Some ranches would have their workers homestead on strategic parcels with water. As soon as they proved up and got title, they turned it over to the ranches. That wasn't exactly legal but it happened over and over across the west.

As others have mentioned, New Mexico has some public land with no public access since it's behind private land. This happens in most, if not all, western states.

In New Mexico a lot of state land is leased to ranchers in 99 year grazing leases. These leases are passed down through generations.

Some ranches are 100 percent state lease land and these can be hunted by public hunters.

Fully deeded ranches (no state lease land), like ours, are simply issued tag codes. Some ranchers sell them, some have friends and family come hunt, and some don't allow hunting.

Other ranches, probably the majority, are a combination of private deeded property and state lease. By law, the ranch owner can choose whether he/she wants hunting on the ranch or not, but it's an all or none proposition - public or state hunters must be allowed on these ranches if private hunters are allowed to hunt. Most ranches do allow hunting because a) they're hunter friendly and b) they need the revenue.

Some ranches do not allow hunting because they're opposed to hunting. This is a small percentage. Others don't allow hunting because they don't need the money and don't want to risk any liability. This is also a small percentage. The majority of ranches that don't allow hunting do so because of previous bad experiences with hunters and/or outfitters. This is the other way that state lands become locked.

NM Game and Fish does a fly over antelope census every spring/early summer. They then declare how many antelope they think should be taken per ranch. For round numbers, let's say a 10,000 acre ranch is half deeded acreage and half private. Fish & Game says 10 mature bucks can be taken off of this imaginary ranch. If the rancher allows hunting on the ranch, half of the hunters must be public. The other half, 5 tags, go to the rancher - he/she can sell them, give them to friends and family, or not use them.

I hope that clarifies things.

A few opinions:

1) I would agree that the A-plus system is confusing.

2) New Mexico's government is a mess.

3) There's probably not much that will ever change about fully public land or fully private land ranches. Where headway could be made is on the ranches that have combinations of private deeded and public lands. The outfitters that buy the private tags from ranches and resell them to hunters have to be held accountable by law enforcement - and by hunters. I literally cannot think of a game law I haven't seen an outfitter break in our corner of the state. Responsible outfitters would get more ranches opened up. To give you an idea of how bad the outfitters around us are, I'm certain that I could open a guiding business, approach the ranchers they're currently doing business with, and buy the tags for the same amount currently paid OR LESS. The ranchers hate doing business with them. (NOTE: I'm NOT casting shade on Mr. Drummond. He works in a different part of the state. I don't know him but, by all accounts here, he's well regarded. Kudos to him.)

4) In addition to better outfitters, the other thing that would help open up currently locked ranches are better hunters. A lot of hunters are drunk, and/or don't know or care about the game regulations, and/or don't know how to shoot, and/or don't know how to handle meat, and/or leave every closed gate they come to wide open. Be an ambassador for your sport. We've considered closing our ranch to hunting because of rude, dangerous and unlawful hunters, and the owners around us all tell me they consider it too every year. Our sport is on thin ice in a lot of places and unfortunately much of that has been earned.

all tracts of public land behind private land ,we the people need to have legislatures vote and force a public access road to that every mile or two with a public parking lot on the public land with a locked gate. like i said once hunting season opens foot travel only. these ranchers and public may use horses only before and after hunting seasons. the other part that should happen but probably never will is get all live stock out of the mountains permanently,its no wonder elk and deer come down to eat on lower land when the mountains have been over grazed for years,its almost shameful how the mountains have been ruined by livestock , over grazing,ponds,lakes ,trees and streams tore up and cow track humps all over. very few people will say anything against what has happen to the mountains most of this damage has been done by just a low percentage of people too,and we all know who it is ,just watch this post you will see who they try and protect.