Hey all! Getting the itch as always about this time of year! Wife and I moved to AZ this year as I started my residency here. Unfortunately, AZ is a draw only state for turkey and I did not draw a tag. So now Im looking at nearby states. I read on NM fish and game site there are OTC tags but it talks about draw hunts as well. Anybody hunt NM regularly can clear that up? can I get an OTC tag and hunt most public land?
Easiest is to create an online acct then you can buy, pay and print the OTC tag online. Nonres tag is $100 plus the hunting license $65, habitat, access stamps and service fee $10. If fees havent changed its $175 total. Hunt any public forest land that isn't posted or subject to draw only restrictions. Navajo and San Carlos reservations in AZ have a set amount of tags for non tribe members through random draw then first come OTC too.
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/home/publications/
Scroll to bottom to "Turkey"
Quote from: djrcm7 on February 10, 2020, 11:13:49 PM
Hey all! Getting the itch as always about this time of year! Wife and I moved to AZ this year as I started my residency here. Unfortunately, AZ is a draw only state for turkey and I did not draw a tag. So now Im looking at nearby states. I read on NM fish and game site there are OTC tags but it talks about draw hunts as well. Anybody hunt NM regularly can clear that up? can I get an OTC tag and hunt most public land?
Jester is correct on the licensing and Hobbes advice is good,....refer to the NM Big Game Proclamation online. Regarding licensing, if you buy your license online (you can also purchase "in person" at vendors like Walmart and such), you need to order at least two weeks in advance to make sure NMGF has time to mail the carcass tags to you (you must have those with you when you hunt to tag your birds). If you buy at a vendor, you will get the carcass tags at that time.
NM is divided into hunting units (again, see proclamation). Some units are closed to turkey hunting as listed,...some are OTC,...and some are by drawing. Most units that are open to turkey hunting are OTC. The regs are pretty straight-forward in the proclamation if you read through them, but if you have any questions regarding hunting NM,...just ask here.