Open Now — Active Seasons
🔫 Barbary Sheep (Aoudad)
✅ 123d left
Rifle — OTC + Draw
📆 Apr 1 – Sep 30
📍 Guadalupe Mountains, Canadian River Breaks, Carlsbad area (Units 24–29)
🪪 OTC license available — no draw required for most units. Some units require draw.
African barbary sheep established in NM in 1950s. Steep rocky terrain — physically demanding hunt. Can be OTC in many units. Good trophy quality in Guadalupes. Excellent opportunity for non-residents without bonus points.
📌 Best regions: Guadalupe Mountains, Canadian River escarpment, Carlsbad area
🎯 HuntScore™ 74 — Good
✓ Rut peaks December✓ Rocky cliff/canyon habitat✓ OTC access is rare for exotic species
Official regs →
Opening Soon — Next 45 Days
No seasons opening in the next 45 days.
📋 Draw Calendar
🔔 ACTIVE NOW: Draw Results Released
Through May 31
Results posted to NM hunting license account. Preference points assigned if unsuccessful.
New Mexico preference points accumulate annually. Apply each year even without expectation of drawing — points toward premium units (Valles Caldera, Gila) build over a career.
🧬 CWD Zones
New Mexico mandatory CWD zones require carcass testing before transport. Do not move whole carcasses or spines out of positive detection areas. Head deposit at NMDGF check stations required in mandatory zones.
Affected species: Mule Deer, Coues White-tailed Deer, Elk
Units 2, 6, 7, 8 (N-central NM)
CWD positive detections — mandatory test-and-release protocol
Units 36A, 36B (SE NM)
High surveillance zone near TX border
🗺️ HuntScore™ Unit Intelligence
Historical draw odds, success rates, and field conditions per unit. Verify all data with state fish & game before hunting. Draw odds are historical — actual odds may vary.
Unit Unit 6 (Valles Caldera)
Expert
Valles Caldera National Preserve
🦌 Elk
Season: All methods
Bonus pts needed: 8–12
Success rate: 40%
Iconic NM elk unit. Volcanic caldera at 8,000+ ft. Bull density extremely high. Access via lottery system for preserve hunts.
Unit Units 15–16 (Gila)
Extreme
Gila Wilderness
🦌 Elk + Bear + Deer
Season: Multiple
Bonus pts needed: OTC eligible
Success rate: 20%
Largest wilderness area in US lower 48. Pack-in required for best areas. World-class trophy elk but extremely rugged. Mule access recommended.
Unit Florida Mtns (27S)
Expert
Florida Mountains
🦌 Ibex
Season: October–November
Bonus pts needed: Lottery
Success rate: 95%
One of 3 ibex hunts in USA. Steep volcanic rock. Guide strongly recommended. Tags <20/year.
Unit WSMR Oryx Zone
Moderate (guided)
White Sands Missile Range
🦌 Oryx
Season: October–March
Bonus pts needed: Lottery
Success rate: 100%
Military escort required. Wide open desert — easier shooting conditions than wilderness elk. Outstanding trophy quality.
📎 Official Resources
⚖️ Legal Compliance Required
- Verify all regulations with state fish & game before hunting.
- HuntScore™ scores are forecasts, not guarantees of animal activity or harvest success.
- Draw odds are historical — actual odds may vary year to year.
- PeakScout does not replace hunter safety education or state licensing requirements.
- New Mexico tribal lands — Navajo Nation, Mescalero Apache, Laguna, Zuni, and 19 Pueblos — are closed to hunting without a tribal-issued permit. White Sands Missile Range is a federal military installation with strict access protocols.