Analysis Finds New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Shorts Resident Hunters on Licenses

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The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has been issuing extra licenses for bighorn sheep and other high-demand species to outfitted hunters and nonresidents while commonly failing to give the required percentage of licenses to resident hunters. Brandon Wynn, an Albuquerque hunter and businessman, has undertaken a detailed analysis of the NMGF license system. He’s a dedicated sheep hunter who applies for hunting licenses in several western states every year. “I can say this without question: no other state ever issues a single permit in their entire state to a nonresident that they do not absolutely have to issue by law — ever,” Wynn said. “New Mexico goes out of their way to issue nonresident permits,” Wynn said. “They bend over backwards. They push the limits of the law, they do funny math, they do whatever they can to issue as many outfitted and nonresident permits as possible. I’m 100 percent confident in that.” A New Mexico law that went into effect in 2012 requires “a minimum of 84 percent of the licenses shall be issued to residents of New Mexico.” The law further species that 10 percent of licenses go to hunters who hire outfitters and 6 percent to nonresident hunters who don’t hire outfitters. Many other states are far less generous to nonresident hunters. Arizona, for example, requires a minimum of 90 percent of licenses go to residents and sets aside no licenses for outfitted hunters...MORE