Valles Caldera NM Lottery

[spectr17]

Forty-eight permits are to be drawn for the various hunts (archery-16, rifle-24, ML-8). There were 4,700 apps last year for 90 bull permits. The permits are non-transferable this year. I wonder if that will change the odds much?

Anybody going to try their luck?

 

[paulc]

I sent mine in a week ago. i hear its an awsome piece of property.

 

[Constitutionalist]

Even though I live about 30 miles to the south of the Valles Caldera (formerly known as the 'Baca Ranch'), I don't put in for the hunt.

I put in for the adjacent areas around the Caldera, with my primary being the San Pedro Parks Wilderness Area to the West of Caldera. Real quiet and I can scout whenever I want to (not so in the Caldera).

PaulC: Yes, very nice piece of land indeed. So nice, you have to pay $25 just to take a guided tour.

Eric

 

[DAWG]

One thing that would be tough for a nonresident, especially, is that you have to turn in your draw tag, if you draw one with no refund (you could have $766, $481, or $291 into that), then turn around and send NM another $475 for the 6B tag! Then you need to pay another $150 access fee! If they would refund your draw tag fees on the tag exchange, I might consider buying one ticket, but I will not buy one under those circumstances. And they actually sold 13464 tickets to 7253 applicants last year. If they sell the same number of tickets this year, for about 1/2 last year's tag quota, they will rake in about $7000 per tag.

 

[Hntrjohn]

If I remember right, if you get a lotery Baca Ranch tag, you can return your other elk tag, and get a refund.

 

[DAWG]

Not this year. Their flyer and the hunting regulations both say you have to turn in your draw tag for another unit for no refund, then buy the 6B tag, if you choose to hunt the Valles Caldera after drawing it.