New Mexico's 2006 - 2007 Big Game Rules & Information Booklet is now available on-line for viewing/downloading at: http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/publications/BigGameRul...formationBooklet.htm

The Bighorn Sheep info is on page 44 (New Mexico has both Desert and Rocky Mountain Bighorns).

April 8th, 2006 is the application deadline.

Drawing results are scheduled to be posted to the New Mexico Game and Fish Department's website on June 21st, 2006.

Information on the bighorn tag raffle is on page 14 (and it also pasted below)...

"Another license to hunt Rocky Mountain or desert bighorn sheep will be awarded through a raffle. The successful raffle winner will choose one of the remaining hunts not chosen by the auction winner. The license fee is included for the successful raffle winner. See below for detailed hunt information. The drawing will be held in late June at a meeting of the New Mexico Chapter of FNAWS or the State Game Commission. The date and location of the drawing will be announced.

Raffle tickets will be sold through the New Mexico chapter of FNAWS for $20 each. Deadline to purchase tickets is June 20. To purchase tickets, send check or money order to Kent Schauer, 4101 Morris NE, Ste. A, Albuquerque, NM 87111, or call him at (505) 299-4426. Ticket stubs will not be provided. NMFNAWS will complete and enter all orders not accompanied by tickets.

The raffle winner does not have to be present to win. Licenses may be used either by the recipient or any individual of the recipient’s choice through sale, barter or gift. The bag limit for these hunts is any one ram. These hunts do not count as once-in-a-lifetime hunts.

Bighorn Sheep Auction and Raffle Hunt
The winning hunter may choose one of the following hunts:
Open Areas - Max Lic. - Bag Limit - Hunt Dates
Units 44 and 45 - 1 - One Ram - Aug. 1 through Dec. 31
San Francisco River in Unit 23 - 1 - One Ram - Aug. 1 through Dec. 31
Peloncillo Mountains in Unit 27 - 1 - One Ram - Aug. 1 through Dec. 31
Unit 53 (south of NM 38) - 1 - One Ram - Aug. 1 thur 10 & Sept. 1 thru Dec. 31"

The on-line application is now available.

http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/index.htm

From: http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/publications/press_rele...006/0410deadline.htm

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Media contact: Dan Williams, (505) 476-8004
Public contact: (505) 476-8000
dan.williams@state.nm.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, APRIL 10, 2006:

DEPARTMENT OF GAME AMD FISH EXTENDS HUNT APPLICATION DEADLINE

SANTA FE, N.M. – The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has extended its big game Special Hunts application deadline through midnight Thursday, April 13, due to an overwhelming response to the online application system that peaked at 12 applications per minute and caused some applicants to miss the midnight April 8 deadline.

Hunters who missed the deadline to apply for limited deer permits, and elk, antelope, bighorn sheep, ibex and javelina licenses for the 2006-2007 seasons are encouraged to use the Department's online system to apply before midnight Thursday, April 13. The Department also will continue to accept paper applications either postmarked before the April 13 deadline or submitted in person to a Department office in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Raton, Roswell or Las Cruces.

The Department received 85,000 online applications for the drawing, including more than 16,000 applications during the busiest period, the Friday and Saturday immediately prior to the first deadline. At times, the agency's web site processed as many as 750 applications an hour. To avoid difficulties experienced by many applicants, hunters are encouraged to apply online during less-busy early morning or late-night hours before the midnight, April 13 deadline.

"We recognize that some applicants experienced slowness and difficulties with the online system during the last 36 hours before the deadline, and we're sorry that happened,” State Game Commission Chairman Leo Sims said. “We've extended the deadline to give more people the chance to apply for these great opportunities.”

"Sportsmen support the online services as being handy and appreciate the ability to use credit or debit cards without paying the full fees required for the licenses until when and if they are successful in the drawing," Department of Game and Fish Director Bruce Thompson said. "Even Governor Bill Richardson applied online this year, hoping to successfully obtain one of the coveted elk hunting opportunities he is working with the Department to conserve."

Applicants will be able to check the drawing results online June 21. Results also will be available at Department offices, but not by phone until July 6.

This is the second big-game application deadline for the year. In January and February, 12,910 applicants applied for oryx hunting licenses and population-reduction opportunities. In all, the agency has received 98,616 online applications this year, its third consecutive record-breaking year. There were 89,253 applicants who used the online process in 2005-2006.

I just saw this...

"Attention hunt applicants: Check credit, debit accounts before drawing

The Department of Game and Fish encourages hunters who applied for 2006-2007 hunting permits via the Department's Web site to be certain that they have enough funds in their accounts before the Department conducts hunt drawings. Hunters must have available funds in their credit or debit card accounts to cover the cost of any license or permit that they applied for. If not, their application will be rejected and the opportunity will go to the next applicant selected.

Permits for deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, ibex and javelina will be issued by a random, computerized drawing. The drawing will take place during the week of June 12-17."


Also remember:
"Another license to hunt Rocky Mountain or desert bighorn sheep will be awarded through a raffle. The successful raffle winner will choose one of the remaining hunts not chosen by the auction winner. The license fee is included for the successful raffle winner. See below for detailed hunt information. The drawing will be held in late June at a meeting of the New Mexico Chapter of FNAWS or the State Game Commission. The date and location of the drawing will be announced.

Raffle tickets will be sold through the New Mexico chapter of FNAWS for $20 each. Deadline to purchase tickets is June 20. To purchase tickets, send check or money order to Kent Schauer, 4101 Morris NE, Ste. A, Albuquerque, NM 87111, or call him at (505) 299-4426. Ticket stubs will not be provided. NMFNAWS will complete and enter all orders not accompanied by tickets.

The raffle winner does not have to be present to win."

The NM Game and Fish website changed a bit today.

Where it had previously said that the last day to update or change your credit card information was June 13, it now says: "Special hunts applicants have until midnight MDT June 24 to change their credit card account information."

Oh man, does that mean I went over my limit on my Cabela's card when they charged me the $3000???

LOL

New Mexico has posted their draw results, although finding them isn't easy.

Go to: http://gameandfish.state.nm.us/drawresults/draw1search.asp

Use your first name, last name and birthdate. It found results that way for me, whereas when I entered the application number it stated it couldn't be found.

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On another NM note...
The sales of raffle tickets finished up today. The drawing will be held on Thursday at 9 a.m. Mountain time. The winner will be notified by phone.

The winner of the raffle tag is Normand Berube, of Scarborough, ME.