Elk Hunt Info

Elk hunting can be one of the toughest hunts a hunter will experience because of the terrain elk live in. It is one of the most physically demanding hunting sports most hunters will ever endure. Most Eastern deer hunters who head West to elk hunt practice bugling and mewing on a cow call but often forget about one of the most important aspects of getting ready for an elk hunt: GETTING IN SHAPE!!! If a hunter is planning to hunt out West for elk, he should purchase a quality backpack and start hiking with it on his back.

Elk hunters who want to be successful should plan to hike a few miles off the road to find unpressured elk. Although a few miles may not sound like much, walking a few miles in the mountains is a lot different than walking on a sidewalk out East. The Western mountains in New Mexico can be tough walking for deer hunters who are used to walking on level ground. To prepare for walking up steep mountains, elk hunters should walk up the steepest hills they can find in their neck of the woods and hike up and down them regularly with a pack on their back.

When preparing for an elk hunt, having at least 30 pounds in a pack is a good idea. Elk hunters should pack up the gear they plan to take with them into their elk hunting backpacks and hike with it on their backs a few times a week. This prepares their back muscles and leg muscles for the elk hunt.

When preparing physically, it is important to realize that elk live in the high country where the air is often thin. It can be very difficult to prepare Eastern lungs for Western air, but there are a few things elk hunters can do. When training, elk hunters need to breathe as much as possible from their noses and keep their mouths closed. This makes lungs work harder and helps prepare them for the hard breathing they will encounter out west. They can also run very fast upside hills for short distances or ride a bike uphill as fast as they can for short distances to strengthen their lungs. You would hate to get into a position where you need to get up a hill to take a shot at a once-in-a-lifetime Bull Elk and you are unable to do it when it counts.

New Mexico Hunting License - Elk

All hunters must possess a valid license, and permit if applicable, for the species and hunt type in which they will participate and must produce this upon request by a conservation officer. All big-game and turkey hunters must possess a Game-hunting License, tag(s) for each species hunted, and a Habitat Stamp.

Habitat Stamp: $10

Resident (+$7 application fee)

• Standard: $90
• Quality: $90
• Junior/Senior: $58

Nonresident (+$13 application fee)

• Standard: $548
• Quality: $773

*Note: License fees may vary based on type of land (private/public), type of license, or changes to state legislation. The fees listed above are updated as of this listing’s publication. For the most accurate information, visit the New Mexico Game & Fish website.

What's NOT Included:

• Airport Pickup/Return
• State License Fees
• Elk Landowner Tag
• Capping, Meat Processing, & Taxidermy Fees
• Room & Board Beyond Scheduled Stay