The ability for the nonresident hunter to hunt in New Mexico and the private land owner to manage their hunting is being threatened. Recently, New Mexico resident hunters have been complaining over the difficulty they are having drawing or acquireing a hunting license in New Mexico. On June 9th. the New Mexico big game draw took place, allocating licenses to those that were successful. It seems that there is a growing demand for quality hunt areas in New Mexico. Since the draw results were released there has been a buzz from resident hunters complaining about the license allocation process. In New Mexico 78 percent of the licenses go to resident hunters, the remaining 22 percent go to nonresident hunters.Of the 22 percent 10 percent to nonresidents who do not intend to use an outfitter and 12 percent to nonresidents that do intend to use an outfitter. 

In New Mexico Elk and Antelope are covered under the land owner allocation system. Land owners are given transferable licenses as compensation for their wild life habitat. The majority of Antelope habitat is found on private land. Less than half of Elk habitat is privately owned. Through news paper articles and appearances on local News stations the resident hunters are complaining about this system, which was set into law in 1997 by state legislators. The New Mexico Game and Fish Department is in the process of designing a new system for Antelope license allocation. It is similar to the E-plus system already in place for Elk licenses. Organizations such as New Mexico Council of outfitters and guides and New Mexico Cattle Growers Association will be actively involved to ensure that private property owners rights and nonresident hunters rights are protected. The economic impact to New Mexico and the loss of revenue to the New Mexico Game and Fish department caused by reducing nonresident hunters in the state would have a large negative impact.