Tell me about...... New Mexico. Finalized. Moving there !!

[pre6422hornet]

Well Nosler family, the time has come to explore new options. My career at HD has come to an end ( I elected to take a severance package rather than accept a job I did not fully support).

Anyway I am currently in the running for a position at a manufacturer where I would be home based in Albequerque NM. I am stuck at a campground with barely any wireless and only an iPhone.

How are the hunting, fishing, camping, shooting sports represented? Just by looki g online it is a draw state with a lot of big game opportunities.

Is there anyone within Noslerland who has first hand experience in this ?

My wife and I appreciate any feedback as this is another move for us even farther away from family in Michigan and Ohio.

Pat.

 

[DrMike]

Well, Terry (HOGWILD 338-378) should be able to give you some solid intel on NM. I believe he lives in Albuquerque.

 

[Dr. Vette]

My wife and I appreciate any feedback as this is another move for us even farther away from family in Michigan and Ohio.

Pat.

What do you do, and did you want to move to MI?

The real MI here on the west side, not the east side that we don't acknowledge. :mrgreen:

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

:shock: wow I will be really close to a fine set of Winchesters! you can even borrow your Benelli or mine anytime ya want! SBEII or M1 S90 :lol: Deer is hard to find but Colorado is only 6 hours away and you can do all kinda neat stuff in Colorado! Gila Wilderness is big draw area here in NM and is full of critters! Few ducks and geese on the Rio Grande as well as some huge speed goats but they know which ranches to hang out on! Oryx hunting is getting hard but very reasonable for residents! Lotta public land hunting areas but NW corner of the state is best for Mule Deer as poaching is bad here in NM! Overall NM is not too bad for hunting but fishing is not that great but I am thinking of trying Northern Lakes as they have cooler temps and it takes forever to get to some of the lakes as they are back in the mountains! We have NRA Whittington Center that is a quality hunt but ya gotta pay a guide if ya draw that area and wanta hunt on Range! You can buy Bull Elk Tags over the counter in Colorado but they are reasonable! We have 2 or 3 gun clubs that are not too bad! Can't shoot in our County unless it's a breaking bad scene or ya get 300.00 ticket! Pat you will find plenty to keep ya busy and just PM me when ya get to town! Wife going to work for Larry H Miller I would assume! Big fellar in this part of the US !

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

Well, Terry (HOGWILD 338-378) should be able to give you some solid intel on NM. I believe he lives in Albuquerque.

Dr I still reside in ABQ :mrgreen: ya gotta lotta things going on here it just takes a while to get to them and I laughed when Pat said he was somewhere with no cell service! that could mean he is in town somewhere! :lol: hope he likes Mexican food as my mouth is still on fire from lunch !

 

[DrMike]

Ah, yes, a pleasant warmth pervades the dark recesses of my mouth as I had a delightful chipotle dip with my pizza at lunch. Quite tasty, I should say. A firey meal is not encountered real frequently this far north, unless you just luck out.

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

The green chili was so hot it took my nose about 4 hours to stop running! Boy was it tasty I went to a mom and pop place 30 miles south of town and had a combo plate! 1 Taco, 1 relleno, 2 enchiladas and did I mention how hot it was, WOW it was good! Sopas were nice and warm with just the proper amount of honey to slow the burn down! Of course it was HUGE and I only ate the corner as I am not allowed to eat them anymore! Just stopping the burn!

 

[Tobey284]

We are a draw state, bear and cougar are over the counter for most areas though there are some draw areas for bear. Good thing is there are no preference points here, everybody has the same chance to draw every year. Draw odds are pretty steep for the more famous units but it can be done. Some very good hunting around if you are willing to do some research and burn some gas. land owner tags are available for elk and antelope but get pricier every year. If you are an avid big game guy I highly recommend looking into the black powder options for elk and deer. Antelope is probably the toughest tag to draw here, almost all of the speed goats in this state live on private land. Only place in the country that I know of where you can hunt free range oryx and persian ibex (better eat yer wheaties if you pull an ibex tag Aoudad (they call them barbary sheep here) hunting is improving on public land and there are several private land options as well. Quail hunting goes from awesome to horrible with no warning but is always interesting, mostly scalies and gambels, bring running shoes, good number of bob whites in the southeast and if you have a bunch of time to kill there are mearns if you know where to look. Water fowl along the rio grande corridor can be either fair or mind blowing, depending on the year and where you go. No open season for road runners but the yotes are thick. We have both species of mule deer (somewhere), coues and eastern whitetails. Javalinas are super cool and are currently one of my favorite winter expeditions. If you have young uns, the youth hunting opprtunities here are top notch, between the draw and encouragement tags most kids should be able to hunt elk somewhere every year. Fishing can be pretty good but as has been said decent water is good ways from albquerque. The city range park here in albuquerque has some top notch skeet and trap facilities and is where i go to get most of my bench work done with the rifles. Also a very good private club north west of town. Eventually you will learn to put red or green chile on everything you eat.

 

[Tobey284]

Almost forgot, we have these too!

 

[Oldtrader3]

When you recover and you have time, don't forget my Browning HP checkering job? In the meantime, I hope that you land on your feet and maybe don't have to commute?

 

[sask boy]

Good luck Pat, I think you could do a lot worst than moving to NM.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[sask boy]

Good luck Pat, I think you could do a lot worst than moving to NM.
I hope everything works out for you & your wife.
Blessings,
Dan

 

[Darkhorse]

Well, I really like New Mexico. I hunted elk near Chama way back in '96 and saw a ton of elk. This was a November migration hunt and it snowed the day and night before the hunt , and the migration was on!
I went a few days early to acclimate and do some trout fishing. I drove from Chama almost to Farmington to fish the quality water of the San Juan River. Caught a 26" rainbow and let him go. That was the largest but I caught a bunch more and released them all. Those trout fishermen are serious. Both about fishing and dressing to a "T"! To me it was a real fashion show. So, I walked down to the river in my Camo duck waders and Camo jacket and a ultralight spinner. They acted like I had leprosy. I just found me a secluded spot with a big rock just under the water and spent the day there. Drove back after dark on little mountain roads just wore out.
Also fished a reservoir north of Chama. Caught a few small trout but this was Thursday and the wind was raw and cold. I didn't know it but bad/good weather was blowing in.
I made the trip in a K5 Blazer with mudders. Good thing as I had to lock my hubs in to get up to camp. Camp was at 9500' feet and the snow was deeper and the roads had not been plowed.
Hunted hard 5 days. The first 3 days we stayed in the high country hoping for a big late Bull and battling snow drifts and sub zero temps. But everybody else was tagging out down in the valley so finally on the last morning I got a shot at a 5X6 on a valley ranch. Had to shoot offhand and broke him down, then run to him and finished him with a neck shot. We stepped it off later at 281 long steps.
I also visited cliff dwellings and stuff like that.
As you can tell I had a real good trip and I'd like to go back if I ever get the funds.

 

[PJGunner]

Well for the last three years I've done a cow elk cull hunt that caters to crippled up old pharts like me up in the northeast corner of NM. Hunt is guided and the price fairly reasonable. Besides, a tender young cow tastes a heck of a lot better than some stinking rutting bull, :wink: Beside that, the price of a bull elk on that place is $15,000. :shock: Ted Turner is very proud of his bull elk. One year that I was there (2010) I saw more B&C bull elk than I thought would exist, That's when I asked the guide what the tariff would be on one of those. Needless to Teddy boy can keep his bull elk.
Paul B.

 

[pre6422hornet]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Terry I haven't moved yet. Just looking at possibilities. I have a second interview on Thursday this week in Dallas with the VP of Operations and the territory is the ABQ/El Paso area.

Charlie I haven't forgotten. I will send you pics of completed rifles soon. Been one heck of a ride the last 2-3 weeks. Been enjoying my time with the kids as the worlds most overpaid stay at home daddy. Basically I am receiving full pay until the end of January to walk away. I figure it is the least they can do for 10 years of service.

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

Best wishes Pat and enjoy getting some time with the Family, I see a few fishing trips in y'all's future! Bow hunting here in NM and Colorado will give you better chances to draw as they love the revenue!! All primitive hunting in Colorado is the way to go but no sabots or magnification on muzzys unless that has changed which I think not!! Getting paid having 2 jobs is not bad idea!! Military will only let ya do it for 90 days ? But they do pay your last move back to your home of record! But ya gotta move!

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

My bad I forgot to mention School Rating's should be looked at very closely before ya move here with your Daughters in mind!

 

[SJB358]

Good luck Pat! Sounds like NM is pretty good stuff. Tobey has shown us some really impressive hunts along with what Terry passes along as well. I have a good friend who live in Rudiselle (sp?). Pulls a cow tag pretty much every year. I know you aren't scared of iron sights on your muzzleloader or bow hunting so I can't see any of this being a detractor for you. Hope you get sorted out.

 

[pre6422hornet]

Yeah Terry that is probably the first things we will look at. Schools are very important. Interview went extremely well. Now the waiting game begins. It is nice to hear people tell you over and over how you won't last long in the job market.

Scotty it is funny you say that. When I bought my TC pro hunter muzzleloader way back when! I purposefully held onto my TC Omega and set it up with a peep sight and told everyone it was my " Colorado gun". .

 

[SJB358]

Yeah Terry that is probably the first things we will look at. Schools are very important. Interview went extremely well. Now the waiting game begins. It is nice to hear people tell you over and over how you won't last long in the job market.

Scotty it is funny you say that. When I bought my TC pro hunter muzzleloader way back when! I purposefully held onto my TC Omega and set it up with a peep sight and told everyone it was my " Colorado gun". .

Yeah, I knew you had a special rifle for just that sorta hunting. I might have to find myself a Hawken just to come visit!