New Mexico Antelope Hunting 2025

Application Deadlines Non-Resident Fees Resident Fees Big Game Season Dates Draw Result Dates State Contact Information

March 19, 2025 (5:00pm MST)

UP-FRONT FEES
Game Hunting License (Non-Refundable)	$65.00
Junior Game Hunting License (Non-Refundable)	$15.00
Habitat Management & Access Validation (Required)	$4.00
Habitat Stamp (Required by all who hunt BLM or USFS land)	$10.00
Bighorn Sheep	$3,173.00
Elk Q/HD License	$773.00
Elk S License	$548.00
Deer Q, Q/HD License	$368.00
Deer S License	$283.00
Antelope	$283.00
Oryx	$1,623.00
Barbary Sheep	$373.00
Ibex	$1,623.00
$13 nonrefundable application fee included.

UP-FRONT FEES
Game Hunting License (Non-Refundable)	$15.00
Junior Game Hunting License (Non-Refundable)	$10.00
Habitat Management & Access Validation (Required)	$4.00
Habitat Stamp (Required by all who hunt BLM or USFS land)	$10.00
Bighorn Sheep	$160.00
Elk Q/HD License	$90.00
Elk S License	$90.00
Deer S, Q, Q/HD License	$41.00
Antelope	$60.00
Oryx	$160.00
Barbary Sheep	$110.00
Ibex	$1110.00
$7 nonrefundable application fee included.

NEW MEXICO ELK SEASON DATES
Archery (1st season)	Sep 1 – Sep 14, 2025
Archery (2nd season)	Sep 15-Sep 24 2025
Rifle/Muzzleloader (Early season)	Early Oct (unit/weapon dependent)
Rifle/Muzzleloader (1st season)	Oct 11 – Oct 15, 2025
Rifle/Muzzleloader (2nd season)	Oct 18 - Oct 22, 2025
Rifle/Muzzleloader (3rd season)	Oct 25 - Oct 29, 2025
Rifle/Muzzleloader (Late season)	Late Nov (unit/weapon dependent)
NEW MEXICO MULE DEER SEASON DATES
Archery (1st season)	Sep 1 – Sep 24, 2025 (unit dependent)
Archery (2nd season)	Jan 1 – Jan 15, 2026 (unit dependent)
Premium Statewide Any-Weapon Hunt	Sep 1, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026
Muzzleloader (1st season)	Sep 27 - Oct 3, 2025 (unit dependent)
Muzzleloader (2nd season)	Nov 1 - Nov 5, 2025 (unit dependent)
Rifle (1st season)	Oct 25 - Oct 29, 2025 (unit dependent)
Rifle (2nd season)	Nov 1 – Nov 5, 2025 (unit dependent)
Rifle (3rd season)	Nov 8 - Nov 12, 2025 (unit dependent)
Rifle (4th season)	Nov 15 - Nov 19, 2025 (unit dependent)
NEW MEXICO COUES DEER SEASON DATES
Archery (1st season)	Sep 1 – Sep 24, 2025 (unit dependent)
Archery (2nd season)	Jan 16 – Jan 31, 2026 (unit dependent)
Muzzleloader	Nov 1 - Nov 5, 2025
Rifle (1st season)	Nov 22 - Nov 26, 2025
Rifle (2nd season)	Dec 6- Dec 14, 2025
NEW MEXICO ANTELOPE SEASON DATES
Archery	Aug 9 – Aug 17, 2025
Muzzleloader	Aug, Sep (unit dependent)
Rifle (1st season)	Aug 23 – Aug 25, 2025
Rifle (2nd season)	Sep 27 - Sep 29, 2025
Rifle (3rd season)	Oct 4 - Oct 6, 2025 (unit dependent)
NEW MEXICO BEAR SEASON DATES
Fall Bear	Aug 16 – Nov 30, 2025
Spring Bear	Apr – Jun 2025 (unit-dependent)
NEW MEXICO MOUNTAIN LION SEASON DATES
General Statewide	Apr 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2026
NEW MEXICO SHEEP SEASON DATES
Desert Bighorn	Aug – Dec 2025 (unit-dependent)
Rocky Mountain Bighorn	Aug 2025 – Jan 2026 (unit-dependent)
NEW MEXICO ORYX SEASON DATES
Rifle (on & off range)	Year-round (unit & season dependent)
NEW MEXICO IBEX SEASON DATES
Archery (1st season)	Oct 1 - Oct 15, 2025
Archery (2nd season)	Jan 15 - Jan 29, 2026
Muzzleloader	Feb 21 - Feb 27, 2026
Rifle	Nov 15 - Nov 29, 2025
NEW MEXICO BARBARY SHEEP SEASON DATES
Archery	Jan 1 - Jan 15, 2026
Rifle	Oct 2025 - Feb 2026 (unit & season dependent)

Disclaimer: Season dates in New Mexico vary by GMU, hunt code, and weapon type. Always verify with the latest New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) proclamations: wildlife.state.nm.us/hunting/.

YEAR	RESULTS POSTED
2025	April 16, 6:00 a.m. (MDT)
2024	April 17, 6:00 a.m. (MDT)
2023	April 20, 5:59 a.m. (MDT)
2022	April 20, 6:00 a.m. (MDT)
2021	April 21, 6:00 a.m. (MDT)
2020	April 22, 6:15 a.m. (MDT)
2019	April 17, 6:30 a.m. (MDT)
2018	April 18, 10:00 a.m. (MDT)
2017	April 12

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish

PO Box 25112
Santa Fe, NM 87504
ph. 505-476-8000

APPLY

New Mexico is one of the most sought-after states for antelope. With a ton of people applying each year and very few tags available, it makes for very low draw odds. With New Mexico being a random draw, we still think you should apply for antelope even with the low draw odds. If drawn, you will possibly have the potential of harvesting a once-in-a-lifetime buck. The antelope population is doing very well in most parts of the state. The southwest side and southcentral part of the state seem to still be producing the bigger bucks but tend to have a lower population of antelope. The northern and eastern sides of the state have a better population but tend not to harvest as many bucks over that magical 80"+ mark.

UNIT	COMMENTS
13	Westcentral portion of the state. 75–80"+ potential. Smaller population where trophy quality has slipped a little, but there is still a chance for a great buck. Plenty of public land with good access. Big flats to rolling sage and scattered pinyon/juniper trees. Don’t expect to see many goats on this hunt. Expect to cover a lot of ground.
15	Westcentral portion of the state. 74"+ potential. Smaller population where trophy quality has slipped a little. Mostly rolling sage and grass flats and scattered pinyon/juniper trees. Plenty of public land with good access.
16	Westcentral portion of the state. 75"+ potential. Numbers and quality are down, and goats are more spread out. Still a few great bucks taken each year. Sage and grass flats and scattered pinyon/juniper trees. Plenty of public land with good access.
17	Westcentral portion of the state. 75"+ potential. Smaller population with a few big bucks around the private land. Mostly rolling sage and grass flats and scattered pinyon/juniper trees. Plenty of public land with good access.
18	Central portion of the state. 76"+ potential. Don’t expect to see many goats. Expect to cover a lot of country. Mostly flat to rolling grass hill terrain. The country is broken enough to spot and stalk. Some areas are subject to military closures without warning.
21, 24	Southwest portion of the state. 76"+ potential. Good population with plenty of solid bucks available but quality has started to slip. Plenty of public land with good access. Some private land that can hold good bucks.
22, 23	Southwest portion of the state. 75"+ potential. Smaller population. There are some big bucks on large private ranches if you can get access or hunt the borders.
25, 26, 27	Southwest portion of the state. 75"+ potential. Smaller population with some good bucks available. Antelope are spread throughout the units. Plenty of public land with good access.
29	Southcentral portion of the state. 76"+ potential. Only muzzleloader hunts available on this unit. Tons of public land. Governor tag hunters have harvested in this unit in the past.
31 North	Southeast portion of the state. 74–80" potential. Very flat country—tough to spot for archery spot-and-stalk hunters. Plenty of public land, but private land increases in the northeast. Good population scattered throughout.
31 South	Southeast portion of the state. 74–78"+ potential. Decent population scattered throughout. More public land on the south side. Mostly flat grass/desert country.
32 East	Southeast portion of the state. 74–78"+ potential. Decent population scattered throughout. Mostly flat grass/desert country.
32 West	Southeast portion of the state. 74–78"+ potential. Decent population scattered throughout. Mostly flat grass/desert country with more broken canyons in the southeast part of the unit.
33	Southeast portion of the state. 74–78"+ potential. Good population scattered throughout. Mostly flat to rolling grass hill terrain.
38	Central portion of the state. 74–78"+ potential. Good population scattered throughout. Mostly flat to rolling grass hill terrain.

HFA002-5

Alaska Peninsula Coast

Species: Brown Bear

Cost: $ 29,500.00

Location: Alaska, United States

HFA091-1

New Mexico Unit 36

Species: Rocky Mountain Elk

Cost: $ 8,000.00

Location: New Mexico, United States

HFA396-3

All-Inclusive Guided Stone

Species: Stone Sheep

Cost: $ 89,250.00

Location: British Columbia, Canada

HFA038-5

Trophy Canadian Moose

Species: Canadian Moose

Cost: $ 9,800.00

Location: British Columbia, Canada

HFA127-2

Wyoming Antelope Hunt

Species: Pronghorn Antelope

Cost: $ 4,500.00

Location: Wyoming, United States

HFA245-8

Montana Mountain Lion

Species: Mountain Lion

Cost: $ 6,800.00

Location: Montana, United States

HFA392-4

Idaho Trophy Mule Deer

Species: Mule Deer

Cost: $ 5,900.00

Location: Idaho, United States

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One thing to really watch when applying is making sure the units/hunts you apply for have enough tags available to have a non-resident tag available. New Mexico offers archery, muzzleloader, and rifle hunts for antelope through the state draw. The state also offers over-the-counter tags on private land, so if you are one of the lucky ones to have access to private land, you will be able to hunt antelope in New Mexico without having to go through the state draw process. Outfitters across the state have some of the best private land ranches locked up.

Member Stories

NEW MEXICO ANTELOPE (PRONGHORN) SEASON DATES
Archery	Aug 9 – Aug 17, 2025
Muzzleloader	Aug, Sep (unit dependent)
Rifle (1st season)	Aug 23 – Aug 25, 2025
Rifle (2nd season)	Sep 27 - Sep 29, 2025
Rifle (3rd season)	Oct 4 - Oct 6, 2025 (unit dependent)

New Mexico Antelope

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Dates & Fees | New Mexico Antelope Hunting