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, JULY 28, 2008:

LEFTOVER DEER PERMITS, ELK LICENSES AVAILABLE ONLINE AUG. 11

SANTA FE -- Almost 1,500 New Mexico public-land deer permits and 54 elk licenses leftover from the 2008-2009 drawing will be available beginning at 10 a.m.  Aug. 11 -- only on the Department of Game and Fish website.

The deer permits are for hunts in game management units where the number of permits or licenses exceeded the number of applicants. They will be available -- first-come, first-served -- for an $8 application fee. Applications will be accepted only on the Department's website, www.wildlife.state.nm.us

Deer hunt permits will be issued as soon as the applicant's credit card is approved for the $8 application fee. Deer hunters then must purchase an over-the-counter deer license. Elk licenses will be issued when the applicant’s credit card is approved for the license fee and the application fee. All hunters also must have a Habitat Management & Access Validation, and, if hunting on federal lands, a Habitat Stamp.

All leftover deer permits are for archery-only or muzzleloader-archery hunts. Leftover elk licenses are composed of 38 archery hunts and 16 any-legal-weapon youth hunts. A preliminary list of available permits and licenses will be listed on the Department website.

Applicants are encouraged to visit the website before the Aug. 11 sale and establish or verify a user account and the associated user name and password. An account will be necessary to apply for the leftover permits and licenses. Establishing or verifying an account in advance will make the application process faster and more efficient, improving applicants' chances. Applications for leftover permits and licenses will be accepted until 10 days before a hunt begins to allow time for hunters to receive their permits in the mail.

Overall, 32,717 of the 66,750 hunters who applied for permits in New Mexico's drawing for 2008-2009 public-land deer hunts were successful. In the drawing for elk licenses, 20,199 of 68,991 applicants were successful. The application deadline was April 9 and the drawing was conducted in late June. Hunters who were successful in the public drawing may not purchase another permit or license for that species.

For more information, and to view and apply for the extra deer and elk hunting opportunities, please visit the Department of Game and Fish web site at www.wildlife.state.nm.us. Hunters can call (505) 476-8087 for information, but only online applications will be accepted.

Available licenses and permits

Here is a list of permits and licenses that will be available online-only at 10 a.m. Aug. 11.  Applicants should be aware that:

• This is a preliminary list that could change before the actual sale date. Please consult the 2008-2009 Big-Game Rules and Information Booklet (available on Department website) for dates and other information about available hunts.
• When the sale begins, this list will not match the list applicants see in the online menu accessed through their online account. As licenses and permits are awarded, they are dropped from the account-accessed dropdown menu.
• If an applicant is determined to be ineligible, any licenses or permits awarded to that applicant will be returned to the list. This can occur days after the sale begins.

Youth archery deer permits

Archery deer permits

Youth muzzleloader deer permits

Muzzleloader deer permits

Youth elk licenses -- any legal weapon

Archery elk licenses

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