Resources for a new hunter in NM

[NMRevolverGuy]

Hello all,

I am hoping to go (finally) on my first hunt, for spring turkey, in April of this year. I am have been shooting since I was a kid, and spent most of my early life running around in the mountains, but my family was never a hunting one, and I feel like I am a little late (at 28) to the game. I have friends who are lifelong hunters, and are perfectly willing to take me, but I prefer not to go into it totally ignorant and slow everyone else down.

Can anyone recommend some good learning sources for new, adult hunters? I know that the state offers hunting safety courses, and of course there is Youtube, but any good websites, books, or local resources would be great to know. I am in Northern New Mexico.

Thanks ahead of time for the advice.

 

[Art Eatman]

A start: https://www.google.com/search?sourc........0....1..gws-wiz.....0..0i131.8iEp56ZBBH8

 

[FL-NC]

Pursuit channel on cable TV and magazines dedicated to turkey hunting are good resources. It's never too late to start a new hobby as long as you are physically up to it. I'm 51 and just started to go to a MMA gym last week. And yes, I got the s beat out of me last night- can't wait to get back Tues!

 

[George P]

I know that the state offers hunting safety courses,

And in most states you MUST take one to get a hunting license, so you might want to check into that.

 

[Patocazador]

but my family was never a hunting one, and I feel like I am a little late (at 28) to the game.

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, I didn't kill my first deer until I was 26.

 

[LRDGCO]

IHEA http://www.ihea-usa.org/
NWTF http://www.nwtf.org/
NMG&F http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/hunting/ Resources on turkey hunting in NM http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/hunting/information-by-animal/turkey/

Good on you for having the courage and intelligence to seek more information!

Good luck with Spring turkey - there are plenty of them in NM! But even if you bust, a day out calling is a day well spent whether you get one or not.

 

[Paul7]

And in most states you MUST take one to get a hunting license, so you might want to check into that.

Only if under 18 in NM.

 

[Paul7]

Hello all,

I am hoping to go (finally) on my first hunt, for spring turkey, in April of this year. I am have been shooting since I was a kid, and spent most of my early life running around in the mountains, but my family was never a hunting one, and I feel like I am a little late (at 28) to the game. I have friends who are lifelong hunters, and are perfectly willing to take me, but I prefer not to go into it totally ignorant and slow everyone else down.

Can anyone recommend some good learning sources for new, adult hunters? I know that the state offers hunting safety courses, and of course there is Youtube, but any good websites, books, or local resources would be great to know. I am in Northern New Mexico.

Thanks ahead of time for the advice.

You're not too old to start at all, I was 47 12 years ago when I came here from the Chicago area, a place that doesn't even have a good high power rifle range. The hunting here has been far better than I expected, with not a lot of hunting pressure compared to other states. If you can pay for it, no need to wait for a draw tag, unlike AZ landowners can sell their tags to anyone. Have never taken a turkey, but in 12 years have taken cow elk, barbary sheep, pronghorn, and oryx. If you like wild hog hunting that's only 8 hours down the road from Albuquerque in Oklahoma.

 

[JeffG]

This might be a good resource: http://www.nwtf.org/about/state/new-mexico

 

[stillquietvoice]

Good luck on your new endeavor I warn you that it's addicting.

Good luck with Spring turkey - there are plenty of them in NM! But even if you bust, a day out calling is a day well spent whether you get one or not.

I will add that a bad day hinting is better than a good day working.

 

[1976B.L.Johns.]

Taking the Hunter Safety Course is a good idea, required or not, especially for a new hunter......JMO

 

[George P]

Only if under 18 in NM.

Even for out of staters? When I relocated to CO in the early 80s, everyone form out of state had to pass their hunter safety AND mountain driving courses before getting a hunting license

 

[Paul7]

Even for out of staters? When I relocated to CO in the early 80s, everyone form out of state had to pass their hunter safety AND mountain driving courses before getting a hunting license

No, only if out of staters are under 18. We live in a free state, George.

 

[George P]

In the 80s, so was Colorado; they just didn't want a bunch of flatlanders who had never driven on snowy one lane dirt mountain roads falling off or shooting a cow thinking it was an elk......

 

[Paul7]

In the 80s, so was Colorado; they just didn't want a bunch of flatlanders who had never driven on snowy one lane dirt mountain roads falling off or shooting a cow thinking it was an elk......

I'm sure CO gets a lot more flatlanders than NM does. The number of elk killed in CO every year equals our entire state elk population. We do get some big ones though.