Kauffman Outfitters is NO LONGER A LICENSED OUTFITTER,
it is now part of Kiowa Hunting Services. Any licensing will be done
through Kiowa Hunting Services.
The deadline to apply for a license is March 23rd, 2016
Due to the resident/non-resident license allocation system, the information here applies to non-residents but not to residents. As a non-resident, on average, you are nearly three times as likely to draw a tag if you apply in the “outfitted drawing” by using our outfitter number. There is no fee for the use of our number, but if you draw a license you are obligated to use our services. Please review the hunt descriptions given on our “Ibex Hunts” page and write down the codes of the hunts you want to apply for. (both the hunts page and this page have a 1 click print option at the bottom)
If you haven’t already done so, please read to the bottom of this page before taking any action. To enter the outfitted drawing, click the “Use our Number” button on this site and follow the instructions for that page. After you have done that, you can go directly to the New Mexico Game & Fish application page here https://onlinesales.wildlife.state.nm.us/draw and do your application(s) using the Kiowa Hunting Services outfitter number. With or without the outfitter number, you will be required to buy a $65 Game Hunting license (basically its a general hunting license). When you buy it you can specify that you want the $65 refunded if you don’t draw any draw license. So, it turns out that if you are unsuccessful in the license drawing, New Mexico will refund all but the $13 application fee.
When applying for a license, to get the benefit of the outfitter number you must select “YES” when the Game & Fish website asks if you are doing a guided hunt. Only after a yes answer will you be prompted to enter the Kiowa Hunting Services outfitter number.
We recommend you print out this page and use it as a reference when you do your application. Their site has a tutorial to aid you in doing an application. For a first time applicant the process is rather complex with many decisions required. Make sure you understand the “three choices” information below. Also watch the “Bag Limits” column for each of your choices before you submit your application. If the bag limit column shows F-IM you cannot kill a billy with the hunt code you have selected.
It’s ok for two people to apply together for the bow hunts but not for any other hunt. Putting two names on the same application for a guided firearms ibex hunt cuts your draw odds by 1/3. A two person application for the youth hunt cuts the odds by 1/2.
THREE CHOICES: Many states give the applicant more than one hunt choice on the application. Most of them issue licenses to every applicant’s first choice before they look at any applicant’s second choice. New Mexico’s 3 choice system is quite different. Here, all three choices are examined in 1st, 2nd, 3rd order and many high quality licenses are issued to an applicant’s 2nd or 3rd choices. Entering your codes in the order listed here will maximize your chance to actually draw a license. Your personal schedule will always override the sequence suggested below.
Modern Rifle . . . . . IBX-1-525 . . . . .November 15-29
Muzzle Loader. . . . IBX-3-540 . . . . .December 6-20
Bow & Arrow. . . . . IBX-2-535 . . . . .October 1-15
Bow & Arrow. . . . . IBX-2-536 . . . . .January 15-29
If you like bow hunting: You should instead apply for both of the Bow and Arrow hunts. Then if your schedule is open you should reverse the sequence of the bow hunts and place the IBX-2-536 hunt ahead of the IBX-2-535 hunt on your application.
If you are a non-resident youth applicant apply alone and use the IBX-1-500 code.
If you apply for the Nanny/Kid hunt (IBX-1-520) it should always be the last choice in your sequence. Remember, it has the F-IM bag limit.
Population Management Hunt: There is still one more way to get an ibex license. As you continue with the application you will be presented with an option for a 5th choice. Always accept the option to be notified (it would be a phone call) by New Mexico Game & Fish when and if they make a decision to open a previously unscheduled ibex hunt. Accepting the call puts you under no obligation. The details of the hunt would be provided during the phone call. Typically such hunts are like the IBX-1-520 hunt and thus killing a nanny or a kid puts you into a limited entry draw for a billy.
Thanks for reading all these details!