A New Mexico elk hunt can cost about $2,000 for a nonresident who draws a tag and hunts public land on their own, or well over $20,000 for a guided hunt on a landowner tag in a top unit. Here is where the money goes.
License costs (2026–27)
These are fixed costs from the New Mexico Department of Wildlife. For draw hunts, the full license fee is charged when you apply and refunded (minus the application fee) if you don’t draw.
| Item | Nonresident | Resident |
|---|---|---|
| Game-hunting license | $90 | $25 |
| Habitat Management and Access Validation (18+) | $4 | $4 |
| Habitat Stamp (Forest Service and BLM land) | $10 | $10 |
| Standard bull or either-sex elk license (draw) | $773 | $100 |
| Total, standard draw hunt | $877 | $139 |
| Quality or high-demand elk license instead | $998 | $100 |
| Total, quality or high-demand hunt | $1,102 | $139 |
Draw license fees include the nonrefundable application fee ($13 nonresident, $7 resident). Resident antlerless licenses are $70, and resident junior and senior licenses are $70.
Private-land licenses cost $782 for a nonresident bull or either-sex license ($1,007 for a quality license) and $109 for residents. That is the state’s fee only. The landowner’s price for the authorization is separate.
DIY hunt: what to budget
If you draw a public-land tag and hunt on your own, a typical nonresident trip looks like this:
| Expense | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Licenses and stamps | about $880–$1,100 |
| Travel (gas or flights, rental) | $400–$1,500 |
| Food and camp supplies for a week | $150–$400 |
| Lodging if not camping | $0–$1,000 |
| Meat processing | $300–$600 |
| Shipping or hauling meat home | $0–$500 |
| Trip total, not counting gear | about $1,700–$5,100 |
These ranges are estimates. Many New Mexico units are dry, so budget for hauling extra water if you camp. Gear is extra, and good optics matter more here than in thick-timber states because so much hunting is done by glassing.
Guided hunt prices
Here are real examples from New Mexico outfitters’ published prices for draw hunts. The license is not included in any of these.
| Hunt type | Example price |
|---|---|
| Archery, 7 days, 2 hunters per guide | $5,000 |
| Archery, 7 days, 1 hunter per guide | $6,000 |
| Rifle or muzzleloader, 5 days, 2 hunters per guide | $4,500 |
| Gila-area elk, 5 days, 2 hunters per guide | $6,500 |
| Gila-area elk, 7 days, 1 hunter per guide | $8,750 |
| Archery, muzzleloader, or rifle, 1 hunter per guide, central New Mexico | $9,000 |
Youth hunts are often discounted. One outfitter we reviewed takes $1,000 off for youth and mobility-impaired hunters.
Landowner tags
If you don’t want to wait on the draw, a landowner (EPLUS) authorization guarantees you a hunt. It is also the single biggest cost on many New Mexico hunts. One outfitter we reviewed listed landowner authorizations at:
| Landowner authorization | Example price |
|---|---|
| Archery or rifle bull | $10,000–$30,000 |
| Muzzleloader bull | $8,000–$12,000 |
That is on top of the hunt price and the state license fee. Price depends mostly on the unit and whether the tag is unit-wide (good on public land too) or ranch-only. See how landowner tags work.
What’s usually NOT included in a guided hunt
- Your game-hunting license, stamps, and elk license
- Landowner authorizations, if the hunt needs one
- Travel to and from New Mexico (Albuquerque is the usual airport)
- Meat processing and shipping
- Taxidermy
- Tips. Outfitters we reviewed suggested 15–20% of the hunt price for the guide, plus a smaller amount for the cook.
- Extra days. One outfitter charges $900 per added day.
Ways to save
- Use your second and third choices. A less famous unit or a later rifle hunt can mean a much cheaper guided hunt, or a DIY hunt you can manage.
- Apply every year. It costs only the application fee, game-hunting license, and stamps if you don’t draw, and your odds don’t depend on past years.
- Look for discount and last-minute hunts. Outfitters sometimes have openings when a client can’t make it. See discount guided hunts.
- Go semi-guided. Some outfitters offer camp and scouting help without a full-time guide. Browse DIY and self-guided hunts.
- Hunt with a partner. A 2-on-1 hunt usually saves $1,000 or more per hunter.
Compare prices
See New Mexico elk outfitters and what they charge
Contact outfitters directly through their Horn & Fin listings.
Related: How New Mexico draw points work · Draw odds by unit · New Mexico Elk Hunting Guide · Guided vs. DIY elk hunting · How to apply for the elk draw
License fees are from the New Mexico Department of Wildlife for the 2026–27 license year. Guided hunt and landowner tag examples are from outfitters’ published price lists and can change at any time.