NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The big game hunting season starts next week in New Mexico and it’s a big draw for people from out-of-state. So what’s being done to make sure they follow the 14-day quarantine ordered by the governor?
KRQE News 13 asked the spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish that question. She said she didn’t have any information to provide right now and they didn’t want to say anything Thursday because the governor was having a press conference and they’re not sure what she is going to announce. This has out-of-state hunters confused.
On Facebook, NMDGF has been getting questions from people who want to come to New Mexico to hunt. Just this week a man shared a screenshot to a Facebook hunting page where he’d asked NMDGF if out-of-state hunters have to quarantine or if they’re exempt.
The response said yes they would have to quarantine, per the governor’s order. New Mexico guides take people from outside the state on hunts.
Next week is the start of antelope season and there are thousands of tags, a good chunk of those go-to hunters from out-of-state. Some thousands of dollars for tags.
KRQE News 13 called a handful of New Mexico guiding companies and only heard back from one. New Mexico Hunting Adventures says they’re following all of the governor’s orders strictly, wearing masks on hunts and providing hand sanitizer. They say they want to do everything they can to keep New Mexicans safe.
The governor has asked hotels to police guests and not book out of state residents unless they’re here for more than 14 days or just stopping for the night on the way through New Mexico. Many hunters either camp or stay on private ranches.
