Antelope hunting license tags available to Fort Bliss Soldiers

By Ron Durand, Public AffairsDecember 8, 2008

FORT BLISS, Texas--The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is selling 38 oryx licenses for oryx hunts on McGregor Range, N.M., in January and February. The oryx is one of three large antelope species.

There are 16 tags available for the Jan. 10 and 11 hunt and 22 tags available for the hunt on Feb. 14 and 15. Oryx license fees are $161 for New Mexico residents and $1,618 for non-residents. A New Mexico resident is defined as somebody who has lived in the state for 90 days or more immediately preceding the date of application and who does not claim residency elsewhere for any purpose.

Members of the U.S. military permanently assigned to Fort Bliss but residing in Texas are non-residents unless New Mexico is this servicemember's home of record.

These licenses are military-only tags and go fast. The NMDGF sold 500 calf elf permits in six minutes. The tags will go on sale at 10 a.m. Dec. 16. Therefore, Soldiers interested in the oryx license should act quickly to get these rare tags. For more information, contact the Environmental Division of the Directorate of Public Works by e-mail at Bliss_hunting@conus.army.mil.

The New Mexico Deptartment of Game and Fish offers access to the hunting of animals such as elk, deer and oryx. Hunting in this area has been unapproachable, and the NMDGF wants to reach out to Soldiers who are interested.

Brian Locke, a wildlife biologist for the DPW environmental Division, said, "Soldiers have to Google in where and how to gain access to hunting and do not know the proper procedures to register for hunts locally when coming into the Fort Bliss area."

To get involved, hunters need to create a username and password for the NMDGF online licensing system at https://wildlife.state.nm.us/ols/.

Servicemembers also need to submit proof of active-duty status and permanent assignment to the Special Hunts Office as soon as possible - a copy of Fort Bliss military orders is acceptable. A form required for hunting that must be signed by the applicants' commanders can be obtained by e-mail at bliss_hunting@conus.army.mil.

Fax the form to the Special Hunts Office at (505) 476-8180. To guarantee the form gets to the SHO, call (505) 476-8087. Once everything is completed, hunters can log on to their NMDGF account and click "Draw hunts" to start registration on the hunts posted.