New Mexico Opens Hog Hunting Up To Everyone – No License Required

In a surprise move, the state of New Mexico has, for lack of a better phrase, deregulated wild hog hunting within their borders. This means that anyone, resident or visitor can hunt wild hogs, with any method they choose, without a license. The only rule being all hunts must take place during legal hunting 'daylight' hours.

So if your wife wants to visit Taos and Santa Fe, you might want to pack some heat. You're sure to find public land somewhere near you.

Of course, part of the deregulation is also pretty restrictive as far as 'commercial' hog hunts go too. They aren't allowed anymore, and here's why. As the theory goes, ranches that operate commercial hog hunting preserves are trapping and transporting animals to their location. Therefore those that operate hunting operations are the ones further spreading these nuisance animals.

Is that logistically true? Maybe. There's no way to keep wild animals in a fenced area. They'll always find a way out. That's why Oklahoma has instituted similar laws recently. In what might be some true failed bureaucracy, making hog hunting harder will most likely make hog hunting less popular, adding to the problem we already have. That's another story for another time though.