Unit 25-florida-mts (Florida Mountains)

New Mexico Hunting Guide — Ibex

The Florida Mountains near Deming, New Mexico hold one of only two huntable ibex populations in North America — a herd of Nubian ibex established from zoo surplus animals. The hunt is extraordinarily rare, with only 1–3 tags issued per year and draw odds near zero for most applicants. The Florida Mountains are BLM-managed, but access is extremely limited during the ibex hunt season. This is a true once-in-a-lifetime exotic hunt on US soil.

View Draw Odds New Mexico Hunting Guide

Ibex Hunting in Unit 25-florida-mts

Where to Find Ibex in the Florida Mountains

The Florida Mountains ibex herd occupies the rocky upper slopes and cliff terrain of this compact BLM range east of Deming. The steep, angular rock faces of the Floridas provide ideal ibex habitat — similar to their native Old World mountain environment.

Upper Rocky Slopes (5,500–7,400 ft)

Ibex concentrate on the highest, most rugged terrain in the Florida Mountains. The steep cliff bands and boulder fields on the upper mountain flanks are where animals spend most daylight hours. Glass from the desert flat looking up at the cliff faces — ibex silhouettes against the rock are visible at considerable distance.

Rocky Ledge Systems

Like their Old World counterparts, Nubian ibex use horizontal rock ledge systems for daytime bedding. Scan every ledge systematically with a high-quality spotting scope — animals are often motionless and difficult to spot when bedded on matching-color rock.

Morning Feeding Areas

Ibex descend to the desert scrub at the mountain base in the early morning to feed before retreating upslope. The transition zone between the lower desert and the rocky mountain face is the highest-activity zone in the first two hours of daylight.

How to Hunt Ibex in the Florida Mountains

A Florida Mountains ibex tag is one of the rarest hunting opportunities in North America. The hunt demands technical climbing ability, precision shooting, and exceptional patience in steep, exposed terrain.

Technical Terrain Access

The upper Florida Mountains are steep and loose-footed — scrambling on Class 3–4 rocky terrain is necessary to reach ibex bedding areas. Wear high-ankle boots with stiff soles and use trekking poles. Do not attempt cliff faces without experience — multiple technical sections require both hands.

Precision Long-Range Shot

Ibex often present shots from below on steep cliff faces at 200–400 yards. Practice shooting uphill at these distances before your hunt — uphill angle calculations (cosine rule) affect point of impact significantly at long range. A field ballistics chart or ballistics app is essential.

Patience and Glassing

Spend the majority of your hunt time behind glass. Ibex do not move often during daylight when undisturbed — patient observation from below allows you to identify legal billies and plan approach routes before committing to a stalk. A rushed ibex stalk in steep terrain often ends in the animal detecting you before you get within range.

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Ibex Success Rates

See the Draw Odds chart for Florida Mountains ibex tag quota and harvest data. Given the extremely small tag number and the contained nature of the Florida Mountains, successful tag holders who put in the physical effort almost always encounter ibex. Harvest success is high for those who draw.

Ibex Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %
Rifle— Draw	68	715	9.5%
Archery— Draw	168	294	57.1%
Muzzleloader— Draw	21	651	3.2%

Data from 2022 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Florida Mountains ibex tags are among the rarest in North America — typically 1–3 tags per year. Draw odds are effectively zero for most applicants in any given year, but New Mexico preference points provide advantage. Apply every year and accumulate points — patience over a decade or more is the only strategy for most hunters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What species of ibex are in the Florida Mountains?

The Florida Mountains herd is Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana), established from zoo surplus animals. Nubian ibex are native to the mountains of northeastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula — the Florida Mountains are one of only two locations in North America where they can be legally hunted.

How do I apply for a Florida Mountains ibex tag?

Apply through the standard NMDGF big game draw. Ibex appear as a separate species in the draw application. You must purchase a New Mexico hunting license and applicable tag application fee. Preference points for ibex accumulate separately from other species. Apply at the NMDGF online portal each spring during the draw application window.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-18.

NMDGF Big Game Hunting — New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · supports: Unit boundaries, Season dates, License quotas · accessed 2026-04-18
NMDGF Big Game Draw — New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · supports: Draw odds, Application process · accessed 2026-04-18