huntswnm

Cody, Not sure how things work in Arizona, but my wife and I were blessed with adopting a son in 2003 here in NM. The best advice I can start with is try to go through a private agency. We used New Mexico Christian Children's Home out of Portales, NM. It is a Christian facility that runs an adoption agency along with single parent help and foster care. The birth mother of our son came to the agency at about 3 months pregnant and they gave her housing and meals and assisted with covering medical costs that her Medicaid didn't pay. The agency had a flat "price" we paid for their services which included all court costs and such to finalize the adoption. For this process we basically made a portfolio, or scrapbook, of our family and who we were and when a woman came in with adoption as an option she was given the scrapbooks that matched what both her and the adoptive family were looking for and ultimately she chooses which family her baby goes to. For us overall it was a good experience and I think it took somewhere around 4 years for us to be chosen and things to be finalized. This is a relatively small agency so I would imagine it could go quicker in a bigger city. I say all that to give an example of how it is done in some places. I have a friend right now that is trying to adopt a child through the State Foster system and it is a nightmare. State agencies will go to adoption as an absolute final resort. I have seen the baby that they are trying to adopt get put back into the mother's care just to be pulled again after she fails drug tests. That has happened about 3 times. The state system is cheaper as far as money goes, but sure seems to me that the price they are paying emotionally and psychologically every time the state sends the baby back to his mom is not worth it. Hope this helps a little. If you have some questions or I can help at all feel free to ask! Jeff Add on: We lost a son to SIDS in 2003 and could not get pregnant again. We adopted in 2007. The Lord then blessed us with a pregnancy and another son in 2010. While listening to SOS Radio today they were talking about adoption and mentioned this website: www.adoptex.org

^^^ Funniest thing I have seen on here in a LONG time.........hahaha

Welcome to the forum. Diddo on the information above. Most all of your basic questions, calibers, optics, advice, can all be found in and around this site. Back on the main page under the hunting tab is a plethora of information. As far as NM specific information, Coues deer are found only in the SW part of the state. Units 27, 21, 22, 23, 24, 16 all hold pockets of Coues deer. 23, 24 and 27 are the only units that they split up Coues and Muleys. You got plenty of time to research these great little deer prior to next years draw cycle. jeff

Guess I am the other .01% but I have not had a good experience with my Danner Pronghorns. The toe separated from the sole during the first hike I took in them. Contacted Danner and they wanted me to pay shipping both ways in order for them to look at them. I ended up gorilla gluing them back together. They have help up good enough since then, but I wont be buying another pair again. Too much money to end up having to repair them after day 1. Jeff

I used them 2 years ago on a coues hunt here in NM. I was impressed with their ease of loading as well as their grouping out to 200 yards. I was pushing them with Blackhorn 209 powder and I could easily load and shoot 6-8 in a row between cleaning. I put a Coues down at about 100 yards and needless to say it did the job. My daughter used them on a cow elk hunt here in NM last year, however she missed twice and never connected so I cannot testify to how they perform on elk. jeff

Smith makes a great point about education. Keep with it. I received my Associates in Fire Science Technology from NMSU prior to getting hired and that put me way ahead of the other applicants. I, however, did not complete a bachelors degree. For me and my department there is only 1 job description requiring a bachelors degree and that is the Chief's but there are some departments that are requiring 4 year degrees for the line officers positions. I am now having to go back and take 1 or 2 classes a semester while working full time in order to get my Bachelors degree and it is difficult to say the least. jeff

I agree with TJ, some people just have to have the newest and latest. I just shoot shells that I have had for years. I have some 4x6 duplex loads that have always worked well. For me personally, I love getting them in close, twenty yards and under. You can kill a turkey with #8 shot short brass with a full choke at 15 yards easily. Once took a guy out who was patterning his gun at 100 yards!!! Couldn't believe it. But he felt he had the best gun, best shell, best choke....blah blah blah. He got cocky on a tom coming in and took a long shot and did not make a fatal shot, at least one that wasn't immediately effective. I relate it to archery equipment. Some people have to have the $1000+ bow a dozen high end arrows, latest broad heads with the best sights and stabilizers release, etc then there are others who are very efficient with a long bow, cedar arrows with turkey feather fletching and a two blade broad head. To each his own. Jeff

Good Luck! I have been a paid firefighter for almost 11 years and volunteered for a few years before that. It is a great career. I second the comment on volunteering, if possible, in order to gain experience. The fire service is a place where skills are tested on a daily basis. It is one thing to have classroom training, which of course is needed, but where one really shines is when they are able to put that knowledge into work on the ground. Be persistent and don't give up. I hear some of those larger departments can be tough to get into so always be striving to learn a little more than the next guy to give you an edge. Jeff

No reason why it shouldn't. Just make sure and shoot those ranges ahead of time and check the pattern. 40 yards may be pushing the limits of the 20 gauge 3" shell. I prefer 20 yards and under if using a 20 gauge, but that is just personal preference. Jeff

The 7mm-08 is a great consideration for anyone, but especially a youth or lady. Check out some of the ballistic charts on it, might surprise you. Jeff

Yes, the New Mexico tag was the one I was inquiring about. My father guided the hunter that bought the NM Goulds tag that was auctioned off at the NWTF National Convention last year. He has guided a couple of the NM Goulds tag holders over the last couple years.

Good stuff. Did you win the NWTF raffle or buy your tag from the one who did? I was surprised to read you found a cow elk carcass? I have never seen sign of elk that far south. Interesting. Jeff

For me, personally, I shoot a Mossberg with full choke. I have tried an extra full choke in the past and the pattern is really too small at the ranges I like to shoot turkeys at......10-20 yards. I love to shoot Remington's Duplex Turkey Loads in 3". Similar to the argument of the #5 being the compromise between #4 and #6, the Duplex load combines both #4 & #6 in the same shell. As far as sights, I say shoot anything you are comfortable with. I have shot the ole' white bb sight, iron "rifle" sights, fiber optic and red dot. For me, I don't prefer one over the other. I have the red dot on my kid's 20 gauge just because it is relatively easy to shoulder and obtain the sight picture quickly. jeff

I found a set of Coues sheds once in a oak bush here in Unit 24 NM. Was back in my college days though and didn't carry a camera. Jeff

Good Job! Great public land buck!! jeff