Three New Mexico outfitters allegedly decided the elk draw system wasn’t just competitive—it was something you could outsource, automate, and quietly monetize across state lines, including clients coming in from places like Montana and other out-of-state hunting hubs.
According to federal charges listed on the US Attorney’s Office in the District of New Mexico, between 2019 and 2022, the group behind Big Horn Outfitters is accused of manipulating New Mexico’s elk tag lottery by building fake hunter identities, using prepaid debit cards to avoid leaving clean financial trails, and submitting bogus “medical transfer” paperwork backed by allegedly forged doctor notes. Once resident tags were secured, prosecutors say they were funneled to out-of-state hunters—including clients traveling in from states like Montana—along with guided hunts and outfitting services.
Investigators allege the operation didn’t stop at wildlife regulations. The money side reportedly moved through burner emails, prepaid cards, and questionable tax reporting, while harvested elk were transported across state lines as part of the guided trips.
Officials framed the case as an attack on a system where residents already wait years for a fair shot at drawing a tag, emphasizing that schemes like this don’t just bend rules—they effectively rewrite them for whoever is paying.
The defendants now face charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Lacey Act violations, and tax-related conspiracy counts. As always, the indictment is an allegation at this stage, and all are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.