What made determining land grant boundaries in New Mexico particularly challenging?

Determining land grant boundaries in New Mexico was particularly challenging due to the unclear boundaries and the scarcity of written records. Many land grants were established during a time when formal surveying techniques were not as developed, leading to vague and often disputed boundary descriptions. Additionally, records were not always meticulously kept, and many were lost or damaged over time, especially given the various changes in governance and conflicts that affected the region. This lack of clear documentation made it difficult for individuals and authorities to ascertain the exact limits of the land grants, leading to conflicts and legal disputes.

The other options touch on relevant issues but do not capture the core difficulty associated with boundary determination as effectively. The complications faced were largely due to the ambiguous nature of the existing records rather than multiple sales or revocation of grants.