Conservation News

The City of Alamogordo has issued a statement. You can view that here. RUIDOSO – Bonito Lake will reopen to anglers Saturday, May 25, after more than a decade of being closed. The lake, which is owned by the City of Alamogordo, filled with sediment after the 2012 Little Bear Fire. The City has undertaken extensive efforts to remove the sediment and restore the lake.  Last week, the City and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish signed an agreement through the Department’s Open Gate Access Program to allow angling to resume. This program uses funds from Department license sales to secure access for hunting and fishing. The agreement for Bonito Lake allows fishing only from the lakeshore in open areas, which exclude the shore near the dam and the Bonito Creek inlet. Access is allowed 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Camping, boating, building fires [...]

Proceeds to benefit Game Protection Fund and NMDGF mission-related projects and programs. New Mexico – Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, pursuant to 2007 legislation, has authorized the auctioning of eight big-game hunts to benefit wildlife conservation in New Mexico. The Department has partnered with New Mexico Ducks Unlimited (DU) to offer the New Mexico Governor’s Special Hunt Auction 2024 Online. Funds from the public auction support the Game Protection Fund and are used solely for Department mission-related projects and programs. The eight opportunities offered this year are up for auction now and will close on June 23 at 6 p.m. The hunts this year include: Exotics Hunt Package including an either-sex oryx license and either-sex barbary sheep license. Coues deer license in Game Management Units (GMUs) 23, 24, 26 or 27. Elk license in GMUs 34 or 36. Elk license in GMUs 16 A-E. Elk license in GMU 55A Valle Vidal. [...]

As of April 1, 2024, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish’s (Department’s) Share with Wildlife program will begin accepting proposals for projects with a planned start date on or after January 15, 2025.  All project proposals are due by 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on Friday, May 31, 2024. The Department’s Share with Wildlife program was initiated in the early 1980s and welcomes proposals for wildlife-focused projects taking place in New Mexico in four categories: habitat enhancement, biological and ecological research, wildlife rehabilitation, and wildlife education.  The program receives an average of about 30 proposals annually and has consistently funded approximately 9 - 11 projects each year.  This year, the Department is aiming to fund fewer, larger projects that may extend for 2 years maximum (see details below). Project topics of particular interest to the Department, details about proposal format, and submission directions are listed in the Call [...]