News

News2025-04-17T11:13:33-06:00

NMDGF News

For Hunter Education classes, please see Hunter Education Course Schedule and for the Hunter Educator Workshops schedule please see Hunter Educator Instructor.

Bighorn sheep license auction, raffle generate big bucks

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Media contact: Dan Williams, (505) 476-8004 Public contact: (888) 248-6866 dan.williams@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JULY 27, 2015: BIGHORN SHEEP LICENSE AUCTION, RAFFLE GENERATE BIG BUCKS SANTA FE – The auction and raffle of four bighorn sheep hunting licenses brought in close to a half million dollars for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish bighorn sheep program this year. Two lucky hunters won prized bighorn sheep permits in a record-breaking raffle conducted by the New Mexico chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation in June. The raffle sold more than 7,000 tickets and earned $143,000 for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish’s bighorn sheep program, said Eric Rominger, bighorn sheep biologist for the department. Twice as many $20 raffle tickets were sold this year than last year for the chance to hunt for either a Rocky Mountain or desert bighorn sheep, [...]

State Wildlife Action Plan meetings scheduled

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Department will host four, statewide meetings in July to provide information to the public and receive comment on revisions to the State Wildlife Action Plan. The plan serves as a blueprint for planning and implementing the department’s wildlife and habitat conservation initiatives over the next 10 years. The public is encouraged to attend. Albuquerque: 1 to 4 p.m. July 28, Interstate Stream Commission office large conference room, 5550 San Antonio Dr. NE, Albuquerque. Las Cruces: 1 to 4 p.m. July 29, Department of Game and Fish, Southwest Area Office, 2715 Northrise Drive, Las Cruces. Roswell: 1 to 4 p.m. July 30, Department of Game and Fish, Southeast Area Office, 1912 West Second Street, Roswell. Taos: 1 to 4 p.m. July 31, Bureau of Land Management, Taos Field Office, 226 Cruz Alta Road, Taos. State Wildlife Action Plan draft documents are available online [...]

People, predators share New Mexico’s outdoors in summertime

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Media contact: Ross Morgan, (505) 222-4707 Public contact: (888) 248-6866 ross.morgan@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JULY 24, 2015: PEOPLE, PREDATORS SHARE NEW MEXICO'S OUTDOORS IN SUMMERTIME SANTA FE – Those venturing into New Mexico’s great outdoors this summer need to be aware that predators are still out there. Although abundant rainfall has kept most predators away from populated areas this summer, there have been some encounters. Most recently, evidence indicated a pit bulldog was killed by a cougar after the dog broke free from its leash at a campground at Bill Evans Lake on July 22. Department officers believe a cougar was in the area hunting for javelina. No one saw the attack, but bite wounds on the dog indicated it was a cougar. Officers believe the cougar left the area. The lake and campground remain open to the public. Plenty of food in [...]

Bear bites Raton girl sleeping in tent

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Media contact: Dan Williams, (505) 476-8004 Public contact: (888) 248-6866 dan.williams@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JULY 7, 2015: BEAR BITES RATON GIRL SLEEPING IN TENT RATON – Department of Game and Fish officers Tuesday were trying to catch a bear that bit a teenage girl while she was sleeping in a tent early Monday morning in a neighborhood yard just outside Raton. The girl sustained minor wounds to her arm and ear when the bear apparently nipped at her through the wall of her tent. She was treated and released at a Raton hospital. The homeowner, awakened at about 3 a.m. by something rustling through trash bags, told officers that he scared the bear away from the girl’s tent with a shot in the air from his handgun. When the bear returned later, he said he fired another below the bear, which turned and [...]

Aerial Survey Shows Lesser Prairie Chicken Population Increased 25 Percent From 2014 To 2015 Lesser Prairie Chicken

July 1, 2015 Media Contact: Bill Van Pelt, WAFWA Grassland Coordinator, bill.vanpelt@wafwa.org, (602) 717-5066 AERIAL SURVEY SHOWS LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN POPULATION INCREASED 25 PERCENT FROM 2014 TO 2015 LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN An abundance of spring rainfall, along with ongoing efforts associated with the Lesser Prairie Chicken Range-wide Conservation Plan, has helped increase the lesser prairie chicken’s population approximately 25 percent from 2014 to 2015, according to results from a recent range-wide aerial survey. Increases were observed in three of four of the bird’s ecoregions across five states – Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The Sand Sage Prairie Region of southeast Colorado showed the biggest gain – approximately 75 percent from a year ago. The Mixed Grass Prairie Region of the northeast Panhandle of Texas, northwest Oklahoma and south central Kansas saw an approximately 30 percent increase, and the Shortgrass Prairie Region of northwest Kansas population grew [...]

News Releases for 2021

News Releases for 2020

News Releases for 2019

News Releases for 2018

News Releases for 2017

News Releases for 2016

News Releases for 2015

News Releases for 2014

Go to Top