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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 [...]

Deming bear relocated to Gila Wilderness

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Media contact: Jeremy Lane, (575) 532-2106 Public contact: Customer Service (888) 248-6866 Jeremy.lane@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JUNE 30, 2015: DEMING BEAR RELOCATED TO GILA WILDERNESS DEMING – Department of Game and Fish officers captured a young bear found eating trash on the front porch of a home near Deming on Monday and released it, unharmed, into the Gila Wilderness. Officers set up a culvert trap to catch the bear after residents complained of it roaming the neighborhood off Butterfield Trail north of Deming over the weekend. Residents reported the bear was still in the neighborhood Monday morning. Conservation officers found the bear sitting on the porch of a home rummaging through trash. The young male bear was shot with a tranquilizer dart and taken away after falling asleep. “This is a good reminder to everyone that no matter where you live in New [...]

Survey indicates fishing even better in New Mexico

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Media contact: Karl Moffatt, (505) 476-8007 Public contact: Customer service (888) 248-6866 karl.moffatt@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JUNE 25, 2015: SURVEY INDICATES FISHING EVEN BETTER IN NEW MEXICO SANTA FE – The number of satisfied anglers in New Mexico grew by 10 percent in 2015 and now accounts for more than 72 percent of those surveyed. “This is a real tribute to all the hard work done by our department to make New Mexico one of the best places to fish in the West,” said Mike Sloane, Chief of Fisheries for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. The latest annual survey, conducted by Davis Innovations of Santa Fe, indicated that the average angler in New Mexico fished about 13 days during the last year, with the majority seeking trout. The survey is available online at www.wildlife.state.nm.us. Women accounted for about 20 percent [...]

Plenty of youth elk hunting licenses for sale

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Media contact: Karl Moffatt, (505) 476-8007 Public contact: Customer service (888) 248-6866 karl.moffatt@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 23, 2015: PLENTY OF YOUTH ELK HUNTING LICENSES FOR SALE SANTA FE – More than 1,900 youth, antlerless elk licenses will go on sale through the Department of Game and Fish Online License System at 10 a.m. July 8. The sale is designed to encourage youth hunting and includes almost 1,500 licenses for hunters using any legal weapon, and 450 licenses for hunters using a muzzleloader or bow. Licenses will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, and hunters must be younger than 18 years of age on opening day of the hunt to be eligible. To purchase a license, customers must to log in to their Online License System account at www.wildlife.state.nm.us. For the first 14 days of the sale, licenses will be available only [...]

Leftover deer, javelina licenses go on sale at 10 a.m. June 24

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Media contact: Karl Moffatt, (505) 476-8007 Public contact: (888) 248-6866 karl.moffatt@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 11, 2015: LEFTOVER DEER, JAVELINA LICENSES GO ON SALE AT 10 A.M. JUNE 24 SANTA FE – More than 1,607 deer hunting licenses, 25 elk licenses and over 1,100 javelina licenses that were not allocated during the annual drawing for 2015-16 big-game hunting licenses will go on sale at 10 a.m. MDT June 24, only on the Department of Game and Fish website. New Mexico residents will get first shot at the licenses during the first-come, first-served sale. License sales will be open only to residents during the first 24 hours after they become available. The sale will be opened to everyone, regardless of residency, at 10 a.m. June 25. To be eligible to buy a leftover license, hunters are reminded that they must previously have purchased either [...]

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