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NMDGF News

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Rio Grande cutthroat trout no longer an endangered species candidate

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Media contact: Lance Cherry, (505) 476-8003 Public contact: (888) 248-6866 lance.cherry@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, OCT. 1, 2014 RIO GRANDE CUTTHROAT TROUT NO LONGER AN ENDANGERED SPECIES CANDIDATE SANTA FE –New Mexico’s state fish, the Rio Grande cutthroat trout, no longer is a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday. Since 2008, aggressive conservation efforts by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and it’s partners have enhanced or restored pure-strain native cutthroats in 127 streams that are open to public fishing. Rio Grande cutthroats now occupy about 700 miles of stream habitat. After reviewing current scientific information about the cutthroat’s populations, genetic diversity and habitat conditions in its historic range in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, the federal agency deemed that the fish is in no danger of extinction. The Rio Grande [...]

Oct 1, 2014|

Bighorn hunters will have more options, opportunities in 2015

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Media contact: Lance Cherry, (505) 476-8003 Public contact: (888) 248-6866 lance.cherry@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, SEPT. 9, 2014 BIGHORN HUNTERS WILL HAVE MORE OPTIONS, OPPORTUNITIES IN 2015 SANTA FE – The New Mexico Game Commission adopted new rules Aug. 28 that will provide hunters planning to enter the public drawings for 2015-season bighorn sheep licenses in New Mexico with more opportunities and more choices than ever. Beginning next year, the department estimates it will make 36 bighorn ram licenses available in the annual public drawing, an all-time high. Sixteen of those licenses will be for Rocky Mountain bighorn rams. Twenty will be for desert bighorn rams, a remarkable increase from only one desert bighorn license issued in 2011. The increased licenses are thanks to successful reintroduction and management efforts by the Department of Game and Fish in partnership with the Wild Sheep Foundation, the [...]

Sep 9, 2014|

Hunting seasons open for doves, grouse, squirrels, band-tailed pigeons; pellet guns approved for collared doves, grouse, squirrels

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Media contact: Lance Cherry, (505) 476-8003 Public contact: (888) 248-6866 lance.cherry@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, SEPT. 2, 2014 HUNTING SEASONS OPEN FOR DOVES, GROUSE, SQUIRRELS, BAND-TAILED PIGEONS; PELLET GUNS APPROVED FOR COLLARED DOVES, GROUSE, SQUIRRELS SANTA FE – Hunting seasons opened Sept. 1 in New Mexico for doves, grouse, squirrels and band-tailed pigeons, with some rule changes that provide more hunting opportunities. Beginning this year, .177 caliber or larger pellet guns are among the legal sporting arms for Eurasian collared doves, dusky grouse and squirrels. The State Game Commission approved the change Aug. 28 to give hunters more opportunities to bag those species, partly due to the ongoing shortage of .22-caliber ammunition. The Game Commission also increased the hunting season for Eurasian collared doves – an invasive, non-native species – to year-round with no bag limit. Hunters must leave one wing attached to [...]

Sep 2, 2014|

Bear and cub captured near downtown Santa Fe

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Media contact: Lance Cherry, (505) 476-8003 Public contact: (888) 248-6866 lance.cherry@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, AUG 22, 2014 BEAR AND CUB CAPTURED NEAR DOWNTOWN SANTA FE SANTA FE – Conservation officers captured a bear and her cub Friday morning about a half-mile from the State Capitol near downtown Santa Fe. The healthy bear and her cub were not harmed during the capture and were on their way to be released in the Gila National Forest in southern New Mexico later Friday. It was the third time officers captured and relocated the female bear and cub. This spring, the bear had two cubs when they were captured near downtown Santa Fe and relocated to the Jemez Mountains. In July, the same female and one cub were captured in San Isidro and relocated to the Cibola National Forest near Mount Taylor, approximately 100 miles from where [...]

Aug 22, 2014|

Mimbres River Ranch purchase benefits wildlife, habitat

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Media contact: Rachel Shockley, (505) 476-8071; cell: (505) 470-6832 Public contact: (888) 248-6866 rachel.shockley@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, AUG 8, 2014 MIMBRES RIVER RANCH PURCHASE BENEFITS WILDLIFE, HABITAT SANTA FE – The New Mexico State Game Commission recently purchased more than 1,000 acres of riparian habitat along the Mimbres River in southwestern New Mexico. The $585,000 purchase will allow the Department of Game and Fish to manage the property and its diverse wildlife habitat. “The River Ranch is an opportunity for the department to conserve valuable habitat for many wildlife species,” Department Director Alexa Sandoval said. Approximately half the purchase price came from the department’s Share With Wildlife tax-refund check-off donations, money targeted for nongame wildlife conservation. Part riparian area and part Chihuahuan desert grasslands, the River Ranch and adjoining 2,920 acres of state and federal leased lands supports a high diversity of native [...]

Aug 8, 2014|

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