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News2026-07-08T12:45:50-06:00

NMDOW News

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Decades of work keeps Rio Grande cutthroat trout off Endangered Species List

Decades of work keeps Rio Grande cutthroat trout off Endangered Species List Decades of dedicated conservation work by the Department and its partners have secured a bright future for the Rio Grande cutthroat trout (RGCT). This collaborative effort culminated in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s recent decision that the species does not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act, affirming its long-term stability throughout its range. The Rio Grande cutthroat trout, New Mexico’s state fish, is native to high-elevation streams in New Mexico and Colorado, including watersheds of the Canadian, Pecos and Rio Grande rivers. The species is threatened by competition and hybridization with nonnative trout, such as rainbow, brook and brown trout, as well as habitat loss, drought and the effects of wildfires. Conservation efforts for the RGCT date back to the 1960s and 1970s. In 1989, the Department created a dedicated biologist position to focus on [...]

Feb 26, 2025|

Public meeting: Citizen Advisory Committee to meet March 5

SEVILLETA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE – The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (Department) has scheduled a public meeting with the Habitat Stamp Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC). This meeting will be a working session in which the CAC will be briefed on the status of previously prioritized projects and provide initial feedback on some of the projects that are being collaboratively developed for future consideration. A CAC subcommittee will discuss project-development guidance for the Department and partner agencies. Members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend this hybrid public meeting. Wednesday, March 5, 2025, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, 1 pm. Attend in person at 40 Refuge Road, San Acacia, NM 87831 Register in advance to attend virtually Contact PublicLandUserStamp@dgf.nm.gov for in-person attendance directions A meeting agenda along with information about how to attend virtually will be available on the Department webpage, https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/conservation/public-land-user-stamp/. Comments can be provided by [...]

Feb 19, 2025|

2025 New Mexico Outdoor Adventures Show Opens Feb. 14

2025 New Mexico Outdoor Adventures Show Opens Feb. 14 Feb. 14-16, 2025 • Manuel Lujan Building • Expo NM Love to get out? The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is pleased to invite you to the 2025 Outdoor Adventures Show, sponsored by Ram Motors RV & Truck Center, Waypoint Vehicle Upfitters, Ducks Unlimited, The Archery Shoppe and the City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department! The show takes place Friday, Feb. 14 through Sunday, Feb. 16, in the Manuel Lujan Building at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque. Admission to the show will be $5 for adults or free to youth age 17 and younger, as well as anyone who holds a valid New Mexico hunting and fishing license. The popular calling contests are back, with the addition of a new duck-calling contest. The contests begin at noon Saturday with the turkey-calling contest, sponsored [...]

Feb 6, 2025|

ATTENTION 2025-2026 Draw Applicants

The Department of Game and Fish strongly recommends that all draw applicants for 2025-26 hunts verify their contact information and provide a valid e-mail address and phone number in their online licensing system account.Please contact the Department at 888-248-6866 if you need assistance updating or creating your account.White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) and Fort Bliss:WSMR and Fort Bliss use the contact information you provide in your account to communicate specific hunt information necessary if you are successful, including payment of the mandatory access fee.Don't miss out on a potential once-in-a-lifetime hunting opportunity because we can't contact you!!!The Department strongly recommends that you DO NOT wait until the last minute to provide your documents. Due to the influx of draw applications at the end of the application period, the Department cannot guarantee that your documents will be entered into the system if they are submitted after March 14, 2025.The Department further strongly recommends that hunters [...]

Jan 29, 2025|

Department conservation officers free Ruidoso elk from lawn furniture

RUIDOSO – New Mexico Department of Game and Fish conservation officers have freed a cow elk with a metal stool hanging from her neck in Ruidoso. This is the latest incident in an ongoing saga of Ruidoso elk becoming tangled in lawn furniture. Residents are reminded to avoid feeding wildlife and to secure outdoor furniture to help protect local elk. Department officers responded to reports of the ornamented cow elk as soon as she was spotted. Tranquilizing or otherwise capturing a wild animal can cause significant stress or injury, so it may not always be the best first option for the animal’s safety. The stool on the elk’s neck was hanging loosely and did not appear to disrupt its eating, drinking, breathing or movement. Therefore, officers responded by giving the elk a chance to free herself from the loose-fitting stool before taking more drastic measures. After giving her sufficient [...]

Jan 2, 2025|

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