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NMDGF News

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2023-2024 Barbary Sheep Hunting Forecast

Barbary sheep, also known as aoudad, is one of three exotic big-game species hunted in New Mexico. Originally native to North Africa, Barbary sheep were first introduced to New Mexico in the 1940s by a private ranch in the southeastern part of the state. They were officially released in the 1950s in the Canadian River drainage near the Las Vegas Plateau. Since their release, there has been a rise in the popularity of hunting Barbary sheep in New Mexico, with licenses increasing to more than 1,000 annually. Barbary sheep are considered generalist herbivores and are highly flexible in their utilization of available food and water resources. They will feed on grasses, shrubs and forbs. During the winter months, grasses are the majority of their diet. In spring and summer, they consume more oak and mountain mahogany. Barbary sheep can withstand long periods of time without water and are able [...]

Video Series Premiere – Drawing Your Way to Success!

Video Series Premiere - Drawing Your Way to Success! Join New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Communications Director Darren Vaughan and Licensing Operations Manager Chad Nelson as they discuss the ins and outs of the 2023-2024 Big Game Draw in the first video of the department’s “Drawing Your Way to Success” series. The video will premiere at 5 p.m. MST Friday, Jan. 20 on YouTube at https://youtu.be/IYFnzBK28oU. The video will be available from this date forward for you to watch at your convenience. We will be premiering additional videos to help you throughout the draw season. The deadline for Draw 1 (bear and turkey) is Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. MST, and the deadline for Draw 2 (Barbary sheep, bighorn sheep, deer, elk, ibex, javelina, pronghorn, oryx, and private-land only deer licenses in Units 2A, 2B, 2C, 4 and 5A) is March 22 at 5 p.m. MST. Good luck! [...]

Game Commission to meet Jan. 27

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: 888-248-6866 Media contact, Darren Vaughan: 505-476-8027 darren.vaughan@dgf.nm.gov Game Commission to meet Jan. 27 The New Mexico State Game Commission will hold a virtual meeting starting at 9 a.m., Friday, Jan. 27. The full agenda, attendee information and additional information will be available on the Department of Game and Fish website.  If you are interested in participating in the meeting and providing comments, you are encouraged to pre-register to attend the meeting on the Zoom Webinar platform. Participants can attend the virtual meeting using a desktop computer, mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, or by telephone. In addition, there will be a live webcast on the Department’s website for those who wish to only view or listen to the meeting.   If you are an individual with a disability who needs a reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter or any other form of auxiliary aid or [...]

2023-2024 Turkey Hunting Forecast

Turkey populations appear to be entering a period of decline in New Mexico after several years of breeding-season drought. Turkey populations are highly influenced by precipitation and such a decline is anticipated given the drought; numbers respond quickly when the rains return. Spring moisture is important to create food sources for chicks, which need forbs (leafy plants) and insects for survival. Statewide drought conditions make it likely that turkey production has been low in each of the regions. Adult turkeys typically have low mortality rates, with fair mast crops and generally mild winters leading to decent overwinter survival. Some local areas still have very strong numbers of birds, but statewide, numbers appear to be down. Hunter harvest-success rates are never very high in New Mexico. Overall spring hunter harvest success rates from 2019-2021 ranged from 21% to 26%. Turkey license sales have increased during the past five years, resulting [...]

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