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News2026-05-17T16:03:14-06:00

NMDGF News

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Encouragement elk license sale begins July 13

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Ryan Darr: (505) 476-8027 ryan.darr@dgf.nm.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JULY 11, 2022: Encouragement elk license sale begins July 13 SANTA FE – New Mexico resident youth and senior hunters who applied and were unsuccessful in the 2022-2023 big-game draw are eligible to purchase one of nearly 1,900 antlerless elk licenses. The licenses will go on sale through the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish’s Online License System at 10 a.m. MDT, July 13 for resident youth and expand to include resident seniors at 10 a.m. MDT, July 27. The sale is designed to encourage unsuccessful youth and senior draw applicants and includes almost 1,500 licenses for any legal sporting arm and 390 licenses for muzzleloader, crossbow or bow. Licenses will be sold online only on a first-come, first-served basis. To purchase a license, customers will [...]

Native Fish Restoration Planned for Middle Ponil Creek

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Ryan Darr: (505) 476-8027 ryan.darr@dgf.nm.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JULY 7, 2022: Native Fish Restoration Planned for Middle Ponil Creek Colfax County – The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) will be conducting a native fish restoration project in Middle Ponil Creek within the Valle Vidal unit of the Carson National Forest from July 11-17, 2022. This project will remove non-native, hybrid fish to create suitable habitat for stocking native Rio Grande cutthroat trout rescued from the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. Public access to the project area will be restricted during the project period. This will include a 300-foot buffer around Middle Ponil Creek from the headwaters to the FR 1910 road crossing. Signs indicating the restricted areas will be posted at trailheads, along roadways and in parking areas. All public roads will remain [...]

Agencies and volunteers gather over 750 pounds of trash near Mesilla Dam

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Tristanna Bickford: (505) 476-8027 tristanna.bickford@dgf.nm.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JUNE 22, 2022: Agencies and volunteers gather over 750 pounds of trash near Mesilla Dam Mesilla – Multiple public land user groups gathered June 18 to clean up areas with a high amount of illegal dumping and Off-highway Vehicle (OHV) use. Staff and volunteers from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Friends of the Organ Mountain Desert Peaks, Bureau of Land Management and Throat Punch Performance SXS cleaned areas west of Mesilla Dam in southern New Mexico. Over 750 pounds of trash were gathered, including mattresses, box springs, aluminum cans, glass and yard debris. "Friends of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks were excited to help clean up our public lands with our valued agency partners and community members. We look forward to more events like this and [...]

Leftover draw licenses go on sale June 29

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Tristanna Bickford: (505) 476-8027 tristanna.bickford@dgf.nm.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JUNE 15, 2022: Leftover draw licenses go on sale June 29 SANTA FE – A total of 164 deer and 5 youth-only pronghorn licenses, that were not issued during the annual 2022-2023 big-game draw, will go on sale at 10 a.m. MDT June 29, through the Department’s Online License System. New Mexico residents will get first shot at the licenses for the first 24 hours of the first-come, first-served sale. If any licenses remain after the first 24 hours, the sale will be opened to nonresidents at 10 a.m. June 30. To buy a leftover license, hunters must possess an annual Game Hunting or Game Hunting and Fishing license. Hunters may buy the Game Hunting license, the Habitat Stamp and the Habitat Management Access Validation by logging [...]

Public reminded to leave young wildlife alone

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Tristanna Bickford: (505) 476-8027 tristanna.bickford@dgf.nm.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JUNE 15, 2022: Public reminded to leave young wildlife alone SANTA FE – Spring is the time of year when most wildlife babies are born. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish reminds the public to leave alone any deer or antelope fawns, elk calves, bear cubs or other wild animals they may find. Most young-of-the-year wildlife people discover are simply hiding while awaiting their parents’ return from foraging nearby. Removing these young animals can cost them their lives, Orrin Duvuvuei, Department deer biologist, warned. “For about a week after birth, young wildlife exhibit hiding behaviors to avoid detection and increase their chance for survival. You might think it has been abandoned, but in reality, the mother is typically a few hundred yards away,” Duvuvuei said. [...]

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