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News2026-05-22T16:53:06-06:00

NMDGF News

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Youth encouragement Elk license sale begins July 29

SANTA FE – Youth hunters will be eligible to purchase one of 1,960 antlerless Youth Encouragement Elk licenses through the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish's Online License System starting at 10 a.m. MDT on July 29. The Department apologizes for the inconvenience caused by the technical difficulties that postponed the original sale date. We greatly appreciate our customers' patience during this process. The Department will announce the leftover draw license sale soon. The Youth Encouragement Elk hunts are designed to provide additional hunting opportunities for youth and includes 1,570 licenses for any legal sporting arm and 390 licenses for muzzleloader hunts. Licenses will be sold online only on a first-come, first-served basis. To purchase a license, customers will need to log into their Online License System account. Eligibility and requirements: For the first 14 days, the sale is open only to resident youth who have applied in the current license year [...]

Jul 23, 2025|

Mexican Wolf Located North of Interstate 40 in Northwest New Mexico 

SANTA FE - A male wolf (M3065) has been documented crossing out of the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area (MWEPA) north of Interstate 40 in New Mexico. The wolf is affixed with a radio collar, which is transmitting its location. He was documented crossing the I-40 boundary west of Albuquerque late last week. His last location was near Mount Taylor. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish are monitoring the wolf’s movements. Mexican wolves that move outside the MWEPA, including north of I-40, are listed and protected as federally endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Therefore, the wolf cannot be hazed or harassed north of I-40 without violating the Act, unless the wolf actively poses a threat to human safety. Anyone convicted of killing, harming or harassing an endangered Mexican wolf is subject to a fine and/or criminal charges. [...]

Jul 21, 2025|

Public meeting: Citizen Advisory Committee to meet July 22-23

ALBUQUERQUE – The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (Department) has scheduled a public meeting with the Public Land User (Habitat) Stamp Citizen Advisory Committee. Fish and wildlife habitat restoration project opportunities that have been jointly developed by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and the Department will be presented. Members of the public are invited to attend this hybrid public meeting. An agenda will be posted on the Public Land User Stamp website prior to the meeting. Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 1 p.m.; continuing Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. Attend in person at the Department's Northwest Area office, 7816 Alamo Rd. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120 Register in advance to attend virtually (Tuesday and Wednesday) A meeting agenda, along with information about how to attend virtually, will be available on the Department webpage. Comments can be provided by email, in person at the meeting listed above, or by [...]

Jul 11, 2025|

Department seeks public comment regarding license vendor fees

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is seeking public comment regarding potential changes to fees currently charged by hunting and fishing license vendors. Currently, all license vendors, including the Department, charge a fee of $1 per license sold. The passage of Senate Bill 5 by the New Mexico State Legislature during its 2025 session enables license collectors to "collect and retain a vendor fee for each license or permit issued; provided that the fee shall be just and reasonable; as determined by regulation of the State Wildlife Commission." The Department surveyed all license vendors statewide following the passage of SB 5, and the majority of vendors who responded expressed a desire to see the vendor fee increased, in addition to the introduction of an additional fee for the issuance of a carcass tag. Since 2017, external license vendors must hand-write each carcass tag they [...]

Jul 11, 2025|

Department postpones youth encouragement and leftover license sales

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has announced the postponement of its annual youth encouragement and leftover license sales due to changes with the Wells Fargo payment process. "This delay is unfortunate, and the Department apologizes for the inconvenience, but this delay is necessary to ensure the system operates fairly and efficiently," director Mike Sloane said. "The Department is working diligently to address the problem." The Department will notify customers when the sales are rescheduled.

Jul 8, 2025|

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