Wildlife photographers; we are looking for you! New Mexico has many smaller wildlife species to photograph, from birds to lizards to mammals. We are asking for your best photographs of squirrels. Specifically, the four squirrel species that are found in New Mexico. These species can be elusive and difficult to photograph. They can be found in different locations throughout the Land of Enchantment.

Photograph one of each of the four small game squirrel species (Abert’s squirrel, fox squirrel, gray squirrel and red squirrel) within the state of New Mexico. Submit your best photograph of each of the four species to the Department. Photographers who complete the challenge will receive special awards; their names and photographs will appear on this page. Photographers submitting an entry for this challenge can do so by emailing it to dgf-photographychallenges@dgf.nm.gov. Photographers must submit photographs of all four species of squirrels at once. All submissions must include the following information:

1. Contact information of the applicant. This includes their full name, email address, and current mailing address.
2. The photographer’s Customer Identification Number (CIN). All participants in the challenge are required to do this. All participants in the challenge are required to do this. To create one, visit this site: https://onlinesales.wildlife.state.nm.us/register
3. The location the squirrel was photographed at. This can be very generalized, like “Gila National Forest” or “Forest Road 376”.
4. A photo of each squirrel in its natural environment. Please do not include a watermark or any other designation on any of these photos. These photos will become the property of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. They might be shared on social media,

promoting photography in the state of New Mexico, the New Mexico Squirrel Challenge webpage, and/or other agency publications and digital media.

Photographers who don’t have access to email can mail printed photos to DGF Photography Challenges, 7816 Alamo Road NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120.

Be the First!!

Photographers who complete the challenge in New Mexico will be eligible to receive a special challenge coin and sticker and be included in the Squirrel Challenge Hall of Fame on the Department’s website along with the other successful New Mexico Squirrel Challenge participants.

1. There is no fee or pre-registration required for this challenge.
2. There is no time limit for completing this.
3. The challenge is open to everyone, including residents and non-residents.
4. No squirrels photographed before Sept.1, 2024, the start date of this challenge, can be used as an entry.
5. Participants can only enter the challenge once per year. New challenge entries must include photographs of squirrels that are different from those originally submitted.
6. Upon verification of achievement of the New Mexico Squirrel Challenge by Department staff, the photographer will be provided with:
   1.  A certificate of achievement.
   2.  A New Mexico Squirrel Challenge coin to advertise their brag-worthy achievement.
   3.  A New Mexico Squirrel Challenge sticker.
   4.  Their name and photographs added to the New Mexico Squirrel Challenge Hall of Fame.

Head over and check out our New Mexico Squirrel Challenge

Click Here