Hunting News
The latest hunting news and press releases, including important reminders for the current hunting season, from the New Mexico Department of Wildlife. See additional wildlife news in Conservation News. Department-wide news can be found under Home → NMDOW News.
Apply now for sandhill crane and pheasant draw permits
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Tristanna Bickford: (505) 476-8027 tristanna.bickford@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JULY 13, 2020: Apply now for sandhill crane and pheasant draw permits SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish will be accepting applications for special sandhill crane and pheasant permits starting 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15. Applications can be made online through your account or over the telephone with the Department’s information center, 1-888-248-6866. The application deadline for special sandhill crane and pheasant permits is 5 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 19. Pheasant hunts that will be included in the draw include: Hunt Area Hunt Code Season Dates Number of Permits Bernardo Youth Only PHE-0-001 Oct. 17 20 W.S. Huey Youth Only PHE-0-002 Dec. 5 40 W.S. Huey (open to all applicants) PHE-0-005 Dec. 12 40 Sandhill crane hunts that will be included in [...]
Wildlife crimes net $74,000 in restitution
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Tristanna Bickford: (505) 476-8027 tristanna.bickford@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JULY 8, 2020: Wildlife crimes net $74,000 in restitution SANTA FE – On June 23, 2020, Sandoval County Judge James A. Noel ordered Cody W. Davis of Arnegard, N.D. to pay $74,000 in restitution to the state for poaching a trophy mule deer buck. This civil restitution included $20,000 for the mule deer which was killed out of season, without a license and resulted in the waste of game and an additional $54,000 in reimbursement to the Department for the extensive investigation required for this case. The restitution to the state is in addition to his criminal conviction which included a $3,000 donation to Operation Game Thief (OGT). An OGT tip in December of 2015 initiated the investigation. Conservation officers searched the area in question and found [...]
Encouragement elk license sale begins July 8
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Tristanna Bickford: (505) 476-8027 tristanna.bickford@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JUNE 24, 2020: Encouragement elk license sale begins July 8 SANTA FE – New Mexico resident youth and senior hunters who applied and were unsuccessful in the 2020-2021 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 8. 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 need to log in to their Online License System account. Eligibility and requirements: For the [...]
Special oryx hunts available for injured service members
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Tristanna Bickford: (505) 476-8027 tristanna.bickford@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JUNE 9, 2020: Special oryx hunts available for injured service members SANTA FE — Injured military service members can apply online starting June 17 for an upcoming special drawing to award up to 10 special oryx authorizations for hunts on White Sands Missile Range. Applicants must be veterans of the U.S. military with a disability rating of 50 percent or greater in accordance with U.S. Veteran’s Administration guidelines for receiving disabled veteran benefits. Significantly injured, active-duty military members who do not have a VA disability rating also may apply. All applicants (except Disabled Veteran card holders) will need to submit supporting documentation to the Department prior to the July 22 application deadline. Proof of eligibility may be emailed to specialhunts@state.nm.us or by postal mail with a postmark [...]
Leftover draw licenses go on sale June 24
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Tristanna Bickford: (505) 476-8027 tristanna.bickford@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JUNE 4, 2020: Leftover draw licenses go on sale June 24 SANTA FE – 711 deer and 56 youth-only pronghorn licenses that were not issued during the annual 2020-2021 big-game draw will go on sale at 10 a.m. MDT June 24, 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. The sale will be opened to nonresidents at 10 a.m. June 25. Important note for youth and senior hunters: Because these are leftover draw licenses, purchasing a leftover deer or pronghorn license will render youth and/or senior hunters ineligible to purchase an encouragement elk license during the upcoming sale in July. To buy a leftover license, hunters must possess an [...]