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.
Leftover deer and javelina licenses go on sale June 27
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 11, 2018: Leftover deer and javelina licenses go on sale June 27 SANTA FE – 203 deer and 10 javelina hunting licenses that were not allocated during the annual 2018-19 big-game drawing will go on sale at 10 a.m. MDT on June 27, only on the Department of Game and Fish website. New Mexico residents will get first shot at the licenses during the first-come, first-served sale. License sales will be open only to residents for the first 24 hours. The sale will be opened to everyone, regardless of residency, at 10 a.m. on June 28. Important note for youth hunters: Because these are leftover draw licenses, purchasing a leftover deer license will render youth hunters ineligible to purchase a youth encouragement elk license during the [...]
Fire restrictions, closures increasing statewide; Game and Fish patrolling Commission properties
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 5, 2018: Fire restrictions, closures increasing statewide; Game and Fish patrolling Commission properties SANTA FE – As drought continues to increase fire danger statewide, the Kid's Pond at the Seven Springs Fish Hatchery in the Jemez Mountains will be closed at dusk on Wednesday, June 6. By mutual agreement with the Benedictine Monastery, the Department will also concurrently close Monastery Lake in Pecos, NM. Both locations will remain closed until conditions improve in and around the Santa Fe National Forest. In addition to enforcing closures and fire restrictions, Department of Game and Fish conservation officers will increase patrols on State Game Commission-owned properties. Commission properties also will follow the same restrictions or closures in place on properties adjacent to U.S. Forest Service or BLM lands. Additional [...]
Special oryx hunts available for injured servicemen
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, May 31, 2018: Special oryx hunts available for injured servicemen SANTA FE -- Injured military service members can apply online starting June 13 for an upcoming special drawing by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) to award three special oryx authorizations for hunts on White Sands Missile Range. To be eligible, one must be active-duty military or a veteran of the U.S. military who has a disability rating of 50 percent or greater in accordance with U.S. Veteran’s Administration guidelines for receiving disabled veteran benefits. Applicants (except NMDGF Disabled Veteran card holders) are required to provide proof of eligibility prior to the July 18 application deadline. Significantly injured, active-duty military members who don’t have a VA disability rating also may apply and will need [...]
Barbary sheep, oryx, Persian ibex rule changes topic of public meetings
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact: Dan Williams: (505) 476-8004 dan.williams@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, APRIL 25, 2018: Barbary sheep, oryx, Persian ibex rule changes topic of public meetings SANTA FE – The Department of Game and Fish is seeking public comments on proposed revisions to the Barbary sheep, oryx, and Persian ibex rule. The department is proposing changes in Barbary sheep, oryx, and Persian ibex hunting across the state, including increasing Barbary sheep draw licenses, adding new oryx hunts on White Sands Missile Range, and increasing female/immature ibex draw licenses. To gather public comments, three public meetings will be conducted: Las Cruces: 6 to 7 p.m. May 7 at the Department of Game and Fish office, 2715 Northrise Drive. Roswell: 6 to 7 p.m. May 8 at the Department of Game and Fish office, 1912 W. Second Street. Albuquerque: 6 to [...]
Big-game draw results available today
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, APRIL 18, 2018: Big-game draw results available today SANTA FE – Hunters who applied for New Mexico big-game licenses will know their draw results early again this spring through the Department of Game and Fish online license system. At 10 a.m. today, the department released draw results to customer accounts on the department website and began sending emails to successful applicants, seven days earlier than expected. Draw licenses may be printed from the customer's account and tags will be mailed to the address provided. Do not hunt without a valid license and tag. Unsuccessful applicants should receive refunds on credit cards beginning today and through their checking accounts within the next two weeks. More than 203,000 applicants tried for about 58,000 deer, 58,000 deer, elk, antelope, oryx, ibex, Barbary sheep and javelina licenses -- [...]