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.
Youth Encouragement Elk License sale begins July 10
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, July 10. The sale is designed to provide additional youth hunting opportunities and includes 1,570 licenses for any legal sporting arm and 390 licenses for muzzleloader. 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 for one or more draw hunts for deer, elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, Barbary sheep, oryx or ibex and were not successful for any hunt. Please note that the purchase of a leftover draw hunt does not count as a successful [...]
CORRECTION: Leftover draw licenses on sale today June 26
SANTA FE – A total of 630 deer licenses left over from the 2024-2025 big-game draw will go on sale at 10 a.m. MDT today, June 26, through the Department’s Online License System. This first-come, first-served sale will only be open to New Mexico residents during the first 24 hours. If any licenses remain after the first 24 hours, the sale will be opened to nonresidents at 10 a.m. June 27. CORRECTION for youth hunters: Purchasing a leftover license WILL NOT render youth hunters ineligible to purchase a youth encouragement elk license for the first 14 days of the upcoming sale in July. To buy a leftover license, hunters must possess a 2024-2025 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 into their account and clicking the Over-The-Counter (OTC) Licenses, Permits and Stamps link under License Sales [...]
Leftover draw licenses on sale June 26
SANTA FE – A total of 630 deer licenses left over from the 2024-2025 big-game draw will go on sale at 10 a.m. MDT June 26, through the Department’s Online License System. This first-come, first-served sale will only be open to New Mexico residents during the first 24 hours. If any licenses remain after the first 24 hours, the sale will be opened to nonresidents at 10 a.m. June 27. Important note for youth hunters: Because these are draw licenses, purchasing a license will render youth hunters ineligible to purchase a youth encouragement elk license for the first 14 days of the upcoming sale in July. To buy a leftover license, hunters must possess a 2024-2025 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 into their account and clicking the Over-The-Counter (OTC) Licenses, Permits and [...]
Special military and veteran oryx and pronghorn hunts opening June 12
SANTA FE – Three special military and veteran drawing opportunities for oryx and pronghorn will open Wednesday, June 12. Oryx hunts for injured military service members on White Sands Missile Range: Injured military service members can apply online starting June 12 for one of 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. Pronghorn hunts for resident Purple Heart recipients on Melrose Air Force Base: Resident Purple Heart recipients are eligible to apply for one of up to five special pronghorn authorizations on Melrose Air Force Base. Pronghorn hunts for New Mexico active-duty military on Melrose Air Force Base: Active-duty [...]
Draw Results Released April 17, 2024
THE WAIT IS OVER! 2024-2025 Big Game Draw results are available now - seven days early! Get your results online now! At 6 a.m. today, the Department released draw results to customers' accounts on the Department website — seven days earlier than expected. Department personnel have worked tirelessly to be able to release the draw results early. Hunters can check their draw results by logging onto their customer account on the Department website. Unsuccessful applicants should receive refunds on credit cards over the next week. Check refunds for all other unsuccessful applicants will be processed by the end of April. 287,449 applications were submitted for deer, elk, antelope, oryx, ibex, bighorn sheep, Barbary sheep and javelina licenses. The Department issued 61,341 draw licenses. Habitat Stamp, Paper Tags and E-Tags Draw licenses and tags will be mailed to the address provided, unless you chose the e-tag option. Do not hunt without a valid license [...]