New Mexico Wildlife magazine Conserving New Mexico's Wildlife for Future Generations

Rocky Mountain bighorn survey

Rocky Mountain bighorn survey

Department conducts latest Rocky Mountain bighorn survey It’s a cloudless, moonlit late June morning…

Out of Range

White-nosed coatis heading north or just heading home? In early April, game wardens in Albuquerque r…

Recruiting New Hunters

Recruiting New Hunters

I sat on the edge of a cornfield with my son and his friend. White clouds exploded from our mouths w…

Kids Tracks

Burrowing owls, cool jobs, and more Including interactive activities: Name the Rivers, Fishing …

Open Gate

Anglers gain opportunity at Rancho Grande ponds This is the first of a series of NM Wildlife feature…

Red/Green Chile Waters

Red/Green Chile Waters

Red/Green Chile Waters Signs Posted at Trout Waters Around the State In an effort to enhance the uni…

Winter bird feeding tips

Winter bird feeding tips

Ditch screen time for your window Bird alert! This is a note of fair warning before proceeding. The …

Habitat Improvement

Habitat Improvement

Because Wildlife Depends on it . . . All outdoor enthusiasts love to see a lot of wildlife, whether …

WMA Waterfowl Hunting

WMA Waterfowl Hunting

Wetlands and waterfowl hunting opportunities on WMAs It was an early Saturday morning in mid-May at …

Tale of the Cooter

Tale of the Cooter

The Western River Cooter is a species of turtle that is of particular interest to the department. St…

Outwitting the fish

Outwitting the fish

Outwitting New Mexico’s official state fish From nearly anywhere in my Santa Fe County home, I…

Bosque del Apache

Bosque del Apache

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is undoubtedly…

Pass It On

Age of hunters and anglers indicates something is missing People taking the time to read a magazine …

Sunrise 14,089

It is said that Homo sapiens will witness approximately 25,000 sunrises in a lifetime. Of course, pe…

Aiming for the 10 ring

Aiming for the 10 ring

New Mexico’s National Archery in Schools Program A record number of young archers from across New Me…

Wildlife & Habitat Conservation

Rocky Mountain bighorn survey

Department conducts latest Rocky Mountain bighorn survey It’s a cloudless, moonlit late June morning, shortly after 5 a.m., when Caitlin Ruhl, bighorn sheep biologist with …
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Out of Range
Habitat Improvement
WMA Waterfowl Hunting
Tale of the Cooter

Recreational Opportunities

Recruiting New Hunters

I sat on the edge of a cornfield with my son and his friend. White clouds exploded from our mouths with each breath. It was …
Read More »
Winter bird feeding tips
Outwitting the fish
Bosque del Apache
Pass It On
Sunrise 14,089
Aiming for the 10 ring

News & Information

Red/Green Chile Waters

Red/Green Chile Waters Signs Posted at Trout Waters Around the State In an effort to enhance the unique, quality angling opportunities available in the state, …
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Partnerships - Getting Involved

Open Gate

Anglers gain opportunity at Rancho Grande ponds This is the first of a series of NM Wildlife features highlighting new Open Gate properties throughout New …
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Partnerships - Getting Involved

AmeriCorps Joins NMDGF

AmeriCorps Joins New Mexico Game and Fish for habitat improvement Waking up to hear the lesser prairie chickens booming, and possibly being lucky enough to …
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Wildlife Conservation Education

Kids Tracks

Burrowing owls, cool jobs, and more Including interactive activities: Name the Rivers, Fishing Ties Identification.
Read More »

Department Updates

License Sales Continue to Increase

While hunting and fishing license sales and revenue are declining in many states across the country, New Mexico is experiencing the opposite trend. Hunting and …
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New Director Appointed
Carcass tag implemented
New Shooting Range
How can I get a turkey license?
Next Generation
New magazine online format

Area Updates

While forage is readily available in the Pecos throughout most of the year, bighorn sheep are dependent on wind-blown areas clear of snow during the winter months. Wildlife biologists believe the population should be maintained at approximately 350 animals to avoid a potential die-off from starvation due to a lack of available food. NMDGF photo by Clint Henson, New Mexico Wildlife magazine Spring 2017 Vol60, Num1, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

Pecos bighorn numbers

An area of the Berrendo River on the outskirts of Roswell offers a quality angling experience and now sports a parking area that can hold up to 30 vehicles. NMDGF photo by Tyson Sanders, New Mexico Wildlife magazine Spring 2017 Vol60, Num1, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

Fishing back to Berrendo

Kevin Rodden, southwest area regional biologist for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, works to untangle walleye from gill nets along with a New Mexico State University student volunteer. The fish are then moved to lakeside net pens for holding. Photo by Eric Mammoser, New Mexico Wildlife magazine Spring 2017 Vol60, Num1, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

Target walleye

Tracking devices exist that can aid in the research of birds, mammals, fish, insects and arachnids, but with each different species come separate challenges. This backpack-style transmitter works well with wild turkeys. NMDGF pthoto by Zen Mocarski, New Mexico Wildlife magazine Spring 2017 Vol60, Num1, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

Wildlife telemetry

Jeremy Lane, the Game and Fish Southwest Area public information officer, assists a young hunter education participant on the proper stance and handling of a shotgun prior to shooting it during a hunter education camp at Philmont Scout Ranch. Photo by Ross Morgan, New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF.

Dynamic hunter education camps

ith exceptional vision and climbing ability, steep rocky terrain is the ideal habitat for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Since being introduced into the Rio Grande Gorge, bighorn sheep have adapted well and their population has grown from 48 to about 280. Photo by Dan Williams, New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF.

Thriving in Rio Grande Gorge

Nathan Kempton (right), the son of Game and Fish Conservation Officer Brandon Kempton (center) poses with the 7x7 elk he harvested in 2015. Brandon and fellow Conservation Officer Adan Jacquez noticed an ear tag on the elk and it turned out to be the same animal that had been freed from beneath a cattle guard three years earlier.

Coming full circle

Feral hogs destroy wildlife habitat. Laws now exist that prohibit the importation of feral hogs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services is in the midst of a five-year project to lethally remove the animals from New Mexico. The effort will end in September 2017, but additional funding has been requested. Photo courtesy Wildlife Services.

Control of feral hogs

A Rio Grande cutthroat trout reared at Seven Springs Fish Hatchery, New Mexico. NMDGF photo by Martin Perea, New Mexico Wildlife magazine.

Dust off the fly rod

Found in a good portion of the western states, the common sagebrush lizard will feed on a variety of insects and spiders. These lizards are easily frightened and will quickly flee. Photo by Charlie Painter, New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF.

Herping

In 2015, The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish worked with the Village of Ruidoso to open Alto Reservoir to stocking and anglers. Located about 4½ miles north of Ruidoso, Alto Lake has been stocked with channel catfish and rainbow trout. Photo by Mark Madsen, New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF.

Trout of Southeastern NM

Following the discovery of northern pike at Eagle Nest Lake, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish biologists became concerned about the potential impacts this aggressive predatory fish might have on rainbow trout and kokanee salmon. Photo by Dan Williams, New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF.

Pike numbers at bay

After a short hiatus, stocking of tiger muskies resumed at Bluewater Lake in 2015. The muskies, which are sterile, were introduced into the lake to help control populations of white suckers and illegally introduced goldfish. The introduction created a whole new adventure for anglers looking to land one of these large, predatory fish. New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF

Tigers are cleaning up

Clarence Seagraves, a volunteer guide, and his dog Copper, lead the way for a youth hunter during the Armendaris Youth Small Game Classic. New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF

Armendaris youth hunt

Reaching Goose Lake is an adventure in itself and requires a high-clearance vehicle. But getting there is just half the fun. The entire area provides a wonderful outdoor experience. Hiking up the ridge will provide a wonderful view of Wheeler Peak and, if you’re lucky, some bighorn sheep. New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF

Time to get out