Editions: Current

Annual Survey Reports Stable Bighorn Population in Rio Grande Gorge  About 400 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep reside in and around the Rio Grande Gorge, according to an annual survey conducted by the Department of Game and Fish in December 2019. Biologists and participants counted a total of 296 rams, ewes …

Anglers in New Mexico are very fortunate to have such diverse fishing opportunities, especially when it comes to trout. With five different trout species all within a few hours of each other, catching part or all of them can be quite the challenge. In January 2020, the Department of Game …

Have you ever wondered why Rio Grande cutthroat trout conservation is important? Rio Grande cutthroat trout are not only New Mexico’s state fish, they are also native only to northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. The presence and abundance of native trout on the landscape helps maintain a healthy and …

A Q&A with Tucker Brauer, Rio Grande cutthroat biologist In an interview with New Mexico Wildlife, Tucker Brauer, Rio Grande cutthroat biologist with the Department of Game and Fish, talked about the reintroduction of this important species to our state. Brauer, who is originally from Idaho, received an associate’s degree …

Have you ever seen trout swimming in a backpack? It sounds odd but on a recent trip with the Department’s Rio Grande cutthroat trout biologist, Tucker Brauer, that’s exactly what I saw – several hundred cutthroat trout swimming in dozens of backpacks. It’s a stocking technique utilized by fisheries biologists …

Mexican wolf recovery in New Mexico received a boost last fall when the New Mexico State Game Commission voted unanimously to once again become a lead cooperating agency in the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program. “It is only appropriate for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish to have a …

Like many New Mexico Department of Game and Fish personnel before me, I have always been proud to wear the insignia of the Department. And while the exact style of the emblem has changed through the years, the concept has remained the same – a circle-shaped outline with the name …

For the outdoorsman, New Mexico offers several excursions to partake in, especially when it comes to big game hunting. Every year, tens of thousands of hunters across the country apply for the annual New Mexico big game draw, and every year in April, those hunters are hoping, dreaming and praying …

If you’re planning a visit to southern New Mexico this spring, you may be lucky enough to see the foothills of the San Andres mountains blanketed in orange. That’s the vibrant color of the Mexican poppy, an annual wildflower that can seemingly cover an area in certain years. Why don’t …

A Q&A with Lieutenant Brady Griffith The Department of Game and Fish is always on the lookout for qualified men and women to become New Mexico conservation officers. Lieutenant Brady Griffith, who started out as an officer with the Department 14 years ago, is responsible for recruiting and training conservation …