News & Information

June, 2020

  • 24 June

    Department unveils first-ever bilingual Aquatic Invasive Species signs

    In an effort to promote Aquatic Invasive Species awareness to a wider audience, the Department of Game and Fish has posted its first-ever bilingual Spanish-English billboards at two lakes in southern New Mexico. The signs, which were funded by the Bureau of Reclamation, are designed by Department of Game and …

May, 2020

  • 28 May

    Q&A: What if I was not successful in the 2020-2021 big-game draw?

    For a desert state known for limited water, hot temperatures and lots of spiky bushes, New Mexico is also known worldwide as one of the best big-game hunting destinations in the United States. The 2020-2021 draw shattered applications records, but the opportunities are limited. In this Q&A with New Mexico …

March, 2020

  • 25 March

    DCA archeologist weaves a blanket made of 17,000 turkey feathers

    DCA archeologist weaves a blanket made of 17,000 turkey feathers

    In 2018, Mary Weahkee, an archeologist and anthropologist with the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, was asked to try her hand at a particular task that dates back to more than 1,000 years ago: weave a blanket made of turkey feathers. Usrey, a turkey hunter himself, gave Weahkee the …

  • 24 March

    Youth Javelina Hunt: A ranch gets relief and young hunters gain experience

    Javelina spotted at the Ladder Ranch.

    When Corporal Jake Baulch, New Mexico conservation officer, heard that the Ladder Ranch in Truth or Consequences was having javelina issues, he turned a problem into an opportunity for eleven young hunters from our state. “The javelina were getting too accustomed to coming into our main housing area, and then …

February, 2020

  • 26 February

    There is still time! How to complete hunter education requirements before the draw deadline

    Jennifer Morgan, Hunter Education Coordinator for the Department, instructs a student on the proper sitting shooting position during a hunter education camp. Department photo by Martin Perea.

    ?I want to apply my child for the draw, but they haven’t completed the required hunter education. Is there still time for a class? “Yes, there is still time to complete the hunter education requirement before the March 18 draw deadline,” said Jennifer Morgan, hunter education coordinator with the Department …

  • 26 February

    Clayton resident donates land for shooting range

    A visitor practices at the new shooting range. Department photo by Jessica Fisher.

    When Stephen Bush, a rancher and avid hunter with deep roots in the northeastern town of Clayton, passed away in 2013, there was not a service, not even an obituary in the local newspaper. The only thing he asked of his wife Susie, was to have something to show that …

  • 14 February

    News & Information

    Department photo by Mark Watson.

    Department reports desert bighorn survey numbers The Department of Game and Fish conducted the 22nd annual census of the Red Rock Wildlife Management Area (WMA) earlier this year. The Red Rock WMA has served as a propagation facility for desert bighorn sheep since 1972. The facility includes five pastures and …

January, 2020

  • 28 January

    Department, UNM archeology student use 3D imagery to study and preserve artifacts

    As the manager of more than 40 wildlife management areas and other properties around New Mexico, the Department of Game and Fish is not just responsible for protecting fish and wildlife; it’s also responsible for protecting important cultural sites. While she was a graduate student at the University of New …

  • 28 January

    OHV Safety classes offer new skills

    Whether it’s the cold breeze nipping at your face and the crunching of leaves under your tires as you ride your all-terrain vehicle (ATV) out to your favorite hunting spot on the opening day of elk season or twisting back on the throttle of a dirt bike as you catch …

November, 2019

  • 26 November

    News blasts from the past

    A stack of old press releases highlights the big topics of 1962 You just never know what might walk into an area Game and Fish office. A piece of scat for identification or part of a road-squished snake in a plastic baggie, for example. Recently, a stack of old Department …