Vol 60 #1 – Spring 2017

Restoration of Gila trout opens door for anglers It’s been five years since two massive wildfires roared through the Gila Wilderness and surrounding national forest, destroying years of painstaking native trout restoration work. “I was interviewing for this job while everything was burning up,” said Jill Wick, Gila trout biologist …

Spring is here, it’s time to hunt sheds Spring is a time many hunters put their gear away and begin the painstaking wait for autumn and the arrival of the 2017 hunting season. But hunting season is far from over. For those suffering from cabin fever and ready to enjoy …

Bear-resistant dumpsters benefit wildlife, people There is a difference between unintentional and intentional or negligent feeding of wildlife. Unfortunately, the end result is often the same. Bears are notorious for becoming quickly conditioned to human surroundings and habituated to human foods after consuming enticing treats found in garbage. Following such …

Restoration on Mimbres River expected to help threatened chub The Mimbres River is the only place in the country the threatened Chihuahua chub calls home, and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish biologists are working to make sure they’ll always feel that way. Department personnel recently completed almost $500,000 worth …

Improved aquatic habitat expected to improve angling at Rio de los Pinos For years, the remote New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Rio de los Pinos Wildlife Management Area was best known among anglers for its solitude and scenery, not the fishing. That could change now that the department has …

GAIN changes benefit outdoor enthusiasts The scene is a bit like Jurassic Park, minus the dinosaurs, with eyes wide open, afraid to blink for fear of missing out on a spectacular experience. Faces pressed against the window of a car or eyes peering through binoculars or the viewfinder of a …

Pecos bighorn numbers are dangerously high There are times when words appear to paint a rosy portrait, but upon closer inspection the painting is found to be a forgery. Such is the case in the Pecos Mountains, where more is not always better. The most recent surveys in the Pecos …

Many partners work together to bring fishing back to Berrendo A red bridge passes over the Berrendo River on Red Bridge Road just north of East 19th Street on the outskirts of Roswell. Nowadays it’s more of an orange bridge from years of weathering. Just east of the bridge is …

Did you know…? Many people refer to this bird as a buzzard, which is incorrect. The term buzzard in the United States probably is the result of old western movies, but buzzard, in Europe, refers to a member of the buteo, or hawk family. The turkey vulture’s diet consists almost …

Ears, not eyes critical in documenting small birds Walking through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the Santa Fe National Forest offers the opportunity to see wildlife diversity. Sometimes, however, seeing isn’t the best option. When trying to identify small birds, there are times it helps to close your eyes, …