New Mexico Deer Population An estimated 97,00 deer in 2022, up slightly from 95,000 in 2021 from good weather, but down from 105,000 deer in 2020 as result of drought. About 88% mule deer and 12% Coues whitetails and Texas whitetails. The state estimated mule deer populations have been in the range of 80,000 to 100,000 from 2015 to 2022, but noted the effect of drought in 2021 and better weather in 2022. There have also been rough estimates of 10,000 to 15,000 Coues and other white-tailed deer. An estimated total population of 98,000 deer in 2016, down from about 200,000 in 1999. The mule deer population was estimated at 301,000 or more in the mid-1960s compared to about 90,000 (80,000 to 100,000) in recent years. New Mexico 2023 Deer Forecast. New Mexico 2023 Elk Forecast.
New Mexico Deer News
Colorado wolf releases could impact New Mexico's recovery of the lobo September 21, 2023 New Mexico, Carlsbad Current-Argus
... The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is presently undertaking recovery efforts concentrated in southwest New Mexico and southern Arizona, with 136 wolves in New Mexico and 105 in Arizona in 2022, according to the agency’s latest data published in February...
Wandering bull moose is captured in downtown Santa Fe, moved to habitat in northern New Mexico September 13, 2023 New Mexico, Caledonian Record
... The moose was sedated with a tranquilizer dart and loaded onto a trailer before being evaluated by a Game and Fish Department veterinarian and determined to be in good health...
Moose sighting near Tesuque, New Mexico September 11, 2023 KRQE Blogs
... [photos available] ..,
Plan to address wildlife-vehicle collisions in Grant awaits funding May 31, 2023 NEw Mexico, Silver City Daily Press
... fund the design phase of the first of 11 prioritized projects. Theoretically, the U.S. 180/N.M. 90 Silver City Wildlife Corridor is the plan’s second highest priority ... Most collisions in Silver City’s hot spot — 465 out of 574 animal collisions — are with mule deer...
Game and Fish investigating animal dumping ground May 10, 2023 New Mexico, KOB.com
... in northeast Albuquerque... at least four to five carcasses of doe deers ... illegal to move, handle, or possess wildlife that’s dead or alive ...
US rolls out funding for wildlife crossings along busy roads April 4, 2023 New Mexico, ABC
... Native American tribes, as well as state and local governments will be able to tap into $350 million in infrastructure funds to build wildlife corridors ... New Mexico also joined the effort when lawmakers passed legislation this spring to set aside $100 million for conservation projects...
New Mexico OKs its 1st wildlife bridges to limit collisions March 23, 2023 St. Joseph News-Press
... Several hundred large animals — primarily deer and elk — are killed in the state each year by collisions that can also total cars and severely injure human passengers..,
Rising oryx numbers may distress New Mexico ecosystem March 9, 2023 New Mexico, The Wildlife Society
... The New Mexico Game and Fish Department first introduced the South African oryx ... to the Tularosa Basin starting in 1969 ... Their diet overlaps with native species like ... mule deer ... Based on their larger size, and the weapons they wield in the form of nearly three-foot long horns, they could outcompete these ungulates for water and food ...
New Mexico lawmakers weigh next step for wildlife crossings January 30, 2023, Kiowa County Press
...State data also shows between 2002 and 2018, more than 11,000 deer were involved in crashes, or about 671 each year. The state's 2022 Wildlife Corridors Action Plan identified 11 safe-passage projects to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and restore habitat connectivity ...
2023-2024 Elk Hunting Forecast January 26, 2023 New Mexico, Department of Game and Fish
... Recent population estimates for elk indicate that the greater majority of herds are either stable or slightly increasing in size, with approximately 104,000 elk across all of New Mexico ...
2023-2024 Deer Hunting Forecast January 26, 2023 New Mexico, Department of Game and Fish
... Because of the influence of precipitation on fawn survival, most of New Mexico’s fawns are lost during the dry summer ... Mule deer populations in southwestern ecosystems require at least 35 fawns per 100 does over the long term to maintain stable populations. This is much lower than the 60-70 fawns per 100 does required in northern states, because New Mexico does not experience the heavy winter die-off that is experienced in those areas ...
Watch out for wildlife in the new year January 7, 2023 New Mexico, lcsun-news.com
... In 2019, the state legislature passed the Wildlife Corridors Act, which allocated $500,000 to study and identify priority areas to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions involving mule deer, elk ...
Jaguars May Return to the U.S., Making a Comeback in New Mexico December 13, 2022 New Mexico, Green Matters
... there were once jaguars in the U.S ... the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the USFWS to help bring the jaguar back to its rightful home. With a few possibly living in Mexico, it could be made possible ...
Game and Fish rescue deer in hammock December 1, 2022 New Mexico, KRQE Blogs
... New Mexico Game and Fish officers came to the rescue of a deer stuck in a hammock..buck in Los Alamos ...
NM commits to safe passage for people and for its wildlife October 23, 2022 New Mexico, Albuquerque Journal
... the Wildlife Corridors Act, Senate Bill 228, a first-of-its-kind legislation in America. The law mandated that New Mexico’s agencies develop monitoring protocols, analyze economic benefits, identify movement barriers and create maps to better conserve migratory habitats used by big game animals like elk, mule deer and pronghorn...
Has New Mexico 'Privatized' Its Elk Herd? October 17, 2022 MeatEater
... he New Mexico Wildlife Federation and the New Mexico Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) published a bombshell report last week slamming the state’s Department of Game and Fish for “privatizing elk hunting opportunities.” ...
New Mexico Supreme Court Upholds $74,000 Restitution Owed In Cody W. Davis Poaching Case September 15, 2022 Los Alamos Daily Post
... This civil restitution included $20,000 for the trophy mule deer that was killed out of season ... An additional $54,000 was assessed as reimbursement to the department for the extensive investigation required for this case...
Firefighters rescue 'Cinder' the elk calf from fire's ashes May 25, 2022 New Mexico, TheSpec.com
... Firefighters have rescued an abandoned newborn elk calf found amid the ashes of the nation’s largest wildfire as calving season approaches its peak in New Mexico and fires rage across the American West...
Mule Deer in New Mexico 2022. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University
... In general, mule deer have been declining in numbers in New Mexico since populations peaked around the 1960s, similar to declines seen throughout the West (Heffelfinger and Messmer, 2003). Because of population declines, harvests of mule deer have also declined; deer harvests (mostly mule deer), estimated to be as high as 55,000 in 1960, declined to <10,000 in 2013. Despite declines, mule deer are still present in all 33 counties in New Mexico...
Neighbors react after deer shot, 1 killed in Foothills community May 5, 2022 New Mexico, KRQE
... The Foothills community is outraged ... Two does were shot by arrows. “One went and jumped over a fence ... And that one had an arrow in its side,” said Gossage. “One staggered and fell on a property and it took about at least two hours to die.” ...
Proposed changes to hunts for deer, elk and exotic prey open for public comment April 27, 2022 New Mexico, YAHOO!News
... In April Game and Fish announced a proposal to adjust some rules in deer hunting, that includes a reduction in the number of licenses issued to hunt deer in southeast New Mexico..,
Shed hunting in New Mexico: Turning antlers into cash April 2, 2022 The Santa Fe New Mexican
... A fresh, brown antler from a bull elk, for example, can fetch as much as $18 a pound ... there are five wildlife management areas in the northern part of the state where public access, including shed hunting, is prohibited to protect wintering wildlife...
Video below: In March 2022 I watched mule deer eating cholla cactus fruit. The video footage was taken in lower Embudito Canyon in the Sandia foothills, a few hundred yards from the Albuquerque city limits.
How the NMDOT Wildlife Corridor Action Plan will affect Otero County January 26, 2022 New Mexico, Alamogordo Daily News
... "The high number of accidents on Highway 70 and 82 shows we have heavy migration of megafauna, like elk and deer. These are areas we will be focusing on for future wildlife improvements to lower the accident rate." ...
Wildfires can be destructive, but may ultimately benefit wildlife November 14, 2021 New Mexico, Santa Fe New Mexican
... Although some fires can be very intense, sterilizing the ground for several years before new growth can occur, at some point, they all create a wildlife paradise... Following a timber harvest or fire, deer and elk will gather to feed on the new shoots of quaking aspen growing along with the parent tree’s root system...
Resource-area-dependence analysis of desert mule deer habitats in the San Andres Mountains, New Mexico, USA 2021 - Journal of Arid Environments
... determine habitats most associated with decreasing home range sizes (i.e., increasing quality) for adult male and female mule deer in the San Andres Mountains (SAM) of south-central New Mexico, USA... Quality of female ranges was associated with pinyon-juniper and oak-mountain mahogany. Quality of male home ranges was associated with grama grasslands. Female mule deer balanced food and cover needs; males emphasized food over cover...
US proposes changes to Mexican gray wolf management October 28, 2021 KOB 4
... A survey done earlier this year showed at least 186 Mexican gray wolves in New Mexico and Arizona...
New Mexico hunting season in full swing September 28, 2021 KOAT
... an increase in people wanting to harvest game this year compared to previous years... a 20% increase in draw permits this year. ...
Habitat improvements crucial to health of wildlife September 19, 2021 New Mexico, The Santa Fe New Mexican
... a 1,000-acre tree-thinning project to benefit deer and elk... “Habitat improvements have done, and continue to do, great things for the deer and elk in GMU 2,” ...
Legislative committee discusses wildlife management reform, funding August 16, 2021 New Mexico, New Mexico Political Report
... “The needs of wildlife are exceeding what funding is provided by sportsmen,” said Colleen Payne, the regional director of the Mule Deer Foundation.... “It’s not fair that a minority of New Mexicans who buy licenses should be expected to contribute most of the department’s revenue,” ...
Report a wildlife crime, earn a reward August 8, 2021 New Mexio, The Santa Fe New Mexican
... The study found that around 34,000 deer were poached every year in New Mexico... call the Operation Game Thief hotline at 800-432-GAME (4263) or submit a report online at www.wildlife.state.nm.us...
New Mexico Wilderness Area Grows by 50% After Largest-Ever Land Donation July 28, 2021 Good News Network
... Sabinoso Wilderness Area in New Mexico, an inaccessible and tiny refuge just five years ago, has grown by almost 10,000 acres ... home to black bears, mountain lion, elk, mule deer, and turkey ...
Co-op researchers at NMSU train future scientists while protecting wildlife June 19, 2021 New Mexico, Las Cruces Sun-News
... “Our job is producing the future scientists who are going to enhance, conserve and protect elk, deer, bear and fish. That’s our job,” said Caldwell, who joined the New Mexico unit in 1994 and became its leader in 2006. “We also provide free teaching and mentoring of graduate students and undergrads ...
Fire Managers Proceed with Prescribed Burn on the New Mexico-Colorado State Line May 27, 2021 Nevada, nmfireinfo.com
... This prescribed fire will improve elk and deer winter range and reduce woody debris left from forest thinning projects... Prescribed fire is part of a science-based framework for managing ponderosa pine and dry mixed-conifer forests ...
New Study Advocates Reintroducing Jaguars in Arizona and New Mexico May 20, 2021 Field & Stream
... A new study published in the scientific journal, Conservation Science and Practice ... Arizona currently has an estimated population of 85,000 Coues deer, 105,000 mule deer, and 30,000 elk, while New Mexico has up to 15,000 Coues deer, 100,000 mule deer, and 106,000 elk..,
Food and Water: How Much Does Wildlife Need? May 4, 2021 New Mexico Wildlife
... In mule deer, four to eight pounds of food are needed daily, and they need about half a gallon of water per 100 pounds of their body weight per day. For an average deer, that might be one and a half gallons imbibed every day...
National Park Service warns of fines for removing antlers from New Mexico sites April 29, 2021 Santa Fe New Mexican
... The law applies to national parks, monuments, preserves and recreation areas, where no items — including rocks, artifacts and plants — can be taken. In New Mexico, violators can be fined up to $200 plus $50 per pilfered antler...
Join the hunt: Citizen tips are key to catching poachers April 8, 2021 New Mexico,
Yahoo News
... Rewards are set at $750 for cases involving elk and bighorn sheep, $500 for deer and oryx ... see Operation Game Thief ... 1-800-432-GAME ...
New Mexico Wildlife Heritage Act Modernizes State Wildlife Management February 3, 2021 New Mexico, KRWG
... Repeals a widely unpopular provision that allows landowners to kill deer, elk and other protected wildlife without department permission or oversight because the wildlife posed a perceived threat to their crops...
New Mexico Elk Migration Corridor Protected, Opened to Access January 12, 2021 KRWG
... Nearly 1,200 acres of vital elk winter range in northern New Mexico is now permanently protected and opened to public access. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation worked with the Bureau of Land Management and three families to make it happen...
Elk Habitat Conserved in New Mexico December 17, 2020 KRWG
... Thanks to the actions of conservation-minded landowners, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation helped permanently protect 970 acres of important elk habitat in southcentral New Mexico...
Western Big Game Benefits from New Tracking Tool December 2, 2020 New Mexico, Public News Service
... A new report published by the U.S. Geological Survey includes detailed maps of Global Positioning System tracked migration routes for mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose and bison... Forest fires, many due to climate change, also affect big game migration in New Mexico. That's another important reason to maintain habitat connectivity ...
North Dakota man ordered to pay $74K in restitution for killing mule deer July 9, 2020 New Mexico, KRQE News 13
... ordered to pay $74,000 in restitution for poaching a trophy mule deer buck in northwestern New Mexico ... was ordered to make a $3,000 donation to the Operation Game Thief program. The investigation started in 2015 with a tip...
Photographic Evidence of the White-tailed Deer in the Sandia Mountain Range of Bernalillo County, New Mexico May, 2020, The Southwestern Naturalist
The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has been documented as occurring in 21 of 33 counties in New Mexico. In the Sandia Mountains of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, a camera trap captured 25 images of a male O. virginianus in November 2017. This represents a new occurrence for Bernalillo County and the Sandia Mountains.
Researchers discover how vegetation thinning affects New Mexico mule deer population May 8, 2020 Phys.org
... As the treatment started to age, we saw that their use of these treated areas declined. We know they constantly preferred to be closer to water sources ... the deer tended to be a little bit closer to developed areas...
Speak out on wildlife corridors plan February 23, 2020 New Mexico, Albuquerque Journal
... migration routes for such species as Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer and pronghorn ... The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and New Mexico Department of Transportation will be conducting a series of public meetings that are focused on providing the public and interested stakeholders an opportunity to learn about the early stages of the action plan and why it is important...
Mule Deer Habitat Selection Following Vegetation Thinning Treatments in New Mexico
GE Sorensen, DW Kramer, JW Cain III, CA Taylor… - Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2020
Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) survival and population growth in north‐central New Mexico, USA, was previously reported to be limited by nutritional constraints due to poor forage conditions in degraded habitats... Deer selected areas closer to water and developed areas, northeast aspects, on gentle slopes, and at lower elevations. Creating a savanna‐like cover type may elicit a positive deer response as a result of their strong avoidance of dense, closed canopy pinyon–juniper woodlands...
Land exchange would acquire critical elk and deer habitat February 8, 2020 New Mexico, The Durango Herald
... The proposed Valle Seco 2019 Land Exchange would secure important winter rangeland, a crucial migration corridor for elk and mule deer and additional public access for motorized use in the Valle Seco area...
New Mexico ranchers say hungry elk are damaging property January 31, 2020 Santa Fe New Mexican
... on the fringes of Carson National Forest ... They have asked for more hunting permits to be issued and say they should be compensated for the loss of hay and for damage caused by elk that try to jump fences and access pens... “We estimate from past migration up to 1,000 elk.” ...
BLM's Carlsbad plan must balance oil and wildlife January 13, 2020 New Mexico, Albuquerque Journal
... The Bureau of Land Management is preparing to release a Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Carlsbad area ... wants to make nearly 97% of the planning area available to oil and gas leasing... key habitat for pronghorn, deer and a variety of upland game birds, and that habitat has been increasingly stressed by energy development...
Eddy County Game and Fish officers get new tools to fight poachers November 29, 2019 New Mexico, Carlsbad Current-Argus
... Funds raised during a Mule Deer Foundation banquet earlier this year bought four thermal imaging scopes ... used to pick up heat signatures at night ... “We were able to see vehicle and the individuals clearly ...
Thousands Of New Mexicans Call For Wildlife Protections In Santa Fe; Carson National Forest Plans November 8, 2019 New Mexico, Los Alamos Daily Post
... “Connectivity is the key to protecting and restoring wildlife and their habitat. The elk, mule deer ... and other wildlife that call the Upper Rio Grande Watershed home need protected migration corridors to thrive... The Carson National Forest’s draft management plan includes key protections for the Valle Vidal and San Antonio Management Areas ...
Moose From Southern Colorado Wander Into New Mexico October 5, 2019 New Mexico, Los Alamos Reporter
... The native range of moose has never included New Mexico; however, over the last several years, a few members of the species have ventured south across the Colorado border into the northern part of our state... they are protected under state statutes ...
Local national forest plans need more coordination September 22, 2019 New Mexico, Albuquerque Journal
... it is critical that the three national forests comprising almost 5 million acres across northern New Mexico and southern Colorado coordinate their forest planning and management efforts to protect critical habitat and wildlife migration routes from new road building, mineral extraction and energy development...
Tribes are leaders in wildlife management September 2, 2019 New Mexico, New Mexico Political Report
... The Southern Ute Tribe has spent the past 20 years identifying corridors between tribal and federal lands to help manage the deer and elk populations. The tribe conducted an extensive study between 2004 and 2010 using GPS radio collars to track mule deer movements, Johnson said. The tribe began a similar study for elk in 2013...
To protect wildlife, state agencies pledge collaboration in wildlife corridors August 22, 2019 New Mexico, New Mexico Political Report
... Much of the state’s big game species, such as elk, deer and bighorn sheep, move freely across Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado ... In the spring of 2019, New Mexico became the first state to adopt a comprehensive, cross-jurisidiction program to identify wildlife corridors ...
New Mexico Game And Fish: Deer, Elk And Bighorn Enhancement Raffle Tickets Now Available June 10, 2019 Los Alamos Daily Post
... All proceeds from enhancement hunts are used solely for habitat enhancement, conservation, research and management projects in New Mexico for the species raffled...
Forest restoration, wildfire, and habitat selection by female mule deer New Mexico, TM Roerick, JW Cain III, JV Gedir - Forest Ecology and Management, 2019
... Historical forest management actions contributed to degraded habitat for mule deer. ... Decades of fire suppression, logging, and overgrazing have led to increased densities of small diameter trees which have been associated with decreases in biodiversity, reduced habitat quality for wildlife species, degraded foraging conditions for ungulates, and more frequent and severe wildfires...
Make way for wildlife May 17, 2019 New Mexico, taosnews
... DOT completed a project in 2017 to improve big game fencing along the interstate through Ratón, where mule deer and bear are often found crossing. By strategically installing 8-foot-high fencing, they were able to subtly direct animals to cross underneath the road using existing drainages. "We are seeing a significant reduction in wildlife-vehicle collisions," ...
Poll: New Mexicans Want Wildlife Corridors Protected April 23, 2019 New Mexico, Public News Service
... 400 likely voters in ... New Mexico and Colorado ... "Seventy-seven percent support protecting migration-corridors in rural parts of these two states, and 87 percent non-rural,” ...
Another Disaster Looms at Interior Department April 13, 2019 New Mexico, Martinsville Bulletin
... In the year since the order, nearly 20 percent of the Interior Department leases to oil and gas have been within these corridors. In New Mexico, 82 percent of the leases threaten mule deer, elk and pronghorn migrations...
Impacts of chronic wasting disease on a low density mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) population in the San Andres Mountains, Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico LC Bender, CL Rodden, P Mathis, ME Weisenberger… - ACTA ZOOLÓGICA …, 2019
... . Distribution of infected deer was strongly related to presence of other infected deer. Annual survival rates of mule deer and population rate-of-increase suggested little effect of CWD on population-level mortality given observed prevalence. Transmission and reservoirs of CWD in the SAM were likely limited by low deer densities, patchy distribution, and environmental characteristics (i.e., low clay content of soils) unfavorable to prion persistence, characteristics that are typical of most mule deer populations in the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion...
New Mexico governor Lujan Grisham asks game commission members to resign March 26, 2019 El Paso Times
... The seven-member game commission serves at the pleasure of the governor, and last week she requested they submit their resignations...
NMSU researchers work to restore fire-damaged forests February 17, 2019 New Mexico, Las Cruces Sun-News
... elk are really responding to the wildfire burned areas, because they like the new grass growth ... The mule deer avoid the wildfire areas completely after the fire ... will visit prescribed burn areas, particularly those burned within the previous two years. Deer select thinned areas, but only those thinned more than five years previous, once the shrubs have grown back...
Lawmakers seek safe passage on highways for wildlife, drivers February 6, 2019 New Mexico, New Mexico In Depth
... The “Wildlife Corridors Act,” SB 228 ... tasks the Departments of Transportation and Game and Fish with looking for the most likely locations for ... deer, elk ...moving through the landscape among pieces of habitat fragmented by human development at some point have to cross roads...
Stewart Bill To Create Wildlife Corridors To Protect Animals, People Passes Committee February 4, 2019 New Mexico, Los Alamos Daily Post
... “By using overpasses and underpasses, among other tools, we can keep animals off our roads and ensure drivers and their passengers get where they’re going safely.”...
'Piebald' deer spotted in northern New Mexico January 11, 2018 New Mexico, KRQE Blog
... "Piebald" means having two patches of color and is a result of a rare genetic defect...
Coues Deer Hunt in Mexico September 12, 2018 New Mexico, PetersenHunting.com
...The Coues whitetail has a distinct range, usually found in mountains, in elevations from 4,000 to 8,000 feet. It is ideally adapted to desert environment, thinly distributed in arid habitat...
New deer and elk hunt rules considered in New Mexico July 23, 2018
Ruidoso News
... Department officials are seeking public comments on proposed revisions to the deer, elk, and elk private lands use system ... proposal available here ... Comments should be received before the November 15, 2018 Game Commission Meeting...
Nontypical antlers on mule deer and elk can grow in bizarre shapes July 17, 2018 New Mexico, Ruidoso News
... extreme variations in antler shape, along with abnormal protrusions that appear in every direction," ... Elk and deer with these abnormalities in their headgear are said to have 'nontypical' antlers." The most common cause is tied to a damaged pedicle or base where the antlers grow..
Wildlife center raising three deer fawns, warns against wild animal 'rescue' June 28, 2018 New Mexico, KRQE News 13
... two of the deer being raised at the facility are twin brothers whose mother died during birth near Red River. The third fawn, a female, the wildlife center believes was mistakenly taken near Raton by someone who thought the fawn was abandoned by its mother...
Officials work to ensure wildlife have water during drought June 26, 2018 New Mexico, The Santa Fe New Mexican
... the Arizona Elk Society have hauled about 100,000 gallons to 78 water catchments since February just in the Flagstaff area ... Our goal is to have available water no greater than 2 to 3 miles apart ..,
Conservatism took hold here 1000 years ago. Until the people fled. June 1, 2018 New Mexico, Washington Post
... During the eighth century, a new kind of civilization arose in New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon ... As the population grew, people cleared nearby forests to plant corn. It seemed like a good idea until Chacoans belatedly realized that the forests were home to the deer whose meat and hides they prized. Just as the deer supply began to dwindle, a drought hit in the 1100s, devastating crops...
New wildlife area added April 5, 2018 New Mexico, Valley Courier
... In San Luis Valley, a new state wildlife area now protects 17,019 acres ... The property’s hilly shrublands provide important winter range for mule deer, pronghorn and Rocky Mountain elk herds that move from higher elevations to the valley floor in winter months...
Five years later — more than a monument March 31, 2018 New Mexico, Santa Fe New Mexican
... Río Grande del Norte National Monument ... provides important habitat for Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, black bear and cougar. It serves as an important wildlife corridor ...
C Cranston - Boston College Law Review, 2018
... In the 2017 case, New Mexico Department of Game & Fish v. United States Department of the Interior, the United States Court of Appeals for thebTenth Circuit held that the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (“New Mexico Department”) was not entitled to a preliminary injunction that barred the United States Fish and Wildlife Service from releasing endangered Mexican gray wolves into the wild on federal lands within New Mexico...
New Mexico Mule Deer Hunt Raffle March 26, 2018 Sporting Classics Daily
... proceeds raised from the raffle of this tag will be used for deer management and conservation within the state of New Mexico...
Severe drought conditions could lead to more wildlife in your backyard March 17, 2018 New Mexico, KOB 4
... a large section of red in the Four Corners, as well as other portions of New Mexico, indicating extreme-to-exceptional drought conditions... The deer and elk are going to start foraging on mountainous shrubs or ornamental shrubs ..,
Southern New Mexico wildlife projects entice all kinds of critters January 8, 2018 Las Cruces Sun-News
... The Habitat Stamp Program is a partnership between the state and federal wildlife agencies, including the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service, to enhance wildlife habitat... projects rejuvenate deer forage or reduce dense vegetation in desert bighorn sheep habitat through prescribed fire...
Deer, elk illegally killed, carcasses left to rot in Otero County January 4, 2018 New Mexico, KOB 4
... multiple deer and elk were killed and their bodies left to rot... bull elk had an arrow in its neck and both antlers were broken off ... deer was shot and killed with its head removed and meat left to waste...
Demographics of mule deer puma prey in south-central New Mexico TW Perry, NT Vogt, Department of Biology, Furman University, Greenville, SC
...Our data suggest that pumas select mid to late age classes (specifically 6 year olds) disproportionately to their availability (χ2 = 62.745, d.f. = 10, P <0.001). This trend is supported by the data of Logan and Sweanor (χ2 = 515.92, d.f. = 10, P < 0.001). Pumas have a dramatically reduced impact on deer population growth as a result of selecting age classes with lower reproductive value. Understanding the prey selectivity of pumas gives insight into their effects on prey population dynamics and should be considered by game managers...
Mule Deer Impacted by Development on Public Lands December 13, 2017 New Mexico, New Mexico Wildlife Federation
... energy development has caused a decrease in muleys across the West. The main reason for this decline is severe habitat fragmentation and a general loss of habitat quality...
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation awards grants to help enhance elk habitat in New Mexico November 7, 2017 Silver City Sun-News
... “Nearly a third of our projects this year focus on improving water sources for elk and other wildlife.” ...
NMSU professor leads wildlife research effort in Jemez Mountains September 9, 2017 New Mexico, Las Cruces Sun-News
... Because of decades of fire suppression ... forests have become overgrown, so the canopy is really dense ... prevents sunlight from reaching the floor, which results in essentially no forage or vegetation growing underneath the canopy... an impact for wildlife that utilize forage on the forest floor, it also results in increased fire danger... looking at how the vegetation responds to the thinning and prescribed burns, and then how the herbivores respond ...
Hey hunters, don't vote against protecting public lands August 23, 2017 New Mexico, High Country News
... It means that if we value the mule deer that summer in the South San Juans, we must value every bit as much, the sage flats east of San Antonio Mountain that carry them through the winter. And it means that we must rely on data wherever that data may take us. Even if it flies in the face of our expectations...
New Mexico To Receive More Than $1 Million For Native, State Wildlife ConservationProjects August 23, 2017 Los Alamos Daily Post
... The funds, which are provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, give support for a diverse array of species and habitats across the country. The Pueblo of Tesuque will receive $199,754 for mule deer management and the habitat enhancement program...
Zinke Supports Opening Access to New Mexico Wilderness Site August 9, 2017 New Mexico, U.S. News & World Report
... the 16,000-acre ... Sabinoso Wilderness is surrounded by private property. It is home to rugged canyons, mesas topped with pinon and juniper trees and wildlife that include deer, elk, mountain lions and turkey...
New wolf plan angers both sides July 22, 2017 New Mexico, Albuquerque Journal
... endangered Mexican gray wolf ... The plan gives ultimate authority to New Mexico and Arizona to “determine the timing, location and circumstances of releases of wolves into the wild within their respective states.” ...
The elk herd returns to Ruidoso July 19, 2017 New Mexico, Ruidoso News
... Rocky Mountain elk ... “Although a private ranch started the reintroduction, Territorial Game Warden Thomas Gable made the first public releases in 1911, distributing 12 animals to three spots in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains,”... Reintroduction was necessary because of relentless hunting pressure late in the 19th Century..,
Officials warn against picking up young ones July 10, 2017 New Mexico, Silver City Daily Press and Independent
... July and August are when 90 percent of baby deer are born ... Wildlife leave their babies for hours on end. Fawn are born without scent and they are camouflaged. They need to be left alone.” ...
'Land that time forgot' [border wall] April 30, 2017 New Mexico, Albuquerque Journal
... a border wall ... Wildlife experts say a physical barrier ....could devastate both plant and animal life by reducing or isolating habitats, blocking migration routes ... A subspecies of white-tailed deer, Coues aren’t endangered but their habitat is limited to parts of New Mexico and Arizona, stretching into Mexico...
Poaching becomes felony in New Mexico April 17, 2017 The Spokesman-Review
... legislation elevating the wasting of game from a misdemeanor to a felony ... poaching an elk, antelope, bighorn sheep, deer ...
Study of mammals in Jemez gets funding February 22,2017 New Mexico, Albuquerque Journal
... We are conducting a project to assess the responses of mule deer, elk, and black bears to large-scale forest restoration treatments and recent wildfires on lands managed by the Valles Caldera National Preserve and Santa Fe National Forest ...
Government and industry join to study mule deer December 24, 2016 New Mexico, Farmington Daily Times
...Scientists from Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc., or WEST, an environmental and statistical consulting service, are spearheading the ongoing study, which examines how oil and gas operations affect the mule deer population in the Rosa, N.M., area ...
New Mexico revokes hunting privileges in poaching case November 26, 2016 CT Post
... drove about 300 miles and shot three deer in three separate counties. Authorities say one was shot with a crossbow in downtown Cimarron ...
Chronic wasting disease found in McGregor Range deer September 19, 2016 New Mexico, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Five deer harvested in the McGregor Range area of southern New Mexico during the 2015-16 hunting season have tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the Department of Game and Fish announced. Hunters who harvested those deer have been notified of the test results. Forty hunters who drew licenses for 2016-17 hunts on the range will be notified and advised of procedures to present their harvested deer for testing. First discovered in New Mexico in 2002 ...
Ruidoso, Deer and elk pose traffic risk September 8, 2016 New Mexico, Ruidoso News
... prospect of a municipal ordinance to ban feeding of wildlife, specifically elk and deer, aimed at protecting the animals and lowering the number of traffic accidents ... past attempts have failed to muster support on the council ... deer becoming domesticated in the village ...
Epizootic hemmorrhagic disease in Mule deer September 4, 2016 New Mexico, Carlsbad Current-Argus
... EHD is a viral disease and most common in whitetail deer but has been reported in mule deer as well. It’s transmitted by biting midges ... There is not much that can be done to control the disease without controlling the insect vectors. Eddy County vector control is very good at what they do and have expanded their control efforts to meet this challenge ...
New research sheds lights on doe movements related to breeding, hunting pressure September 4, 2016 South Carolina, Index-Journal
... Does typically increased movement rate, probability of activity, and likelihood of being out of their seasonal home range as their dates of conception approached... about half of the females made an excursion and temporarily left their home ranges around their conception dates... read the research [PDF]
Disease is killing mule deer in New Mexico August 31, 2016 New Mexico, KRQE News 13
... spreading in New Mexico. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease ... EHD, the disease can cause breathing problems, fever and swelling of the eyes, neck and tongue for mule deer and in many cases leads to death. “It can kill them within 10 to 15 days ...
Biologists caution against moving deer during fawning July 23, 2016 New Mexico, Silver City Daily Press and Independent
... a baby deer left alone is actually safer, and is very rarely abandoned... The mother has a very strong smell after she’s given birth ... she purposefully stays away, because a predator can find her but she can run from that predator a lot better than the little fawn. So the baby has this instinct to stay down on the ground and not move ...
State officials hope to stop feds from releasing wolves in New Mexico May 26, 2016 New Mexico, KRQE News 13
... It’s now up to a federal judge ...
Furry friends spotted on wildlife bridge May 4, 2016 New Mexico, Tucson Local Media
... the wildlife connectivity bridge and underpass spanning North Oracle Road just outside Oro Valley town limits has experienced a variety of animals making use of the new features. The Sonoran Desert’s first wildlife bridge [see video below of mule deer using the bridge]
Rewards paid to catch New Mexico poachers April 23, 2016 New Mexico, KRQE News 13
... Operation Game Thief, in short, is the “Crime Stoppers for wildlife.” ... Antelope tips are $350. The reward increases to $500 for deer and oryx. Tips involving prosecutions related to elk and bighorn sheep are up to $750...
Silver City, Town manager says no hunting in city limits March 9, 2016 New Mexico, Silver City Sun-News
... “It’s within the Game and Fish Department’s purview to recommend hunts, but within the Silver City town limits it is against the law,” Brown said. “That is within our purview.” ...
Silver City, Game and Fish continues deer population management March 7, 2016 New Mexico, Silver City Sun-News
... In 2012, they managed to trap only six deer, but in 2013, that number shot up to 110,” Matthews said. “It is a lot of work, you need at least one person per deer.” The deer are hooded and their legs are tied so they can be safely transported during relocation. “So you wind up having to have 20-25 people there if you have 20-25 deer. It’s pretty labor intensive.” ...
Fish and Wildlife says it’s just a part of the process, while wildlife advocates say the process needs to change February 20, 2016 New Mexico, Santa Fe Reporter
... This year’s annual count found just 97 Mexican wolves in the wild ... allow for killing wolves in response to “unacceptable impacts” to deer and elk. None of the new provisions were used this year ... press relase from FWS about Mexican wolf recovery ...
New Mexico Deer News and Information Archive by Topic: Population and Management, Deer in the News, Disease, Suburban, Transportation
New Mexico data: The state has provided an estimated range of 80,000 to 100,000 mule deer from 2015 to 2022 to the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. In 2023 the state reported: "The 2022 summer monsoons were very robust in New Mexico, and we saw major improvements in vegetative health, soil moisture, and streamflow. The 2023 spring moisture has been also above average for the state... Because of consecutive years of good precipitation and fawn recruitment, many populations should start increasing throughout the state." An estimated elk population of 104,000 in 2022.
The population graph below combines hunting data with estimates for the mule deer population range given by the state and a few other published sources. The data analysis. Historic estimates for Coues and whitetail deer are limited, but they are thought to have expanded their range in recent years.
A dry 2021 pushed the population toward the lower end of the range as reflected in the graph above. The state reported a rough estimate of 12,500 Coues white-tails and Texas white-tails to the Natioinal Deer Associaton for 2019. For 2022 Game and Fish reduced deer hunting licenses for southeast New Mexico. Using hunting data and published comments, the 2021 the total deer populaton is estimated at 95,000 given the drought - about 83,000 mule deer and 12,000 Coues and Texas whitetails.
Graph Below from 2022 Western Assocation of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, submitted by the state of New Mexico. Follow link for details.
A population estimate in the press of about 80,000 mule deer and 12,000 Coues deer in 2013 compared to the model estimate of 98,000. Some white-tails in the river bottoms and along the Texas border, Coues white-tails are mostly in the southwest. Persistent drought beginning in the winter of 2010-11 reduced populations. In 2013 the state reported: "The latest drought hitting New Mexico that began in the winter of 2010-2011 has continued throughout the state. Mule deer populations have declined statewide because of low recruitment. Some moisture occurred statewide during the monsoon season followed by the 2011-2012 winter with more precipitation than in 2010-2011. 2012-2013 has been one of the driest periods in recorded history."
A population estimate of 5,000 Coues whitetails in 2009. Up to 200,000 mule deer in 1999.
History Habitat loss and over hunting pushed the population down to its low of about 40,000 in the early 1900's. In 1894 New Mexico began to restrict the taking of wild game. In 1894 the deer season was reduced to six months and banned killing deer for hides. In 1899 the hunting limit was set at one buck but no does.
In 1931 a doe harvest is reinstated to control some populations. According the Department of Fish and Game: "Mule deer populations climbed to approximately 150,000 by 1938, reached 250,000 in 1950, and peaked at 301,000 or more in the mid-1960s." Doe hunts were generally ended in 1983. In 2013 only 124 were taken compared to 8509 bucks. A three point or better antler restriction was imposed in 2004, currently requires forked antler. Hunter success usually around 30 percent. Historical information from: Mule Deer in New Mexico [PDF] Mule Deer of New Mexico [PDF]
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was first discovered in New Mexico in 2002, in the southern hunting region on the White Sands Missile site where, according to one source, deer were imported from Colorado where CWD was prevalent. Two of three deer that tested positive in 2006 came from the area, with the third from an area near the village of Timberon. Five deer from the region tested positive in 2016.
Elk were hunted to extinction in the late 19th century. A private ranch started a reintroduction in 1911.
Moose. A moose was sighted in September, 2023, near Tesuque.
Cougars An estimated 3,000 to 4,500 cougars (mountain lions) in the state in 2015.
Bears An estimated 5,000 to 7,000 bears.
Mexican Wolf An estimated 87 wolves in 2019. In 2023 an estimated 136 wolves as a result of recovery estimates.
Report Poaching: People can report poaching anonymously to Operation Game Thief at 800-432-GAME.
Other useful links:
- New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department
- New Mexico Wildlife Federation (NMWF) is a nonprofit organization of sportsmen and women dedicated to protecting New Mexico’s wildlife, public lands ...
- Guidelines for Monitoring Elk and Mule Deer Numbers in New Mexico [PDF]