Blog / New Mexico Hunting Season

By Connor Thomas
Tuesday, February 21, 2023

 
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This article provides a comprehensive guide to New Mexico's 2022-2023 hunting season, delving into critical aspects such as the season dates, license requirements, regulations, and bag limits.

Are you seeking information regarding New Mexico hunting? Worry not, for you have landed in the right place. New Mexico is a unique state that offers great diversity to hunters, including first-time ones. Your stay in this beautiful state promises to be a memorable one as it promotes hunts for the youth and provides several programs aimed at teaching juniors to become responsible stewards. There are small hunting games and big games that cater to all ages, and you can be sure of a safe and enjoyable experience in New Mexico.

Hunting License

New Mexico utilizes a lottery permit to regulate its hunting seasons and hunts within regions. Before embarking on any hunting activity, ensure to visit the fish department and New Mexico game website to obtain the necessary information. Hunting seasons vary depending on the zone, specifically for desert bighorn sheep and rocky mountains.

For residents, hunting licenses cost $30 for game hunting and fishing, $34 for private land only, $15 for game hunting, $25 for turkey, and $34 for deer license standard. Non-residents can acquire game hunting and fishing licenses for $47, private land only for $270, game hunting for $65, turkey licenses for $100, deer license standard for $260, and bear license for $270. These licenses grant access to hunting on both public and private land, as long as the landowner provides written permission.

Different animals have different hunting times, and hunting seasons and dates differ depending on the animal being hunted:

New Mexico Deer Season

Muzzleloader: September 27 to October 3, 2021

Bow/Archery: September 1, 2021, to September 24 and January 1, 2021, to January 15, 2022

General Season: September 1, 2021, to January 31, 2022

Wild Turkey Season

General Season for Firearms: November 1, 2021, to November 30, 2021

General Season for Archer/Bow: September 1, 2021, to September 30, 2021

New Mexico's Minor Seasons

Dusky Blue Grouse: September 1, 2021, to November 30, 2021

Quail: November 15, 2021, to February 15, 2021

Pheasant: December 9 and December 12, 2021

Eurasian Collared Dove: April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2021

Squirrel: September 1, 2021, and November 30, 2021

Bag Limits

Bag limits vary depending on the animal being hunted, and you should continually check the official sites for updated information.

In conclusion, New Mexico provides excellent hunting opportunities to both residents and non-residents. Hunting in this state is an exciting and fun experience that one should not miss out on.