NM Department of Game and Fish Upcoming Events – February 2024

Upcoming Events – Feb. 2024

The Department is excited to host various public events in the upcoming months.

Please check out these opportunities to build your skills.

You can see all of the Department’s upcoming events on our website.

Don’t wait, sign up for a hunter education class today!

Did you know: before purchasing a game-hunting license, or applying for the big-game draw, all hunters 17 years of age and younger must obtain a hunter education number issued by New Mexico or another state or possess a New Mexico mentor-youth number?

New this year, all hunters, regardless of age, on White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in GMU 19 are required to have proof of passing a state-certified Hunter Education course prior to the hunt.

Classes fill up quickly, so sign up today! Hunter Education classes are currently available in:

* Albuquerque * Belen * Clovis

* Deming * Elephant Butte * Farmington

* La Luz * Las Cruces * Logan

* Mora * Pecos * Roswell

* Raton * Ruidoso * Silver City

* Virden

Our volunteer instructors and Department staff are listing more classes every day, check out our list of statewide classes here.

Enroll for a class by logging into or creating a customer account and clicking on Hunter Education.

Are you interested in learning but don’t know where to start? Check out this upcoming quail hunt!

Participants will learn how to identify quail, practice clay target shooting, quail hunt and field dress quail. They will also learn about rules and regulations and receive a refresher on hunter safety. Camping will take place at the Bottomless Lakes State Park campground near Roswell and the hunt will take place on nearby public land.

Get more information here.

Registration opens on Jan. 17 at 9 a.m. Slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to register.

Turkey season is right around the corner! Check out this session to learn all you need to know to get out this spring.

Spend a day with us to learn more about wild turkeys, their habits, and hunting them. Learn the following:

Wild turkey biology and history of their conservation
How to hunt wild turkeys, including shot placement
Essential turkey hunting and survival gear
Using onX
How to call wild turkeys
Licensing and hunting regulations

This workshop will allow you plenty of time to get your gear together, scout and practice calls before the general spring season opens on April 15!

Get more information here.

Registration opens on Jan. 29 at 9 a.m. Slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to register.

Did someone in your family get a new side-by-side, dirt bike, ATV or snowmobile for Christmas?

Or, maybe you have a snowmobile trip planned up north, and your teen is looking forward to riding too. Even if you are just waiting until the trails are clear and the weather is warmer, it is important to prepare to safely take to the trails.

Any person under 18 who wants to grab the throttle and go will need safety training before operating an OHV. Fortunately, New Mexico-approved OHV safety training is just a few clicks away.

Visit the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Online OHV Education web page and choose from among our online training partners for ATV, snowmobile or general OHV online training courses. Each course provider charges a small fee, approximately $35, to send the course completion card after the student passes the end-of-course test.

One safety permit is good for all the types of OHVs defined in New Mexico state law: ATV, dirt bike, side-by-side or snowmobile, though taking the course for the specific type of machine to be used is highly recommended.

The Department’s OHV training calendar will be updated soon with free hands-on all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and off-highway motorcycle (OHM) classes around the state, but if you need a New Mexico approved safety permit now, you can get it with an online class in the warmth and comfort of your home.

For more information, contact the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish OHV program office at (505) 222-4712 or send email to DGF-OHVEDU@dgf.nm.gov.