Licenses, applications, harvest reporting and general information: 1-888-248-6866
Press Release
2024–2025 It is unlawful to:
• Recklessly or carelessly handle a firearm.
• Hunt or trap while under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants, including marijuana.
• Litter and/or pollute streams, lakes and other waters.
• Leave a fire unattended or improperly control fire.
• Hunt or trap protected species without a license and all applicable permits, tags, stamps or validations or fail to tag any big game or turkey.
• Hunt or trap protected species using licenses, tags, permits, stamps or validations belonging to another individual, or take or attempt to take a protected species for another person, except as permitted when assisting a licensed mobilityimpaired hunter (page 16).
• Kill more than one of the following: elk, pronghorn, Barbary sheep, bighorn sheep, ibex, javelina, oryx, bear or deer during any license year, except as permitted by rule.
• Apply for, buy or use more than one license for any species per license year.
• Shine spotlights or other artificial lights into areas where big-game species or livestock may be present, while in possession of any sporting arm.
• Take or attempt to take game species by baiting. An area is considered to be baited for 10 days after the removal of the bait. It is also unlawful to take bear by the aid of scent.
• Use live protected species as decoys to take or attempt to take game species.
• Use electronically or mechanically recorded calling devices, except for cougars, bears, javelina, furbearers, nongame species and during the Light Goose Conservation Order.
• Use tracer ammunition, full-metal jacketed bullets or fully automatic weapons.
• Park any motor vehicle or camp within 300 yards of any manmade water hole, water well or watering tank used by wildlife or domestic stock without the prior consent of the private landowner, private-land lessee, public-land lessee or public-land management agency.
• Shoot at protected species or artificial wildlife from a motor vehicle.
• Shoot at game on, from or across any paved, graded or maintained public road or within the fenced right-of-way of any paved, graded or maintained public road.
• Shoot at, pursue, harass, harry, drive or rally any protected species by any means, except while legally hunting.
• Use motor-driven vehicles on roads closed under the Habitat Protection Act or other federal regulation.
• Hunt or shoot at any animal from an aircraft or drone or fly an aircraft in any manner that causes any non-domesticated animal to move from its place of rest or change its direction of travel.
• Hunt from an aircraft, use aircraft to signal locations of protected species to hunters, or harass game species with an aircraft; hunt protected species observed from aircraft within 48 hours of observation; or hunt protected species the same day of air travel, except by commercial airline or direct flight to a landing strip.
• Discharge a firearm within 150 yards of a dwelling or building (not including abandoned or vacated buildings on public land) without the permission of the owner or lessee.
• Take any animal that is protected by law but not listed as a game species and/or any animal that is listed as an endangered or threatened species.
• Use any cellular, Wi-Fi or satellite camera for the purpose of hunting or scouting remotely for any big game animal.
• Hunt any protected species outside of established season for that species.
• Exceed the daily bag limit or have more than the legal possession limit of any small-game species.
• Hunt for game species outside of legal shooting hours.
• Hunt or trap on private land without written permission.
• To place a trap or snare on public land, see page 128.
General Rules
Licenses, applications, harvest reporting and general information: 1-888-248-6866 2024– 2025 26 Licenses, applications, harvest reporting and general information: www.wildlife.state.nm.us License Requirements and Fees: See page 8–13.