New name, same mission: New Mexico Department of Wildlife change reemphasizes bureau’s dedication beyond traditional game and fish species

While the name may be changing, the mission remains the same.

During the 2025 legislative session, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish began the process to change its name to the New Mexico Department of Wildlife as part of Senate Bill 5. The update will officially be enacted on July 1.

According to communications director Darren Vaughan, the change is a “better reflection” of the work the department does.

“The department’s focus has always gone beyond just traditional game species,” Vaughan said. “It is important that the department maintain focus on a broad range of species, including game, nongame and Species of Greatest Conservation Need, as each species plays a crucial role in New Mexico’s ecosystem.

“While department staff have always had the understanding that their work stretches far beyond just game animals and sport fish, the new name will help the department better communicate that fact to the public.”

A key point of emphasis for the Department of Wildlife moving forward will be to provide more educational opportunities — not just for hunters and anglers, but also for wildlife enthusiasts in general. One program with that in mind that already launched was the Birding Big Year Challenge, which encourages participants to identify as many species of birds as possible throughout the year. The deadline to register for the contest on the New Mexico Department of Wildlife website (wildlife.dgf.nm.gov) is April 1.

Additionally, the department will host an event in Glenwood “celebrating Gila trout, the completion of extensive renovation work at the department’s Glenwood State Fish Hatchery, and the recent opening of the Glenwood Allred Wildlife Management Area,” Vaughan said.

The initiative has also attempted to engage young people with a New Mexico Fish Art Contest in which students were invited to submit their artwork of fish found in the state. Winners in a variety of categories will be selected in March.

“The department looks forward to providing more educational opportunities for hunters and anglers, as well as wildlife enthusiasts who may be more interested in wildlife watching or photography or just want to learn more about New Mexico’s wildlife,” Vaughan said.

LICENSING MATTERS: Another aspect of Senate Bill 5 will directly affect New Mexicans a little further down the road when the department raises hunting and fishing license fees for the first time in two decades. As an example, a resident fishing license will go from $25 to $35, while a fishing license for nonresidents will increase from $56 to $90. Hunting license fees will also increase almost across the board, with only a handful of exceptions. The changes will take effect on April 1, 2026, and on April 1 of each successive year, the state wildlife commission may adjust the licensing fees to account for inflation. Raising those fees was necessary, Vaughan said.

“Costs related to the department’s work have continued to increase during that time, and without the fee increase, the department would struggle to fund these projects going forward,” Vaughan said. “This fee increase, along with new funding from the Land of Enchantment Fund and NM GRO (Government Results and Opportunity) will allow the department to continue to do its important work for decades to come.”