Bear necessities: NM Game and Fish Department readies for change with familiar logo

SANTA FE — Facing a looming agency rebranding and mission expansion, New Mexico’s Department of Game and Fish is sticking with the bear that got them here.

The agency’s director told lawmakers last week the department’s logo will be left largely intact when its name is officially changed to the New Mexico Department of Wildlife, starting in July 2026.

While the agency’s name will be changed, the image of a black bear’s head in the center of the logo will not.

“It’s an iconic species that represents the state well, I think,” Game and Fish Director Michael Sloane told members of the legislative Water and Natural Resources Committee during a meeting in Taos.

He also pointed out that New Mexico’s official mammal is the American black bear, and the state is home to the iconic Smokey Bear.

Lawmakers this year approved legislation overhauling the Game and Fish Department and increasing license fees for fishing, hunting and trapping. In addition to changing the agency’s name, the legislation also provides it with more authority to regulate wildlife species in New Mexico.

However, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham line-item vetoed a portion of the bill that would have made it harder to remove sitting state Game Commission members.

The governor said in her veto message the change could have led to protracted struggles to remove even the “most blatantly incompetent or corrupt” individuals from the seven-member Game Commission.

While backers of the bill questioned the legality of the governor’s veto, it has not been challenged in court. But the vetoed language could still be revived in future legislation, supporters said.

They also cited the governor’s removal of former Game Commissioner Sabrina Pack last month. The Governor’s Office said at the time Pack was fired for failing to disclose that she’d worked on an outside marketing campaign related to the Mexican gray wolf.

Jesse Deubel, the executive director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, said removal of Pack had once again left the seven-member Game Commission with a vacant seat.

“We need a process in place that ensures that any removal is fair and just,” Deubel told legislators. “The removal of a commissioner should not be up to one single individual.”

However, Deubel lauded the Game and Fish Department’s preparation to implement the parts of the bill that were signed into law, saying the increased license fees that take effect in April 2027 will provide the agency with a necessary funding infusion.

In addition, at least some legislators said they support the department’s decision to keep some things familiar as it prepares for change.

“I love the bear,” said Rep. Matthew McQueen, D-Galisteo. “I’m happy it’s staying.”