Public Comment

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (Department) is initiating an investigation into potentially removing Gould’s wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo mexicanus) from the state list of threatened and endangered species.  Pursuant to the Wildlife Conservation Act [17-2-40 NMSA 1978], investigations into delisting a species may be conducted based on new biological evidence.  Gould’s wild turkey was listed as state threatened in 1974 due to its limited range within New Mexico and uncertainty about its abundance at that time.  Results of sustained field research conducted by the Department in recent years, in conjunction with a successful augmentation of the Peloncillo Mountains population, indicate that recovery criteria specified in the Gould’s Wild Turkey Recovery Plan (April 2017) have now been met.  The delisting investigation will be conducted by Department Resident Game Bird Biologist Casey Cardinal and Recovery Coordinator John Bulger.

At this time the Department is soliciting comments and concerns from the general public about the potential delisting of Gould’s wild turkey.  In accordance with the Wildlife Conservation Act, we are accepting data, views or information about the biological or ecological status of the species for use in the investigation.  A public repository file has been created to document the delisting investigation and to record public comments on the process.

Public comments will be accepted throughout the delisting process.  Comments received prior to February 18, 2022, will be considered in the development of the Delisting Proposal.  Once the draft proposal is finalized, it will be available for review on the Department’s website at http://beta.wildlife.state.nm.us/conservation/wildlife-species-information/threatened-and-endangered-species/.

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish announces the availability for public review of its draft recovery plan for Least Shrew, a species of small mammal listed as threatened under the New Mexico Wildlife Conservation Act.  Populations of Least Shrew occur on the plains in the northeastern quarter of the state, and in portions of the Pecos River Valley.  The draft plan can be viewed on the Department’s website, http://beta.wildlife.state.nm.us/conservation/wildlife-species-information/threatened-and-endangered-species/, or obtained by email, john.bulger@dgf.nm.gov.  Comments must be submitted by email prior to 5:00 pm on December 24, 2020.  The Department will present the recovery plan for approval to the State Game Commission at its meeting scheduled for January 15, 2021.

- Least-Shrew-Final-Recovery-Plan

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish requests public comments on its Draft 2020 Biennial Review of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife Species listed under the Wildlife Conservation Act (Section 17-2-40 NMSA 1978). Comments on the draft document will be accepted until September 10, 2020.

- 2020 Biennial Review

The Biennial Review process requires that staff biologists review the current status of all State-listed species and determine for each species whether it should be “uplisted” from threatened to endangered, “downlisted” from endangered to threatened, or remain unchanged in the listings. Adding or removing species from the State List is a separate process. The sole change in status recommended in the current review is an uplisting from threatened to endangered for Narrow-headed Gartersnake. Listing decisions are based only on biological and ecological factors. The Wildlife Conservation Act contains no provisions for critical habitat, habitat regulation, or other restrictions regarding state-listed wildlife except to prevent direct taking of the species.

- Narrow-headed-gartersnake-uplisting-proposal

The Department will create a repository at the Headquarters in Santa Fe, and all public comments regarding species’ listing status received during the review will be kept in the repository file. Public comments and final recommendations will be presented to the State Game Commission at its October 16, 2020 meeting.

The Draft 2020 Biennial Review document and companion uplisting proposal for Narrow-headed Gartersnake can be viewed on the Department’s website, http://beta.wildlife.state.nm.us/conservation/wildlife-species-information/threatened-and-endangered-species/, or obtained by mail at New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Attn: John Bulger, P. O. Box 25112, Santa Fe, NM 87504; or by email, john.bulger@dgf.nm.gov. Comments will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on September 10, 2020, by email or regular mail at the addresses listed above.

Updated 3-12-2020: check below for postponements. 

The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) in partnership with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) has begun developing the Wildlife Corridors Action Plan (Plan) in accordance with New Mexico Senate Bill 228, the Wildlife Corridors Act (Act).

The Act, signed into law by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in 2019, directs the NMDOT and the NMDGF to develop the Plan for NMDOT roads statewide. The Plan will identify wildlife-vehicle collision hotspots that pose a risk to the traveling public, identify wildlife corridors from ecological data, and provide a list of priority projects based on the results of the Plan’s analysis. The Plan will provide information on wildlife movement with an emphasis on large mammals such as elk, deer, bear and mountain lion. A team of national experts led by Daniel B. Stephens and Associates (DBS&A), under contract with NMDOT, will develop the Plan in partnership with NMDGF. The DBS&A team will use a science-driven approach to identify areas per the Act that “pose a risk to successful wildlife migration or that pose a risk to the traveling public” and will be based on NMDOT crash data and ecological information on wildlife movements.

The Plan will build on past and ongoing efforts and is intended to raise support for and consensus in the identification of priority wildlife corridors and priority projects across New Mexico. Development of the Plan will also involve soliciting input from the general public, tribal governments and interested stakeholders.

We are writing to inform you that this is an opportunity for the public and engaged stakeholders to provide input and support for potential actions that will increase public safety and promote wildlife habitat connectivity.

There will be 8 public meetings to be held around the state to introduce the project and we invite you and your organization to participate. Attached please find the meeting locations, dates and times as well as details on how to submit comments. We look forward to working with the public and engaged stakeholder’s as this process continues.

Thank you for your interest.

Public Meeting Information and Public Input Instructions

- New-Mexico-Wildlife-Corridors-Action-Plan-Public-Meeting-Information-and-Public-Input-Instructions

• Raton NMDGF Office, 215 York Canyon Road Tuesday, February 25, 2020 6:30-8:00pm
• Albuquerque NMDGF Office, 7816 Alamo Road NW Thursday, February 27, 2020, 6:30-8:00pm
• Santa Fe Santa Fe Higher Education Center, 1950 Siringo Road, Tuesday, March 3, 2020 6:30-8:00pm
• Farmington McGee Park, 41 County Road 5568, MultiPurpose Building (located south of Sun Ray Park & Casino), Thursday, March 5, 2020 6:30-8:00pm
• Las Cruces NMDGF Office, 2715 Northside Drive Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:30-8:00pm
• Santa Clara (Silver City), Santa Clara Community Center, 11990 Hwy 180 E., Santa Clara, Wednesday, March 11, 2020, 6:30-8:00pm
• Postponed Roswell NMDGF Office, 1615 West College Boulevard, Thursday, March 12, 2020 6:30-8:00pm
• Postponed Taos Sagebrush Inn, 1508 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 6:30-8:00pm

Participation in the public meetings is not mandatory to provide input. Comments can be provided through email, meetings, and personal interactions with NMDOT and NMDGF personnel and the DBS&A Team. Additionally, written comments on the Plan can be provided by mail to the following: Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Attn: Wildlife Corridors Action Plan, 6020 Academy Road NE, Suite 100, Albuquerque, NM 87109; by email to Wildlife.Corridors@dgf.nm.gov; or in person at one of the meetings listed below. We will accept comments for this stage of the process through April 18, 2020.

Programmatic Agreement Public Comment:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program partners with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) to manage wildlife and acquire wildlife habitat in the State of New Mexico through grant programs. These activities potentially could affect cultural resources and indigenous religious interests that include archaeological sites and traditional cultural properties.

The USFWS is guided by legislation to take appropriate precautions to ensure the protection of cultural resources. The USFWS has authorized NMDGF to identify consulting parties, define the Area of Potential Effect (APE), identify historic properties, assess potential effects, and make determinations and recommendations pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(c)(4) (Appendix B). The USFWS has entered into a cultural resource Programmatic Agreement (PA) to fulfill portions of the USFWS’s obligations to cultural resources. The USFWS has consulted with the New Mexico State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) during development of this Programmatic Agreement (PA) and the SHPO is a Signatory to the PA under 36 CFR 800.6(c)(1)(i). The USFWS consulted with the Federally-recognized Native American Tribes pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(c) (2) and 36 CFR 800.14(f) regarding this PA.

The NMDGF conducts a cultural resource investigation in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act / Section 106 and the New Mexico Cultural Properties Act (NMSA 18-6-8.1) under the obligations of the 2018 National Historic Properties Act Programmatic Agreement.

The purpose of the cultural resource investigations is to record and assess known and newly revealed cultural resources within New Mexico State Game Commission and participating entity’s lands in relation to given proposed projects cited below. Within the parameters of the National Historic Preservation Act and the New Mexico Cultural Properties Act, the NMDGF on behalf of the New Mexico State Game Commission seeks public comment specifically and solely in relation to cultural resources of these proposed projects conducted through the state on State Game Commission Property, specific partnered lands, leased State Trust lands and participating private lands.

- Grant-Program-Summary

- Programmatic-Agreement

Updated. New Mexico has an abundance of federal and state owned public lands utilized for a variety of mixed recreational activities including; hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, shooting, horseback riding and off-highway vehicle use. The Department has identified several areas statewide, where a structured public shooting range would consolidate recreational shooting activities and benefit all users of public lands and teach the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to be a responsible hunter.

The Department is working with Federal, County and City governments to secure some of these lands to construct firearm and archery ranges for public use.

Current projects include proposed ranges in these communities:

Cibola County:

- Cibola-County-Shooting-Range-Master-Plan-06_27_2016

All proposed shooting ranges follow the Environmental Protection Agency’s Best Management Practices for Lead at Outdoor Shooting Ranges (https://www3.epa.gov/region02/waste/leadshot/epa_bmp.pdf); meet or exceed the National Rifle Association‘s standard for range construction (https://rangeservices.nra.org/); and comply with NRA Range Safety Rules. Perimeter fencing will be installed and posted to keep hikers, horseback riders, and ATV riders from unintentionally entering the shooting range. All city, county and state building codes will be adhered to during the construction.

Comments/suggestions should be sent to DGF-ShootingRanges@dgf.nm.gov.

Clovis Wing Shooting Complex & Archery Range:

- Clovis-Shooting-Range-Environmental-Assessment-Public-Draft

The Department is working with Federal, County and City governments on an environmental assessment for construction of the proposed Clovis Wing-Shooting Complex and Archery Range. A public meeting was held Tuesday, July 2 at the North Annex of the Clovis-Carver Library, located at 701 N. Main Street. The Draft EA is posted for review for 30-days, comments must be submitted by August 30, 2019. You may send comments in writing to DGF-ShootingRanges@dgf.nm.gov.

Printed copies of the draft EA can be obtained by writing the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, One Wildlife Way, Santa Fe, NM 87507 to the attention of Jessica Fisher, Shooting Program Coordinator. For more information, please call (505) 476-8100.