This grant is crucial in meeting department of game and fish missions and goals and to ensure compliance with state and federal mandates

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 2 awarded $3,431,430.63 to the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611) for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. This formula grant supports the Department's core wildlife management and conservation mission in New Mexico through comprehensive activities including wildlife population surveys, habitat restoration and management, hunter education and safety programming, and landowner engagement in big game management. The funded activities generate scientific data and recommendations that inform big game and habitat management decisions while ensuring compliance with state and federal wildlife conservation mandates.

Under this grant award, the Department engages sub-awardees to deliver specialized wildlife management services. A sub-grant issued June 17, 2025 to Lloyd Lindbeck supports predator management activities, specifically the hunting, trapping, and removal of mountain lions within designated bighorn sheep ranges to protect bighorn populations and maintain wildlife balance. These coordinated efforts—encompassing population monitoring, habitat management, hunter opportunity development, and targeted wildlife protection—collectively advance the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act's objectives to restore, conserve, and enhance wild birds and mammals and their habitat across New Mexico.

The department has the responsibility of protecting game in new mexico and maintaining an adequate supply for recreational use. This is accomplished through surveys and restoring populations. IT also involves developing recommendations for hunter opportunity and engaging landowners in big game management. The information gathered is used to prepare recommendations for big game and habitat management.