Come check out our February events!
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Upcoming Events - February 2026
February has arrived, with loads of opportunities to engage with the Department of Wildlife! Check out our events, contests, and hunter education classes.
You can see all of the Department's upcoming events on our website.
Join us at the Outdoor Adventures Show!
The New Mexico Department of Wildlife is proud to present its annual New Mexico Outdoor Adventures Show , set to take place Feb. 13-15 in the Manuel Luján Building at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque!
Join us for fun educational activities, opportunities to chat with Department experts, duck, turkey, and elk calling contests, and a variety of outdoor recreation-focused vendors.
The show hours are:
Friday, Feb. 13 — noon-6 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 14 — 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 15 — 10 a.m.-5 pm.
Admission is $5 for adults, and free for youth age 17 and younger or anyone who holds a valid New Mexico hunting and/or fishing license.
Try our new Birding Big Year Contest!
The New Mexico Department of Wildlife is excited to introduce the 2026 Birding Big Year Contest, which encourages birders of all experience levels to engage in a friendly competition to identify as many bird species as possible in New Mexico through the end of the calendar year.
The competition features age groups for youth (ages 13-17), adults (ages 18-64), and seniors (ages 65 and up), with the adult and senior age groups also including separate categories for novice, intermediate, and advanced birders.
New Mexico is home to more than 550 bird species, including mourning doves and black-chinned hummingbirds, which are common in backyards; New Mexico's state bird, the greater roadrunner; and less-common species such as the pinyon jay, white-tailed ptarmigan, and burrowing owl.
Check out the Department's website for more information on this exciting new opportunity!
Don't forget to take a hunter education course!
If you're under the age of 18 and planning to apply for this year's Big Game Draw, remember that you are required to complete a hunter education class before you can apply or hunt in New Mexico. Hunter's education courses are not only for youth, but can be beneficial for hunters of all ages. So if you haven't taken it before or need a refresher, we encourage you to sign up!
A list of upcoming classes across the state is available on the Department's website .
Online classes are also available for anyone age 9 and older. More information is available here .
Want to hunt turkeys? We can show you how!
Have you wanted to learn how to hunt turkeys? The New Mexico Department of Wildlife is hosting a free Adult Turkey Hunting Workshop on March 15 at its Northwest Area office in Albuquerque!
Join us to learn about turkey biology, how to identify turkeys by subspecies, gender, how to call, shot placement , hunting safety, outdoor survival, rules and regulations, decoys, and field dressing.
Registration opens March 2 at 8 a.m. for men and women age 18 and over. Click here to register (link is inactive until registration opens).
Learn how to fish for warmwater species!
Is fishing more your thing? If you've always wanted to learn how to fish and don't know where to start, the Department of Wildlife will also host free Beginner Warmwater Fishing Workshops in April.
The first will take place on April 19 at the Northwest Area office in Albuquerque, and the second on April 26 at the Southwest Area office in Las Cruces. Participants will learn fishing techniques, fish identification, the necessary gear, the rules and regulations, terminal tackle, knot tying, and casting.
These workshops are open to adults aged 18 and older with little or no warmwater fishing experience. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. March 30. Click here to register (link is inactive until registration begins).
Youth Hunter Education Challenge coming soon!
The 2026 Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) is returning to the world-class NRA Whittington Center near Raton from June 5-7, and all youth hunter education graduates are eligible.
The annual competition between individual and teams allows youth to demonstrate their shooting skills, marksmanship and hunting safety and knowledge in a fun, competitive environment.
“It is a great way for young hunters to get practical hunting experience in an outdoor environment. Hunting is more than just going out and harvesting an animal. YHEC expands the experience into meeting others with the same interests and to work with the New Mexico Department of Wildlife,” said Rick Richardson, assistant director of YHEC.
To join and for more information, visit the New Mexico YHEC website .
Upcoming Events
Feb. 13-15: New Mexico Outdoor Adventures Show at Expo New Mexico; click here for more information
Feb. 13-15: NASP 3-D State Tournament at Expo New Mexico
Feb. 14-15: Hunter Education in Cloudcroft; click here for more information
Feb. 14-15: Hunter Education in Las Cruces; click here for more information
Feb. 15: Deadline to submit harvest reports for 2025-2026 deer, elk, pronghorn and turkey license holders without late fee; click here to submit
Feb. 18: Draw results available for bear and turkey permits
Feb. 20: State Game Commission Meeting in Roswell; click here for more information
Feb. 20-22: Hunter Education in Bloomfield; click here for more information
Feb. 21: ATV Safety Class in Los Lunas; click here for more information
Feb. 21: Hunter Education Instructor Training Workshop in Roswell; click here for more information
Feb. 21: Beginner Shotgun Shooting Class in Clayton; click here for more information
Feb. 21-22: Hunter Education in Las Cruces; click here for more information
Feb. 21-22: Hunter Education in Hatch; click here for more information
Feb. 21-22: Hunter Education in La Joya; click here for more information
Feb. 21-22: Hunter Education in Raton; click here for more information
Feb. 21-22: Hunter Education in Carlsbad; click here for more information
Feb.…