Hunter Education Skills Camp

These camps are open to youth ages 10-17 who are accompanied by a registered adult. Camp is free, meals will be provided and participants will tent-camp on the property.

Participants will learn safe and responsible firearms handling, ethical hunting behaviors, conservation, wildlife identification and basic survival skills. Additionally, participants will learn from department conservation officers about their jobs including wildlife investigations, decoy operations and working with wildlife and test their marksmanship skills with bows and arrows. All equipment will be provided.

Slots will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. To qualify for the camp, participants must have a Customer Identification Number (CIN) account with the department and complete the required homework before attending.

Wedding Cake, NM – July 12-14, 2024

Registration opens June 4, 2024. Click here to register.  

Tres Ritos, NM – July 26-28, 2024

Registration opens July 1, 2024. Click here to register.

No More Excuses! Safety First! Helmets and Goggles are Available to Youth Free of Charge.

Did you spend a lot of money on your child’s dream machine recently? Are your kids looking to get out and explore the trails? Before they do, they must complete an approved OHV safety class. Throughout the summer, the Department is offering several opportunities for your family to take an OHV safety class.

In addition to a certification, youth under 18, who pass an in-person, OHV class will be given a free helmet and goggles to ensure that they are safe before hitting the trails.

OHV in-person classes are currently scheduled in Los Lunas. There is also a motorcycle class scheduled in Albuquerque.

Enroll for a class by logging into or creating a customer account and clicking on Off-Highway Vehicle. 

For more information, contact the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish OHV Program office at (505) 222-4712 or send email to DGF-OHVEDU@dgf.nm.gov.

Hunter Education Instructor Training Workshop

This workshop is required to become a certified hunter education instructor and will certify the instructor to teach both the Traditional and the Field Day Hunter Education student courses. This workshop will also provide the NM Hunter Education certification to new instructors who need a required New Mexico Hunter Education number. All participants must register prior to attending.

This worksop will be held on June 24, in Las Cruces from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Interested applicants need to first become certified Game and Fish volunteers. Below are the steps to become a certified volunteer:

1. Create a Customer Identification Account (CIN) with the Department at https://onlinesales.wildlife.state.nm.us/

2. Email Chris Jarvis at chris.jarvis@dgf.nm.gov for complete volunteer on-boarding packet.

3.Once the application is approved, certified volunteers can sign-up for the hunter education workshop through their CIN account.

For additional questions, please contact Stephanie Walton.

Statewide events

Please plan on joining us at these public events:

– June 7 – Cimarron Summer Reading Program – Wildlife presentation at the Cimarron Public Library starting at 10:30 a.m.

– June 12 – Moriarty Public Library Wildlife Presentation starting at 10:30 a.m.

– June 18 – Wildlife Presentation at Carlsbad Public Library starting at 2 p.m.

– June 20 – Wildlife Presentation at Rio Rancho Public Library starting at 10:30 a.m.

– June 22 – Off-highway Vehicle Safety Day at Outside Bruhn Hardware Store starting at 1 p.m. Click here for more information. 

– June 26 – Wildlife Presentation at Presbyterian Church in Jemez Spring starting at 11:30 a.m.

– June 27 – Wildlife Presentation at Artesia Public Library starting at 11 a.m.

– July 2 – Wildlife Presentation at Community House in Red River starting at 1 p.m.

– July 12 – Wildlife Presentation at Octavia Youth Public Library in Gallup starting at 11 a.m.

– July 19 – Wildlife Presentation at Silver City Children Library starting at 2 p.m.

– July 27 – Kids Fishing with a Cop at Lake Van in Dexter starting at 8 a.m. Click here for more information. 

– July 31 – Hunter Education Skills Day at Esther Bone Memorial Library – Registration opens July 8.