The following refuge units are open for hunting and/or fishing as governed by applicable Federal and State regulations, and are listed in alphabetical order with additional refuge-specific regulations.
(a) Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge -
(1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow hunting of goose; duck; coot; mourning and white-winged dove; and sandhill crane on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) We restrict hunting in the Middle Tract to the following times:
(A) You may hunt only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays during the period when the State seasons that apply to the Middle Tract area are open.
(B) You may hunt only until 1 p.m. on each hunt day.
(ii) On the South Tract, we allow hunting only during special hunts (hunters with disabilities and/or youth hunters age 17 and younger).
(iii) You must remove all waterfowl decoys and all temporary blinds/stands after each day's hunt (see § 27.93 of this chapter).
(iv) We allow the use of dogs when hunting.
(2) Upland game hunting. We allow hunting of pheasant, quail (scaled, Gambel's, northern bobwhite, and Montezuma), Eurasian collared-dove, desert cottontail, and black-tailed jackrabbit on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) We allow rabbit hunting on the North Tract only during the season that is concurrently open for quail hunting within the State.
(ii) The conditions set forth at paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section apply.
(iii) We allow Eurasian collared-dove hunting on the North Tract only during the season that is concurrently open for dove hunting within the State.
(3) Big game hunting. We allow hunting of mule deer, white-tailed deer, and feral hog on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) Hunters may take feral hog (no bag limit) only while legally hunting deer and only with the weapon legal for deer on that day in that area.
(ii) You must remove all temporary blinds/stands after each day's hunt (see § 27.93 of this chapter).
(4) [Reserved]
(b) Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge -
(1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow hunting of mourning dove, white-winged dove, and light goose on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) We allow hunting of light goose in the North Special Hunt Area on dates to be determined by refuge staff. Hunters must possess a permit available through a lottery drawing (FWS Form 3-2439, Hunt Application - National Wildlife Refuge System).
(ii) Hunting hours for mourning and white-winged dove are from 1⁄2 hour before legal sunrise to legal sunset. Hunting hours for light goose are from 1⁄2 hour before legal sunrise to 12:00 p.m. (noon) Mountain Time.
(iii) You must remove all spent shells and all other personal equipment at the end of each day's hunt (see §§ 27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
(iv) We allow the use of dogs when hunting.
(v) We prohibit falconry on the refuge.
(vi) We allow the use of horses and pack stock in support of hunting in the East Hunt Unit only.
(2) Upland game hunting. We allow hunting of scaled, Gambel's, northern bobwhite, and Montezuma quail; cottontail rabbit; black-tailed jackrabbit; and Eurasian collared-dove on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) The conditions set forth at paragraphs (b)(1)(iv) through (vi) of this section apply.
(ii) Hunting hours are from 1⁄2 hour before legal sunrise to 1⁄2 after legal sunset.
(3) Big game hunting. We allow hunting of mule deer, javelina, oryx, and bearded Rio Grande turkey on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) The conditions set forth at paragraphs (b)(1)(vi) and (b)(2)(ii) of this section apply.
(ii) We allow hunting of bearded Rio Grande turkey for youth hunters in the North Special Hunt Area and South Special Hunt Area during the State-established youth hunt and on weekends April through May during the State-established general spring turkey hunt. All hunters must fill out FWS Form 3-2439 (Hunt Application - National Wildlife Refuge System) and pay a fee. The permit is available through a lottery drawing. If selected, you must carry your refuge hunt permit (FWS Form 3-2439) at all times during the hunt.
(iii) We allow hunting of bearded Rio Grande turkey on the Bajada Hunt Unit, East Hunt Unit, and West Hunt Unit during the general spring turkey season only, as defined by the State. You may take bearded Rio Grande turkey only with a method allowed within each refuge hunt unit.
(iv) We allow incidental take of feral hog by those legally licensed for, and participating in, other big game hunting activities. You may take feral hog only with a method allowed within each refuge hunt unit. We prohibit the use of dogs for this activity.
(v) In the Bajada Hunt Unit, we restrict the methods of take to bow and arrow, crossbow, and muzzleloader or muzzleloading shotguns only, as defined by the State. In the East Hunt Unit and West Hunt Unit, we allow any legal weapon during State big game hunting designated dates.
(4) Sport fishing. We allow fishing on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) We allow fishing from April 1 through September 30.
(ii) We allow fishing from 1⁄2 hour before legal sunrise until 1⁄2 hour after legal sunset.
(iii) We prohibit trotlines, bow fishing, seining, dip netting, and traps.
(iv) We allow frogging for bullfrog on the refuge in areas that are open to fishing. We allow the use of hook and line, spears, gigs, and archery equipment to take bullfrog.
(c) Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge -
(1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow hunting of mourning and white-winged dove and goose on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) We allow the use of dogs when hunting.
(ii) Hunters must possess a permit (FWS Form 3-2439).
(iii) We allow the hunting of dove from September 1 to September 30.
(iv) We allow the hunting of goose on dates to be determined by refuge staff.
(v) Shooting hours for geese are from 1⁄2 hour before legal sunrise until 1 p.m. local time.
(vi) We assign an aggregate bag limit for geese.
(vii) We prohibit falconry on the refuge.
(2) Upland game hunting. We allow hunting of Eurasian collared-dove, desert cottontail, and Eastern cottontail on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) The conditions set forth at paragraphs (c)(1)(i), (ii), and (vii) of this section apply.
(ii) We allow the hunting of Eurasian collared-dove and cottontail rabbits from September 1 to September 30.
(iii) We allow only shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun firing shot, bow and arrow, and crossbow for hunting.
(3) Big game hunting. We allow youth elk hunts on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) Hunters must attend a refuge hunter orientation before hunting on the refuge.
(ii) Hunters may be accompanied by a maximum of two non-hunting guests.
(iii) Hunters are assigned a hunt unit.
(4) [Reserved]
(d) Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge.
(1)-(3) [Reserved]
(4) Sport fishing. We allow fishing on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) We allow fishing from noon March 1 through October 31.
(ii) We allow boats on Lake 13 only during the fishing season; boats must travel at trolling speed only.
(e) San Andres National Wildlife Refuge.
(1)-(2) [Reserved]
(3) Big game hunting. We allow hunting of oryx or gemsbok (Oryx gazella) and desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana) on designated areas of the refuge as governed by White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) regulations subject to the following conditions:
(i) Hunters using livestock (i.e., horses or mules) must provide only certified weed-free feed to their animals while on the refuge. You must feed livestock weed-free feed exclusively for 3 days prior to arrival on the refuge.
(ii) We allow all-terrain vehicle (ATV) use by hunters or members of their hunting party, for game retrieval only. ATVs must remain on designated roads. All vehicles, including trailers and ATVs, must be cleaned of mud, vegetation, and other debris prior to use on the refuge.
(4) [Reserved]
(f) Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge -
(1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow hunting of mourning dove, white-winged dove, goose, duck, and coot on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) In Units A and B, legal hunting hours begin from 1⁄2 hour before legal sunrise and will not extend past 1 p.m. on each hunt day. Hunters may access Units A and B from 1 hour before legal sunrise until 1 hour after legal sunset.
(ii) In Unit B, we allow waterfowl hunting from designated blinds only.
(iii) We allow the use of dogs when hunting.
(iv) In Units A and B, the Cornerstone Marsh Unit and Pintail blind, we require a Mobility-Impaired Certification (per Mobility-Impaired Certification in the State hunting rules and information pamphlet).
(2) Upland game hunting. We allow hunting of Gambel's quail and Eurasian collared-dove on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
(i) The conditions set forth at paragraphs (f)(1)(iii) and (iv) of this section apply.
(ii) In the Rio Puerco Unit, legal hunting hours will run from 1⁄2 hour before legal sunrise to legal sunset.
(iii) We allow falcons to hunt dove in the Rio Puerco Unit only.
(iv) We open to Eurasian collared-dove hunting only during the State South Zone mourning and white-winged dove season.
(3)-(4) [Reserved]
[84 FR 47675, Sept. 10, 2019, as amended at 85 FR 54127, Aug. 31, 2020; 86 FR 48872, Aug. 31, 2021]