A good definition is that composed by the late Judge C. M. Botts who defined a predator as “a critter that takes another critter that I want.”
New Mexico’s immense topographic and geologic differences make for a very wide range of habitats preferred by the various species. The elk and deer, being highly adaptable, may be found from the Alpine tundra of the higher mountains clear out into the creosote desert. Deer occur in four separate subspecies: the Rocky Mountain and the desert mule deer, the western whitetail, and the Sonoran fantail deer, which is also a whitetail. These animals may be found all the way from the dense coniferous forests of the north with perpetual gloom and cold to the sun-scorched granite mountains such as the Florida and the Organ mountains of southern New Mexico; from great towering granite spires to the folded blocks of limestone such as comprise the Big Hatchets, the Guadalupe, and the San Andres mountains.
The javelina, or little wild pig, lives along the watercourses in the south west part of the state. Its thin spiky hair gives it little or no protection against cold, and only in the balmier parts of New Mexico does it feel at home.
The desert bighorn sheep, as distinguished from his cousin the Rocky Mountain bighorn, goes around on a sun-scorched, ocotillo-covered limestone-rubble slope in the full glare of the sun and lies down to take his afternoon siesta. The Rocky Mountain bighorn, on the other hand, with his preference for cooler climates does not shun even the dense spruce timber at the very top of the Sandia Mountains as the hideout for his afternoon rest.
This adaptability by New Mexico’s species to the tremendous differences in altitude, rainfall, and temperature makes them all the more valuable as a resource for the pleasure and enjoyment of everyone.
(Photo courtesy of Forest Service, U.S.D.A.)
Pack train on a wilderness trail
The most popular big game animals in New Mexico are the mule deer in either of the two subspecies. Every fall, beginning in late October and extending ordinarily through December, more than 100,000 hunters take to the woods for their 50-50 chance of bringing home the sought-after mule deer. A hunter may shoot his mule deer at the Alpine tundra timber line, out in the blazing heat of the creosote desert, or among the rock crags of some of the southern desert mountains. He will find his quarry a worthy opponent. Shy, wild, and with terrific eyesight and hearing, these animals provide a true challenge.
Elk and antelope, as well as bighorn sheep, are hunted by special licenses only, since their numbers do not warrant a general open season. These special licenses are much sought after and are ordinarily made available by application and a public drawing in the fall. The javelina, confined to our southwestern counties, is also hunted by special license. It is noteworthy that although New Mexico had protected them for many years, the javelina did not increase its numbers. As a matter of fact, the natural losses applied against any game species are going to be in effect no matter whether hunting is permitted or not, the hunting being merely subtracted from what would be lost to nature anyhow.
Our state mammal, the black bear, is found throughout the wooded areas of the state and occasionally wanders out into the plains or down into the desert mountains of the south. Bears are hunted avidly in the fall by sportsmen with dog packs before the regular big game seasons begin, when the use of dogs is prohibited. They are again hunted during the big game seasons by anyone bearing the proper license, but no packs of dogs are allowed. This is to prohibit the possibility of dogs being used to pursue elk, deer, or wild turkey, an illegal act in New Mexico.