Drought drives record number of bear removals in New Mexico

San Cristobal, N.M. New Mexico conservation officers are responding to a record year of bear conflicts as extreme drought conditions drive animals into closer contact with residents. The New Mexico Department of Wildlife reported that 312 bears were euthanized due to human-bear conflict as of October 1. By November 3, that number rose to 339 depredation kills, with an additional 63 bears killed on roads or by other causes.

The department estimates the state’s total black bear population at approximately 9,000. Darren Vaughn, the department’s communications director, stated that higher temperatures and a lack of moisture this spring and summer reduced food and water availability at higher elevations. This scarcity forced bears to move to lower elevations in search of resources, leading to increased public sightings across the state.

Sgt. Jayme King, a conservation officer in Taos County, described the practical side of managing these conflicts. On October 10, he baited a trap in San Cristobal using plantain chips, chocolate-covered espresso beans, and bacon-flavored syrup. King noted that a property owner in that area lost more than 70 chickens to bears this year. In Taos County, the department opened 46 bear complaints as of October 2, and King estimated that officers euthanized just over 20 bears in that region, a sharp increase from the zero removals recorded in 2025.

The department’s protocol for euthanasia focuses on preventing bears from becoming habituated to urban areas. King explained that bears meeting specific criteria, such as being aggressive or repeatedly returning to a location after being hazed, are euthanized. Hazing methods include shooting rubber bullets or making loud noises to deter the animal. Vaughn emphasized that the department’s priority is to keep bears alive and prevent them from associating humans with food sources.

Officials are educating the public on how to minimize attractants in yards to reduce habituation. During a September 30 panel before the state Legislature’s Water and Natural Resources Committee in Taos, Michael B. Sloane, the department director, described it as a particularly rough year for bears. The department aims to secure food and trash management practices to lower the frequency of conflicts.

Jesse Deubel, executive director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, suggested that adding a spring bear hunt could help manage the population proactively. He noted that many other states have spring black bear seasons. Deubel also pointed out that if a bear is tranquilized within 60 days of being killed, the meat is often unfit for human consumption, a detail he raised during the legislative panel.

Conservation officers manage the aftermath of euthanized animals through a system King calls the meat list. This notebook contains contact information for potential buyers of meat from euthanized or road-killed animals. King stated that he attempts to sell the meat to prevent waste, though many buyers prefer deer or elk. If the meat cannot be sold quickly enough for safe processing, officers take the animal to a secluded forest area to decompose naturally for scavengers.

The high number of depredation kills this year reduced the number of bear tags available to hunters for the current season. King noted that the season when human-bear conflict most often occurs is nearing its natural end. He observed that it is almost time for bears to return to the mountains for hibernation.