SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexicans will find about 100,000 acres of private land available for dove hunting this season because of a program operated by the state Game and Fish Department.
The dove season opens on Wednesday. The department said 19 landowners have enrolled in its Open Gate program to allow dove hunters access to private land.
The state agency negotiates lease agreements and pays landowners with money from habitat management fees on hunting and fishing licenses.
A list of private property open to hunters, along with maps and rules, is available on the department's website.
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