Rabbit Hunting Season in New Mexico: Dates, Limits, and Rules
October 17, 2026
Rabbit hunting season in New Mexico works differently than in most states, because there is no traditional season at all. According to New Mexico State University, jackrabbits and cottontails are nongame animals and are not protected by state game laws.
That freedom comes with fine print you need to know before you load the truck. Federal refuges, state trust lands, and national forests each add their own conditions, and some third-party websites publish dates and limits that do not match the state’s classification.
This guide walks you through season timing, species, limits, licensing, legal methods, shooting hours, and public land rules so you can plan a legal hunt across the Land of Enchantment. If you hunt other game in the state, you may also want to read our guides to dove hunting season in New Mexico and turkey hunting season in New Mexico.
Important Note: Sources disagree on rabbit rules in New Mexico. One third-party summary lists an October 1 to February 28 window and bag limits of 15 cottontails and 5 jackrabbits, while state-level references classify rabbits as nongame with no closed season. Confirm everything with the current New Mexico Hunting Rules and Info booklet from the Department of Game and Fish before you hunt.
Rabbit Hunting Season Dates in [State]
For New Mexico, the answer is simple on paper: open year-round. A 2026-2027 season summary lists rabbit with no closed season and a nongame classification. The HuntWise state-by-state list also shows New Mexico as open year-round.
Not every source agrees. A guide published for the 2025-26 license year reports an October 1 to February 28 window for cottontail and jackrabbit, and our own hunting laws in New Mexico overview repeats that range for the 2025-2026 season. Treat that window as the conservative option if you want to hunt only when sources agree.
| Source Type | What It Reports | Period Covered |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-2027 season summary | No closed season, nongame classification | License year April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 |
| HuntWise state list | Open year-round | 2026 edition |
| 2025-26 season guide | October 1 to February 28, 2026 | 2025-26 license year |
Timing still matters for success. HuntWise notes that November through February are generally the best months, because falling leaves reduce cover and make rabbits easier to spot and flush. Many hunters also avoid eating rabbit from May through September, when parasites are more common.
Which Rabbit and Hare Species You Can Hunt in [State]
New Mexico gives you two jackrabbits and three cottontails to chase. NMSU reports that New Mexico is home to two major jackrabbit species and three cottontail species, and most of your hunting will target the common ones.
The black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) lives throughout the state except the northeast quarter, where the white-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii) takes over. The desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) is found statewide, while the mountain cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii) lives mainly in northern New Mexico.
One animal is off limits. The white-sided jackrabbit (Lepus callotis) lives in the southwestern corner of the state and is listed by New Mexico as a threatened species. Know your target before you shoot, especially in the bootheel country.
- Desert cottontail: brushy desert and grassland, and it tends to stay close to cover.
- Black-tailed jackrabbit: open desert plains, with speed and size that demand quicker reactions and longer shots.
- Mountain cottontail: higher, northern terrain.
Rabbit Hunting Bag and Possession Limits in [State]
This is where sources split most sharply. The 2026-2027 summary at State Outdoors lists no bag limit and no possession limit for rabbit, consistent with the nongame classification. The older 2025-26 guide, by contrast, lists 15 cottontails and 5 jackrabbits per day.
The official New Mexico Hunting Rules and Info booklet defines a bag limit as the maximum number of game animals permitted by law to be taken by one person in a given period. Because rabbits fall under nongame rules, that definition does not clearly attach a number to them. Verify the current booklet, and consider self-imposing the 15 and 5 figures as a conservative cap.
Pro Tip: Take only what you will use. Rabbits are meat animals, and a self-imposed daily limit keeps you in line with the stricter figures some sources publish while you confirm the official rule.
Licenses and Permits Required to Hunt Rabbits in [State]
Licensing is the murkiest part of the picture. One regional guide states that hunters must possess a valid small game license. Other references describe rabbits as a nongame species, which can mean different license rules depending on how you hunt and where.
The safest approach is to buy a small game license and any required habitat validation before you go, then confirm requirements with the Department of Game and Fish. The license year runs from April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027, according to the State Outdoors summary.
Youth rules are clear. Hunters age 17 and under must carry a Hunter Education number or a mentor youth number for big game or turkey. For other species, check the booklet for how those rules apply to small game.
- Check the current New Mexico Hunting Rules and Info booklet.
- Buy a small game license and any needed validations through the NMDGF online portal.
- Carry your license and any land-access permits while you hunt.
- Get written permission before entering private land.
Legal Hunting Methods and Weapons for Rabbits in [State]
Shotguns are the classic rabbit tool, and rimfire rifles work well for cottontails in open country. A regional hunting guide recommends 20 or 12 gauge shotguns, and a New Mexico outdoor writer describes two hunters who shot limits by setting up over good habitat with rimfire rifles.
Archers have options too. New Mexico administrative code allows “judo,” blunt, or similar small game points on arrows for upland game and migratory game bird hunting, so you do not need broadheads for small game under those rules.
Three tactics work well on New Mexico ground:
- Still-hunting: walk slowly through brush or along arroyos and scan ahead for sitting rabbits.
- Spot-and-stalk: glass open flats in the early morning for jackrabbits feeding along edges.
- Jump shooting: kick through sagebrush or along dry creek beds to flush cottontails.
Jackrabbits are fast. Writer Tim Hovey notes that jackrabbits can hit 30 to 40 mph almost instantly, so expect fleeting shots at flushing animals.
Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting Rules for Rabbit Hunting in [State]
The research I found did not turn up a published shooting-hour window for New Mexico rabbits, and none of the sources describe a Sunday ban. Because rabbits are nongame, many hunters treat the animals as open at any time, but confirm the current booklet and any local rules for the land you are on.
Practical timing is easier. Early mornings and late afternoons are the best times for rabbit movement, and rabbits are more active at dawn and dusk during hot months to avoid the heat. Daylight hunting also keeps your shots safer and your identification of protected species reliable.
Important Note: Federal refuges can be stricter than the state. On the Middle Tract of one refuge, federal regulations at 50 CFR 32.50 allow hunting only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and only until 1 p.m. on each hunt day. Always read the rules for the specific refuge unit.
Hunter Orange and Public Land Rules for Rabbit Hunting in [State]
I did not find a statewide hunter orange requirement for rabbit hunting in the research for this article. Wearing blaze orange anyway is cheap insurance, especially if you hunt during deer or elk seasons. If you pursue big game as well, our guides to deer hunting season in New Mexico and bear hunting season in New Mexico explain when other hunters will be in the field.
Public access is a major draw. A regional guide reports that BLM land, national forests, and state trust lands offer abundant access with a valid license. Productive areas include the Eastern Plains near Clovis and Tucumcari, the Chihuahuan Desert around Las Cruces and Carlsbad, and central New Mexico near Socorro and Mountainair.
Federal refuges add specific rules. Under 50 CFR 32.50, one refuge allows rabbit hunting on its North Tract only during the season concurrently open for quail hunting in the state. Another allows hunting of Eurasian collared-dove and cottontail rabbits from September 1 to September 30. If you are selected for a refuge hunt, you must carry your refuge hunt permit at all times.
Pro Tip: Before you drive to a refuge or wildlife management area, call the unit office. Dates, days of the week, and permit requirements vary by tract and can differ sharply from state rules.
Rabbit hunting in New Mexico rewards hunters who prepare. The season is effectively open all year, but the exact limits and license requirements depend on which source you trust, so treat the official Game and Fish booklet as the final word. Verify rules for the land you plan to hunt, pack plenty of water, and enjoy some of the most open small game country in the West.