Can You Kill Raccoons in New Mexico? What State Law Actually Allows
July 21, 2026
Raccoons are a familiar nuisance across New Mexico — raiding trash cans in Albuquerque, tearing into chicken coops near Roswell, and denning in attics from Santa Fe to Las Cruces. When one shows up on your property and causes damage, your first instinct might be to deal with it quickly. But before you grab a trap or a firearm, you need to understand what New Mexico law actually permits.
The short answer is yes, you can kill a raccoon in New Mexico — but only under specific conditions, with the right licenses, and during the right times of year. Skipping any part of that framework can turn a pest problem into a misdemeanor charge. This guide breaks down exactly what the law says, what methods are legal, and what options you have beyond lethal control.
Are Raccoons Protected in New Mexico?
Yes. Raccoons are a state-protected furbearer in New Mexico, and trapping should not be attempted without the guidance of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. The common raccoon (Procyon lotor) falls squarely under the furbearer classification, which means it carries legal protections that go beyond what most people expect from a backyard pest.
Under New Mexico statute, raccoons are defined as fur-bearing animals, and these animals and their pelts are declared to be the property of the state until they have been lawfully taken, killed, or captured as provided by law. That single fact drives most of the rules that follow: because the state owns raccoons, you need state authorization to take them.
It is unlawful to kill any furbearer outside of the seasons established for that species, except as authorized by state statute or otherwise allowed by game commission rule. This is not a technicality — it is the foundation of New Mexico’s furbearer management system, administered by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF).
When Can You Legally Kill a Raccoon in New Mexico?
There are two main circumstances under which killing a raccoon is legal in New Mexico: during the open hunting or trapping season with the proper license, or under a special depredation permit issued outside of season.
Raccoon may be hunted or trapped during the extended season with a current trapper license. The NMDGF sets season dates annually, so you should confirm the current season window directly with the department before taking any action.
Outside of open season, the law does provide a path for property owners dealing with damage. Fur-bearing animals shall be taken only during the seasons declared by regulation of the state game commission. However, the director of the department of game and fish may issue permits at any time for the taking of fur-bearing animals doing damage to game, private property, or other interests. If a raccoon is actively destroying your property, contact NMDGF to request a depredation permit rather than acting unilaterally.
There is also a livestock protection exemption worth knowing. Trapping of animals, both fur-bearing animals and nongame, by a resident in order to protect livestock or domesticated animals or fowl is not subject to the standard rules and regulations on trapping or to licensing requirements. This exemption applies specifically to livestock protection and does not give homeowners blanket authority to kill raccoons for general nuisance reasons.
Important Note: The livestock protection exemption is narrow. It applies to residents protecting livestock or fowl — not to general property damage like overturned trash cans or garden destruction. If your situation does not clearly fall within that exemption, pursue a depredation permit through NMDGF before taking lethal action.
Legal Methods for Killing Raccoons in New Mexico
When you are legally authorized to kill a raccoon — either during open season with a license or under a depredation permit — the method matters. New Mexico law specifies what tools and approaches are permitted.
Legal methods of taking furbearers include any sporting arm, falconry, traps, and snares. In practical terms, this means rifles, shotguns, handguns, bows, and crossbows are all on the table during open season, provided you hold the appropriate license.
Night hunting for raccoons is one area where New Mexico is more permissive than many states. A licensed furbearer hunter is authorized by the department to hunt for and take raccoons by use of artificial light while hunting at night with a rim-fire rifle or handgun no greater in size than a .22 caliber, shotgun, bow, or crossbow during open season. The artificial light used for raccoon hunting must be a headlamp or hand-held flashlight. It is unlawful for any artificial light to be cast from a vehicle while raccoon hunting.
Furbearers may be taken with firearms, bows and arrows, crossbows, traps, and snares. Calls, including mechanically or electronically recorded calling devices, are legal for hunting protected furbearers. Dogs are also permitted. Dogs are allowed for hunting all furbearers during open season.
| Method | Legal During Open Season? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rimfire rifle / handgun (.22 cal max) | Yes | Permitted for night hunting with handheld light |
| Shotgun | Yes | Permitted day and night during open season |
| Bow / crossbow | Yes | Permitted including night use with handheld light |
| Traps and snares | Yes (with restrictions) | See trapping section for trap-type rules |
| Electronic calls | Yes | Legal for protected furbearers |
| Dogs | Yes | Allowed during open season |
| Artificial light from a vehicle | No | Explicitly prohibited; vehicle confiscation possible |
| Poison | No | Not a legal method for raccoon removal |
Trapping Raccoons in New Mexico: Rules and Restrictions
Trapping is the most common method used for raccoon control in New Mexico, but the rules are more layered than most people realize. Getting them wrong — even unintentionally — can result in a misdemeanor conviction and license revocation.
The first requirement is education. It is unlawful for any person to trap for any furbearer without having successfully completed a department-approved trapper education course. You must complete this course before you trap, not after. NMDGF offers the course, and it covers species identification, legal trap types, and humane handling practices.
The second requirement is licensing. No resident who has reached their twelfth birthday shall capture, trap, or possess any fur-bearing animal or attempt to do so without first procuring a resident trapper’s license; or, in the case of a resident who has reached their twelfth birthday but not their eighteenth birthday, a resident junior trapper’s license. No nonresident shall capture, trap, or possess any fur-bearing animal without first procuring a nonresident trapper’s license.
Trap type is also restricted for raccoon-specific trapping. Raccoon may be hunted or trapped during the extended season with a current trapper license. Only cage traps and foot encapsulating traps are allowed for raccoon trapping during this period. Standard steel-jaw leghold traps are not among the permitted types for raccoon during the extended season.
Check schedules are mandatory and non-negotiable. All land sets must be visually checked every calendar day. Water sets must be checked at least once every other calendar day. A licensed trapper may designate an agent to check their set traps and snares on alternating check days, but the licensed trapper must personally check the traps every other check day.
Every trap you set must also be identified. Traps must be marked either with the trapper’s name and address, or a trapper/customer ID number provided free by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
Pro Tip: If you trap on a Wildlife Management Area (WMA), the requirements are stricter. No person may hunt furbearers or nongame, or set any trap or snare on any WMA, except prairie-chicken wildlife management areas, without a trapper license, Habitat Management Access Validation (HMAV) stamp, and written permission from the department.
One additional note for on-property trapping: it is illegal to destroy, disturb, or remove any trap, snare, or trapped wildlife belonging to a licensed trapper without permission of the owner of the trap or snare, except that from March 16 to November 1, a landowner may remove any trap or snare from privately owned or leased land if such a trap or snare could endanger livestock.
Can You Relocate a Raccoon Instead of Killing It in New Mexico?
Relocation sounds like the humane middle ground, but it is not as straightforward as it seems in New Mexico. The state’s framework for live-trapping and releasing raccoons elsewhere is restrictive, and the NMDGF is the authority you need to consult before attempting it.
It is illegal to hold any live furbearer in captivity except raccoons held under a valid New Mexico Department of Game and Fish live animal permit. That means even temporarily holding a live-trapped raccoon while you figure out where to take it could be a violation without the right permit in hand.
Raccoons are a state-protected furbearer and trapping should not be attempted without the guidance of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. If a raccoon has been captured in a live trap, contact NMDGF for assistance. The City of Albuquerque’s official guidance echoes this position, directing residents to call NMDGF at 505-222-4700 rather than attempting self-relocation.
The disease concern is part of why relocation rules exist at all. The core reason most states restrict raccoon relocation is disease. Raccoons are classified as a primary rabies vector species in most of the eastern United States. Moving a raccoon from one location to another spreads the animal’s established disease exposure to a new area. State wildlife agencies treat this as a public health threat, not just an animal welfare issue.
If you want to pursue relocation rather than lethal control, your best path is to contact NMDGF directly to ask about a live animal permit and approved release sites. Do not assume that releasing a raccoon on public land a few miles away is legal — it likely is not without written authorization. You can also compare approaches used in neighboring states by reviewing guides for Texas raccoon laws and California raccoon laws, both of which take different approaches to relocation.
Hiring a Licensed Wildlife Control Operator in New Mexico
If the licensing requirements, season restrictions, and trap rules feel like too much to navigate on your own, hiring a licensed wildlife control operator (WCO) is a practical and often legally cleaner option. A qualified WCO already holds the required licenses and knows exactly what is and is not permitted under current NMDGF regulations.
Licensed wildlife control operators in New Mexico handle the full scope of raccoon conflicts — from attic intrusions and chimney denning to livestock predation and persistent yard damage. They can trap, remove, and legally dispatch raccoons in situations where a private homeowner would need multiple permits and licenses to do the same thing.
When hiring a WCO, ask the following questions before signing anything:
- Do you hold a current New Mexico trapper license and have you completed the NMDGF trapper education course?
- Are you insured for wildlife removal work on private property?
- What trap types do you use, and how frequently do you check them?
- What is your process for disposal or relocation of captured animals?
- Do you handle exclusion work to prevent re-entry after removal?
The NMDGF can provide guidance on finding registered operators in your area. You can also reach them at 505-222-4700 for referrals or to verify a company’s credentials. Avoid pest control companies that market raccoon removal but lack wildlife-specific licensing — many New Mexico pest control companies treat for insect problems and have little experience dealing with wild animals.
For comparison on how other states handle professional wildlife removal, see related guides on Ohio raccoon laws, Pennsylvania raccoon laws, and Michigan raccoon laws.
Local Ordinances That May Override State Law in New Mexico
State law sets the baseline for raccoon control in New Mexico, but local municipalities can — and do — impose additional restrictions that go further than what NMDGF regulations require. Before you act, check what your city or county says.
Albuquerque is the clearest example of local rules tightening the state framework. Hunting is not legal within city limits. Leg-hold traps are not legal in the City of Albuquerque. That means even if you hold a valid trapper license and it is open season, discharging a firearm or setting a leg-hold trap within Albuquerque city limits would violate local ordinance — regardless of what state law permits.
The Town of Bernalillo has its own wild animal ordinance that restricts keeping raccoons and other wildlife. The ordinance covers Class Mammalia including Family Procyonidae (raccoon) as a regulated category of wild or exotic animals within town limits. These local rules govern possession and keeping — but they signal that municipalities across New Mexico take an active interest in raccoon-related activity beyond state law.
The practical takeaway is this: state law gives you the framework, but your city or county may narrow what is actually available to you. A few steps to take before acting:
- Contact your city or county animal control office to ask about local ordinances on wildlife trapping and discharge of firearms.
- Check whether your municipality has specific rules on trap types, placement distances from structures, or discharge zones.
- If you live in an HOA community, review your HOA rules — some prohibit trapping or require notification before any wildlife removal activity on shared property.
- For any urban or suburban property, default to hiring a licensed WCO rather than attempting DIY removal, since local rules are more likely to restrict private action in densely populated areas.
Raccoon conflicts in New Mexico are manageable when you know the rules. A violation of the furbearer statutes is a misdemeanor — a consequence that is easy to avoid when you take the time to get the right license, follow the season calendar, and contact NMDGF when a situation falls outside normal parameters. For more state-by-state comparisons, see guides on Georgia raccoon laws, Tennessee raccoon laws, North Carolina raccoon laws, Illinois raccoon laws, and Maryland raccoon laws. You can also review New Mexico roadkill laws for related wildlife regulations in the state.