A gate installed by the State Land Office and the New Mexico Game and Fish Department will make accessible to hunters some 10,000 acres in Cibola County.
The area includes state trust land and federal property overseen by the Bureau of Land Management.
Land Commissioner Ray Powell says cooperation among his office, the Game and Fish Department and the state Transportation Department will improve the state's ability to manage and protect the health of trust lands in the area.
The gate will be unlocked during open elk and deer hunt seasons.
The Game and Fish Department says the deadline has passed to apply for draw licenses this year for deer, elk, pronghorn and other big game. Results will be available April 23.
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