At the suggestion of big-game hunter Frank C. Hibben, between 1969 and 1977 the Department of Game and Fish introduced 93 captive bred Oryx into the White Sands Missile Range, intending them to be hunted for sport.
In 1977, Game and Fish began arresting non-Indian hunters for illegal possession of game that was taken from the Mescalero reservation in accordance with tribal laws, since this was not in compliance with state law.