This recap and adjoining updates are brought to you by the New Mexico Council of Outfitters and Guides who fight not only for outfitters, but for resident and non-resident hunters. The Four Corners Chapter of SCI has supported the Council in regards to the New Mexico EPLUS System and brings you this update for information purposes.
Four Corners SCI is not responsible for links that take you to away from our website.
Learn more at https://www.nmoutfitters.com/
Game Commission Recap
The NM State Game Commission hosted a meeting on May 16th in the southeastern town of Hobbs. It was great to see the majority of Commissioners physically in person for the meeting. Of course, Commissioner Salazar Hickey opted to attend from the comfort of her office chair and Commissioner Garcia was just mysteriously absent. But five in-person commissioners is a new record in this post COVID world where people seem to have become far too comfortable operating public meetings via zoom.
The meeting agenda was fairly routine but the Commission did, at long last, elect a new chair and vice chair. For over a year, since the sudden resignation of former chairwoman Archuleta, the Commission had been operating with just a vice chair. That all changed on Thursday when the Commission unanimously voted to elect Richard Stump the new chairman and Sharon Salazar Hickey the new vice chair. While the vote was technically unanimous it was obvious that not every commissioner voted their conscience. The entire spectacle was clearly being orchestrated by the governor and the tension in the room was palpable. Its neither surprising nor uncommon for a commission entirely appointed by the governor to play politics. But honestly it’s nice to finally have a fully functional Commission with some semblance of stability.
SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION OF THE MIGRATORY BIRD RULE
The migratory game bird rule is amended annually to ensure season selections and bag limits are in compliance with the USFWS and the Federal Central & Pacific Flyway guidelines. This agenda item was for discussion purposes only and will be voted on by the Commission at their August meeting. Changes to the Migratory Bird Rule are proposed as follows:
- Change certain season dates to be later in the year because of calendar shift
- Increase sandhill crane permits in the MRGV and SW draw hunts by 35 and
distribute among existing hunts - Bag limit for northern pintail to remain at 1 per USFWS regulatory framework
- Central Flyway Scaup limit to decrease from 3 to 1
- Open Bernardo Unit D to handicap accessible
- Waterfowl hunting during the regular season
- Light Goose Conservation Order on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday
during the hours of ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset - Open Bernardo Ponds Unit for the Light Goose Conservation Order on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday during the hours of ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset
INITIAL DISCUSSION OF THE BIGHORN SHEEP RULE
The Department presented a proposed amendment to extend the bighorn sheep rule for two more years and put the rule back on schedule with the other big game rules. Some folks may remember that during the last big game rule cycle the Commission voted to renew the Bighorn rule for just 2 years rather than the customary 4 years. The decision was based on accusations by the NMWF and BHA that the current allocation of bighorn sheep permits to allow for non-resident hunter participation was out of compliance with state statute. NMCOG was adamantly opposed to this accusation and vehemently fought back against NMWF and BHA. The commission chose to limit the duration of the bighorn sheep rule in order to give the NMWF and BHA time to address the issue in the legislature through an amendment to the current statutory definition of “hunt code”.
This legislation never materialized and state statute as it relates to bighorn sheep remains unchanged however, due to the previous commission vote, the bighorn rule is now set to expire in March of 2025 and thus the rule needs to be extended in order to ensure a bighorn hunt in 2025 and 2026. No changes are being proposed to bighorn sheep management or to the current distribution of bighorn sheep hunting permits. This agenda item was for discussion purposes only and will be approved at the August meeting.
ODDS AND ENDS
The Commission also heard a presentation on the 2026-2030 Infrastructure and Capital Improvement Plan which the Dept. uses to develop their fiscal year capital and budget requests. The Commission also approved this year’s wish granting organizations to be Hunt-ofa-Lifetime and Holy Pursuits Dream Foundation. The commission reserves 2 bull elk licenses per year for persons under the age of 21 who have a life-threatening illness and have been qualified through a nonprofit wish-granting organization.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
The usual suspects provided public comment. Brandon Wynn railed against the EPLUS program, blustered about not being able to draw an elk tag for the past 6 years, and provided a non-sensical rant on why non-resident hunters should not be allowed to hunt bighorn sheep. The NM Wildlife Federation similarly provided comments in opposition to non-resident hunters being able to draw bighorn sheep
tags as well as their typical comments in opposition to EPLUS. They also provided comments in favor of unfettered recreational public access to navigable and non-navigable (even dry!) stream-beds located on private land in NM.
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Categories: New Mexico News
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