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April 20224/28/2022 The New Mexico State Game Commission hosted a meeting in Santa Fe on April 11th. Agenda items included the “subsequent discussion” for the Pronghorn, Javelina, Migratory Bird, and Bighorn Rules as well as the “initial discussion” for the Elk, Deer, Turkey, and Exotics Rule. Meaning, that public comment will be closing soon for the Rules in subsequent discussion and public comment has opened for the Rules in initial discussion. The Game Commission meetings that take place during 2022 are arguably the most important to the hunting industry. Policies approved for Rules opened in 2022 will apply to the next 4-year rule cycle. Please read the below recap carefully and voice your opinion by providing comment to the links provided in each segment…or forever hold your peace (at least for the next 4 years). The Dept. will be hosting the following public meetings regarding the Deer, Elk, and Exotics Rule:
SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION BIGHORN SHEEP RULE The Dept. provided their subsequent presentation of proposed changes to the Bighorn Sheep Rule. You can read a copy of the full presentation HERE. This Rule is currently open for public comment. Please voice your opinion by sending an email to DGF-Bighorn-Rule@state.nm.us. The Dept. is proposing the following changes to the Rule:
Even after the NM Attorney General wrote a detailed letter regarding the legality of the NMDGF allocation process which was followed by a failed commission vote to extend the public comment period; the Commission announced yesterday that they will host a special meeting to take place on May 9th (in Albuquerque) to further discuss the matter and revote to extend the public comment period. This fiasco is completely out of line with the typical rulemaking process established by the NM legislature. An extension of the comment period for bighorn sheep is unnecessary. According to the NMDGF presentation provided to the Commission on April 11th, the Dept. received only a handful of comments related to the allocation process and the bulk were in favor (only one was opposed). The bighorn sheep permit allocation process is widely accepted by the vast majority of resident hunters. There is no disputing that nonresident hunters fund over 90% of the Bighorn Sheep conservation program. This issue is a molehill which the NMWF and BHA are trying desperately to turn into a mountain. If you outfit bighorn sheep hunters or if you are a resident bighorn sheep hunter and appreciate the enormous contributions of nonresidents to the conservation of all species, please send an email to the below addresses TODAY! Tell the Commission you are in favor of the Dept.'s proposed allocation method for bighorn sheep permits and that there is no need to extend the public comment period. DGF-Bighorn-Rule@state.nm.us Sharon.Hickey@state.nm.us R.Salazar-Henry@state.nm.us deanna.archuleta@state.nm.us Tirzio.Lopez@state.nm.us SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION PRONGHORN RULE The Dept. provided their subsequent presentation of proposed changes to the Pronghorn Rule. You can read a copy of the full presentation HERE. This Rule is currently open for public comment. Please voice your opinion by sending an email to DGF-Pronghorn-Rule@state.nm.us. This exact proposal is what the Commission will approve in June UNLESS there is a substantial amount of public comment in opposition to any of the below bullet points. Some of you have already provided your public comment to NMCOG which we forwarded to NMDGF. However, our comments were counted as one single comment rather than multiple. It would be better if you all would be willing to resend your concerns directly to the comment portal linked above. The Dept. is proposing the following changes to the Rule:
 SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION JAVELINA RULE The Dept. provided their subsequent presentation of proposed changes to the Javelina Rule. You can read a copy of the full presentation HERE. This Rule is currently open for public comment. Please voice your opinion by sending an email to DGF-Javelina-Rule@state.nm.us. This exact proposal is what the Commission will approve in June UNLESS there is a substantial amount of public comment in opposition to any of the below bullet points. The Dept. is proposing the following changes to the Rule:
SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION OF MIGRATORY BIRD RULE The Dept. provided their subsequent presentation of proposed changes to the Migratory Bird Rule. You can read a copy of the full presentation HERE. This Rule is currently open for public comment. Please voice your opinion by sending an email to DGF-waterfowl@state.nm.us. This exact proposal is what the Commission will approve in June UNLESS there is a substantial amount of public comment in opposition to any of the below bullet points. The Dept. is proposing the following changes to the Rule:
 INITIAL DISCUSSION TURKEY RULE & GOULD’S TURKEY DESLISTING The Dept. provided their initial presentation of proposed changes to the Turkey Rule. You can read a copy of the full presentation HERE. This Rule is currently open for public comment. The Dept. is proposing the following changes to the Rule:
July 12, 2022 (hybrid) – Albuquerque Game & Fish Office, 7816 Alamo Rd. NW, 6:30 pm July 13, 2022 (hybrid) – Las Cruces Game & Fish Office, 2715 E Northrise Dr., 6:30 pm July 14, 2022 (in-person only) – Animas High School, #1 Panther Blvd., 6:00 pm INITIAL DISCUSSION ELK RULE The Dept. provided their initial presentation of proposed changes to the Elk Rule. NMCOG encourages everyone who hunts elk to WATCH the Dept. presentation. The presentation begins at minute 12:48 and is approximately 1 hour in length. Yes, the video is long, but it is extremely informative for any outfitter who earns a livelihood selling elk hunts. This Rule is currently open for public comment. Please voice your opinion by sending an email to DGF-Elk-Rule@state.nm.us. The Dept. is proposing the following changes to the Rule:
The Dept. provided their initial presentation of proposed changes to the Deer Rule. NMCOG encourages everyone who hunts deer to WATCH the Dept. presentation. The presentation begins at minute 1:29:50 and is approximately 10 minutes in length. This Rule is currently open for public comment. Please voice your opinion by sending an email to DGF-Deer-Rule@state.nm.us. The Dept. is proposing the following changes to the Rule:
INITIAL DISCUSSION EXOTICS RULE The Dept. provided their initial presentation of proposed changes to the Exotics Rule. NMCOG encourages everyone who hunts exotics to WATCH the Dept. presentation. The presentation begins at minute 2:00:38 and is approximately 30 minutes in length. This Rule is currently open for public comment. Please voice your opinion by sending an email to DGF-Exotics-Rule@state.nm.us. The Dept. is proposing the following changes to the Rule: BARBARY SHEEP
MUZZLELOADER DISCUSSION The Dept. also initiated a conversation on the problem with muzzleloaders. Muzzleloader success rates in the last five years are equal to rifle success rates. This presents a major problem as muzzleloader hunts were historically designed for primitive weapon hunting. Today muzzleloaders are accurate out to 800yards. The Dept. is considering the removal of scopes on muzzleloaders to generate a more primitive weapon hunting experience. This proposal is not yet official but will be further discussed over the next several months. Next Commission Meeting – June 3, 2022 (Eagle Nest, NM)
COMMISSIONER CONTACT INFORMATION (You're encouraged to contact the Commissioners any time to voice your opinion) Sharon Salazar Hickey - Chairwoman District 4: Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, Guadalupe and Torrance counties Sharon.Hickey@state.nm.us OPEN District 5: Bernalillo County Roberta Salazar-Henry District 2: Catron, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra and Doña Ana counties R.Salazar-Henry@state.nm.us Deanna Archuleta At - Large Position deanna.archuleta@state.nm.us Tirzio Lopez Appointed - Agriculture Position Tirzio.Lopez@state.nm.us OPEN District 3: San Juan, Rio Arriba, McKinley, Sandoval, Cibola, & Valencia counties OPEN District 1: Curry, De Baca, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, Eddy and Lea counties
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March 20223/8/2022 The New Mexico State Game Commission hosted their first meeting of 2022 in Socorro on Friday March 4th. The Commission is a bit behind schedule because they canceled their January meeting due to some internal drama that resulted in the Governor removing Commissioner Jeremy Vesbach of his position. The Governor has appointed former ExxonMobil lobbyist, Deanna Archuleta to fill the vacancy. Friday’s meeting was Commissioner Archuleta’s maiden voyage into the controversial world of wildlife & hunting/fishing policy. The meeting agenda was jammed packed with both discussion and action items. All the Big Game Rules will be opening during 2022 to allow the Dept. to review population objectives and amend harvest limits for all big game species (except predators). The approved changes will apply to the 2023-2026 hunting seasons. The rules that were opened at the March 4th meeting were Bighorn Sheep, Pronghorn, Javelina, and Migratory Bird. The rules that will open on April 11th are Elk, Deer, Aoudad, Oryx, Ibex, & Turkey. The predator rules (Bear & Lion) will not open until 2023. FYI –The “initial discussion” signals the opening of the Rule. The Dept. will then hold several public meetings to obtain public comment on their proposed changes. They will present an updated “subsequent discussion” to the Commission after public comment is obtained. The Dept. will then publish their proposed changes and the Commission will approve the changes during the “final hearing”. The overall process takes between 3-5 months depending on the level of changes and public participation in the Rule making process. INITIAL DISCUSSION PRONGHORN RULE The Dept. provided their initial presentation of proposed changes to the Pronghorn Rule. Over the past 4 years hunters have voiced some concerns regarding the dates of the current pronghorn hunts. Many in the southern part of the state feel the hunts are too early as it is still extremely hot in August. The Department is proposing moving the hunt dates later in the season to either Sept. and Oct or possibly at the end of August and Sept. More information will be published by the Dept. when the Rule opens for official public comment in the next few weeks. Initial proposed changes are as follows:
The Dept. provided their initial presentation of proposed changes to the Javelina Rule. Javelina are concentrated in the southwestern part of the state. The Department strives to balance javelina hunting opportunity with population sustainability. Javelina appear to be expanding their range and are becoming more common in other areas outside of the far southwestern part of the state. Initial proposed changes are as follows:
The Dept. provided their initial presentation of proposed changes to the Migratory Bird Rule. The Migratory Bird Rule is updated annually, and season selections and bag limits are determined in conjunction with the US Fish and Wildlife Service working through the Central and Pacific Flyway Councils. Seasons are not considered final until they have been published in the Federal Register. Initial proposed changes for the 2022–23 season are as follows:
INITIAL DISCUSSION BIGHORN SHEEP RULE The Dept. provided their initial presentation of proposed changes to the Bighorn Sheep Rule. Initial proposed changes are as follows:
Commissioner Salazar-Henry was successful at convincing the other Commissioners that the Attorney General should review the Dept.’s current bighorn sheep permit allocation process. The AG’s office stated that they will review the Statute and report back to the Commission with an unofficial response by June. APPROVAL OF THE CHANGES TO THE OPEN GATE PROGRAM The Open Gate program was created in 2006 to increase opportunity for small game hunting, fishing, and access to public lands. The Department accomplishes this by entering into agreements with private landowners for access on their property, or access through their property, to inaccessible public lands by paying them through a Commission approved pay schedule. The Dept. has proposed to expand the Open Gate program to big game as well as increase the fee schedule to make it more enticing to landowners. The new fee schedule (which will go into effect April 1, 2022) is provided below. Landowners or sportsmen who are interested in learning more about the Open Game program please click HERE. The Commission unanimously approved the Dept.’s recommended fee structure.  CHAIR SELECTION AND 2022 MEETING SCHEDULE The Commission votes annually to elect a chairman and vice chairman. Commissioner Salazar Hickey was re-elected to serve a second term as the Chairwoman. Commissioner Bates was elected to serve as this year’s Vice Chairman. The 2022 Commission meeting schedule was approved. Dates and locations are listed below:
Next Commission Meeting – April 11, 2022 (Santa Fe, NM)
COMMISSIONER CONTACT INFORMATION (You're encouraged to contact the Commissioners any time to voice your opinion) Sharon Salazar Hickey - Chairwoman District 4: Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, Guadalupe and Torrance counties Sharon.Hickey@state.nm.us Jimmy Bates - Vice Chairman District 5: Bernalillo county Jimmy.Bates@state.nm.us Roberta Salazar-Henry District 2: Catron, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra and Doña Ana counties R.Salazar-Henry@state.nm.us Deanna Archuleta District 1: Curry, De Baca, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, Eddy and Lea counties deanna.archuleta@state.nm.us OPEN District 3: San Juan, Rio Arriba, McKinley, Sandoval, Cibola, & Valencia counties Tirzio Lopez Appointed - Agriculture Position Tirzio.Lopez@state.nm.us OPEN Appointed - Conservation Position
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November 202111/24/2021 It’s been a busy couple weeks, so we are a bit behind on publishing our Game Commission Re-cap. In all the craziness a quick reminder (to myself more than anything); there is always more to be grateful about than to be concerned with. A very Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers!! The NM State Game Commission hosted a meeting on November 15th at the NMDGF regional office in Albuquerque. The meeting agenda consisted of run-of-the-mill items but the hidden agenda to revise or possibly eliminate the EPLUS program was more obvious than ever. More details under the “Financial Report” segment. If you desire to watch the recording of the full meeting, you can do so HERE. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE GOVERNMENTAL CONDUCT ACT Assistant Attorney General Valerie Joe provide a brief reminder of Commissioner roles and responsibilities as it relates to the Governmental Conduct Act. She stated that Commissioners acting in their personal interests can feel free to attend community events and engage in public conversations regarding hunting/fishing related issues as long as they do not indicate that they are speaking on behalf of the entire Commission. She also mentioned that she would encourage the Commission to participate in the trainings offered through the State Ethics Commission. DIRECTOR’S REPORT Game and Fish Director Mike Sloane gave a lengthy update on the ongoing initiatives of the Dept.
Commissioner Salazar-Henry suggested that the Dept. request federal funding to finance hatchery improvements and dam maintenance through the newly signed infrastructure bill. Commissioner Vesbach made a motion (which passed) to require the Director come back to the Commission in January with a full report on the planned usage of potential RAWA funds. Several members of the public spoke in favor of the Dept. getting ahead of the game and positioning themselves at the front of the line for funding when Congress passes RAWA. ODDS AND ENDS The Commission approved the establishment of game bird shooting preserves in Torrance and Lincoln County. The Dept. provided an update on the Fiscal 2023 budget request, an overview of the Field Operations division and its initiatives, an update on the status of the Habitat Stamp Program, and the Commission approved Jeffrey Arterburn of Las Cruces to the Citizen’s Advisory Committee. Mr. Arterburn will serve as the Fish/Wildlife Habitat Restoration Representative. FINANCIAL REPORT Director Sloan provided an in-depth report on the Dept.’s financial position including how revenue is generated through license sales. The presentation included a number of slides that clearly illustrate that the bulk of license sale revenue is generated by non-resident hunters. Click HERE to view the slideshow. Following the slide which shows an increase in pronghorn resident licenses in 2019 (the year the Dept. eliminated A-PLUS); Commissioner Salazar-Henry exposed her not-so-secret desire to do away with EPLUS by asking the Director if the Dept. could expect to see a similar resident hunter increase if EPLUS were dissolved. Wildlife Chief Stewart Liley attempted to explain that the only reason resident pronghorn license sales increased is because the Dept. was able to issue more draw permits since there were populations of antelope that were going un-hunted on public land. He explained this would most likely NOT be the case with elk considering all elk populations are currently being hunted. The slides that show elk license sales vs elk license revenue make it clear that robbing private land opportunity from non-resident hunters to increase public land opportunity for resident hunters will dramatically reduce the NMDGF annual revenue (in addition to creating more hunting pressure on public lands, decreasing hunter satisfaction, and pushing wildlife further onto private land). In this scenario, it is unlikely the NMDGF would be willing to simply accept a reduction to their annual budget. The revenue loss would need to be made up in the form of a substantial increase to the cost of resident elk licenses. Ironically creating a situation where resident hunters of average means are priced further out of the game. However, and unsurprisingly, Jesse Duebel of the NM Wildlife Federation and Chuck Trip of BHA made public comment to encourage the Commission to open the EPLUS Rule claiming they are advocating the will of “many sportsmen”. NMCOG is skeptical about their definition of the word “many”. We continue to believe that the majority of resident sportsmen actually support EPLUS and fully understand the mutual benefits offered to landowners and hunters through the program. Side note: NMCOG's Save EPLUS Coalition hosted our first town hall meeting in Chama this past Monday. We had a great turnout of approx. 50 local landowners. We plan to continue hosting these events across the state to build support of the EPLUS program. Stay tuned for details on where we will host our next town hall. Next Commission Meeting – January 14, 2022 (Clovis, NM)
COMMISSIONER CONTACT INFORMATION (You are welcome and encouraged to contact the Commissioners any time to voice your opinion) Sharon Salazar Hickey - Chairwoman District 4: Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, Guadalupe, and Torrance counties Sharon.Hickey@state.nm.us Jeremy Vesbach – Vice Chairman District 3: San Juan, McKinley, Cibola, Valencia, Sandoval, Los Alamos, and Rio Arriba counties Jeremy.Vesbach@state.nm.us Roberta Salazar Henry District 2: Catron, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra, and Doña Ana counties R.Salazar-Henry@state.nm.us OPEN District 1: Curry, De Baca, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, Eddy and Lea counties Jimmy Bates District 5: Bernalillo County Jimmy.Bates@state.nm.us Tirzio Lopez Appointed At-Large – Agricultural Position Tirzio.Lopez@state.nm.us OPEN Appointed At-Large – Conservation Position
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August 20218/16/2021 Last Thursday the NM State Game Commission held their much-anticipated meeting to determine the status of five Non-navigable Water applications, among other less interesting but equally important topics. I had originally predicted the meeting would be nothing more than another episode of “kick the can”. Boy was I wrong! NON-NAVIGABLE WATER APPLICATIONS For anyone who has been living under a rock these past few years; the Game Commission was recently mandated, by court order, to act on the applications of five NM landowners to certify the waterways on their private property as non-navigable under the Landowner Certification of Non-navigable Water Rule (19.31.22 NMAC). Simply put, applicants approved under the Rule are provided with signage to be placed along a privately owned streambed (outlined in the application) distinguishing that waterway as “non-navigable” which in turn provides the landowner with the means necessary to pursue criminal trespass against anyone found walking or wading in that streambed. The applications have been pending since the Commission placed a moratorium on the Rule back in 2019. A Federal Court ruled in March that the moratorium was unlawful and ordered the Commission to act on the applications by September 5th. Much to my surprise, the Commission voted to deny all 5 applications. Even though the Commission had previously approved other applicants with similar waterways, in similar areas, under the exact same set of circumstances (which is basically the definition of arbitrary and capricious). Commissioner Vesbach lead all 5 motions to deny using his personal views on the constitutionality of the Stream Access Law as justification for the denial. Commissioner Salazar-Henry seconded all motions. Neither of these votes were particularly surprising as Vesbach and Salazar-Henry have stood by their opinions on the issue since day one. What was surprising was that Commissioners Lopez and Bates also voted to deny the applications. These votes came as a complete shock as Commissioner Bates has previously proclaimed himself to be pro-private property rights and Commissioner Lopez was appointed by the Governor under the “Agricultural Position”. The Chairwoman, unsurprisingly, abstained from the formal vote. However, she prefaced her abstention by making the confusing statement that “all abstaining votes will count towards the majority”. So, in the end, the Commission denial of the applications was disappointingly unanimous. The Stream Access Law is currently waiting on the NM Supreme Court to determine its constitutionality. However, in the meantime, the Law is still very much in effect. The problem with the Commission voting to deny the applicants based on the Law rather than the Rule is twofold. First, the parameters set forth in the Rule are separate of the constitutionality question surrounding the Stream Access Law. The Commission was under a court order to follow the Rule and instead they denied the applications based solely on individual personal beliefs which are not substantiated by current law. Second, the Commission vote created a misperception in the minds of the public many of whom wrongly believe that because of this vote waterways on private land are now fully accessible to public recreation. This dangerous misperception has been perpetuated by media statements in the paper, from Senator Heinrich’s office, and by sportsman groups such as the NM Wildlife Federation and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. To be absolutely, indisputably clear (because clarity has been frustratingly absent throughout this entire process) it is still ILLEGAL to walk or wade in a streambed with private property on both sides of the bank REGARDLESS of whether a landowner has a Non-navigable Water Certificate. The vote that was taken by the Commission this past Thursday did nothing to change this fact. The statute (commonly referred to as the Stream Access Law) which was signed in 2015 and codified 30+ years of NMDGF rule, clearly reads “no person engaged in hunting, fishing, trapping, camping, hiking, sightseeing, the operation of watercraft or any other recreational use shall walk or wade onto private property through non-navigable public water or access public water via private property unless the private property owner or lessee or person in control of private lands has expressly consented in writing” (Chapter 34 Section 17-4-6 NMSA 1978). The unfortunate side effect of Thursday’s Commission vote will be an unavoidable increase in trespass on private property. Sadly, many of these trespassers will be completely unaware of the illegality of their actions due to reckless and irresponsible media. NMCOG encourages landowners who find trespassers in and along their private waterways to immediately contact Operation Game Thief (1-800-432-4263) or call your local NMDGF Conservation Officer. APPROVAL OF THE MIGRATORY GAME BIRD RULE The Dept. provided their final presentation on the proposed changes to the annual update to the Migratory Game Bird Rule. The Department changes were based on public comment, the latest information from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), recent survey information, and NMDGF management goals. Season selections and bag limits are determined in conjunction with the USFWS working through the Central and Pacific Flyway Councils. The Commission approved the Rule, and the changes are as follows:
SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION OF THE UPLAND GAME RULE The upland game rule is amended every four years. The current 4-year rule expires April 1, 2022. Proposed changes to the rule as submitted by the NMDGF are as follows:
The Dept. is currently taking public comment on their proposed changes. Please submit comment to DGF-Gamebird@state.nm.us. This rule will be approved by the Commission in October. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION OF THE FISHERIES RULE The fisheries rule is amended every four years. The current 4-year rule expires April 1, 2022. Proposed changes to the rule as submitted by the NMDGF are as follows:
The Dept. is currently taking public comment on their proposed changes. Please submit comment to DGF-FisheriesRule@state.nm.us. This rule will be approved by the Commission in October. INITIATION OF THE FURBEARERS RULE The Department took the required steps necessary to open the Furbearers Rule. Senate Bill 32 which was signed into law by the Governor after the 2021 Legislative Session will make it illegal as of April 1st, 2022, to recreationally trap on all NM public lands. The law contains several exemptions including an exemption for all members of a nationally recognized Native American Tribe. The NMDGF will be required to update their rule book to follow provisions of SB 32. The Department will post proposed changes to the Furbearer rule on the Department’s website. And the commission will approve the changes at a subsequent Commission meeting. LAGUNA DEL CAMPO TRANSFER In August of 2017, the Commission approved the Department to work with the Tierra Amarilla Land Grant on the transfer of the Laguna del Campo property. During the 2019 legislative session, Senate Joint Resolution 2 authorized the Commission to transfer the Laguna del Campo property to Tierra Amarilla Land Grant but did not mention transfer of the water rights associated with the lake. Since the Commission’s April meeting an agreement has been reached by the Land Grant and the NMDGF. The Commission approved to transfer 20.405 acres of land associated with Laguna del Campo to the TA Land Grant via quitclaim deed as well as to transfer the storage water right in the amount of 96.7 acre-feet while the NMDGF will retain the surface water diversion right. ODDS AND ENDS The Commission heard additional presentations from the Outdoor Recreation Division of the Economic Development Department and the Youth Conservation Corp. They approved the 2023 Dept. budget request. The Director provided an update on Dept. initiatives and thanked the Governor for proclaiming Sept. 25th as Hunting & Fishing Day. And the Commission recognized Colleen Payne of the Mule Deer foundation for facilitating the annual Governor’s Hunt Auction which generated a record number of funds ($194,000) for the NMDGF to benefit conservation! Next Commission Meeting – October 15, 2021 (Location TBD)
COMMISSIONER CONTACT INFORMATION (You're encouraged to contact the Commissioners any time to voice your opinion) Sharon Salazar Hickey - Chairwoman District 4: Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, Guadalupe and Torrance counties Sharon.Hickey@state.nm.us Jeremy Vesbach - Vice Chairman District 3: San Juan, McKinley, Cibola, Valencia, Sandoval, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties Jeremy.Vesbach@state.nm.us Roberta Salazar-Henry District 2: Catron, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra and Doña Ana counties R.Salazar-Henry@state.nm.us OPEN District 1: Curry, De Baca, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, Eddy and Lea counties Jimmy Bates District 5: Bernalillo county Jimmy.Bates@state.nm.us Tirzio Lopez Appointed - Agriculture Position Tirzio.Lopez@state.nm.us OPEN Appointed - Conservation Position
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April 20214/7/2021 The Game Commission hosted their second virtual meeting of 2021 earlier today. The meeting was shorter than most and was shrouded in a somber ambience due to the recent death of Commissioner David Soules. Commissioner Soules could always be counted on to provide worthwhile discussion to agenda items and his friendly demeanor truly helped to lessen some of the awkwardness that comes with fully virtual public interactions. His absence in today’s meeting was noticeable, and I will personally miss the wry smile he would give during technical difficulties or virtual snafus. He is an irreplaceable loss for the NM State Game Commission and is being mourned by all the lives he touched over his many, many years in conservation. Commissioner Soules passed away suddenly on March 26th because of a heart attack. He was 63 years old. His long-time friend and fellow Commissioner Roberta Salazar-Henry is in the process of planning a memorial of sorts for the May Commission meeting. NMCOG looks forward to being there (hopefully in person) to help honor the life of a man so dedicated to improving the wildlife and wild places of New Mexico. DIRECTOR’S REPORT Director Sloane continues to prove himself to be a man of very few words. He provided an amazingly brief update on the outcome of the recent 2021 Legislative Session which included the passage, and subsequent signage, of SB 32 which bans recreational trapping on all NM public lands. Of course, Director Sloane won’t be able to avoid the conversation forever…the passage of SB 32 brings with it a lengthy rule making process which we anticipate beginning in the next month or so. INITIATION OF THE FISHERIES RULE Department Fisheries Chief, Kirk Patten, provided a presentation on the Fisheries Rule. The Rule is on a 4yr cycle which will expire March 31st of 2022. The rule sets regulatory requirements for recreational fishing. This initial discussion of potential rule changes is just the first of several public meetings to approve the next 4yr cycle of the rule. The Rule will be open for public comment on the Dept. website in the coming days and the Dept. will host at least one virtual meeting to obtain public input. The Dept. is proposing the following changes to the Fisheries Rule.
INITIATION OF THE MIGRATORY GAME BIRD RULE Department Wildlife Chief, Stewart Liley, provided a presentation on the Migratory Game Bird Rule. This rule is amended annually in compliance with Federal guidelines and in conjunction with USFWS, Central and Pacific Flyways recommendations. The Dept. is not anticipating a lot of changes from last year’s rule. However, the Dept. will host a public meeting via Zoom in mid/late April to gather public input. So far, the Dept. anticipates the following changes to the Migratory Game Bird Rule. The final Rule will be approved in August.
OVERVIEW OF DEPARTMENT’S LAW ENFORCEMENT The Department’s Colonel of Law Enforcement, Robert Griego, provided a detailed presentation on the Dept.’s Law Enforcement field operations over the past year, through the pandemic, as well as a general overview of Law Enforcement efforts. Colonel Griego described that while many private businesses and government agencies were shutdown, law enforcement officials were busier than ever. The shutdown resulted in a substantial increase in the amount of folks looking for outdoor recreation opportunities which resulted in a sizable increase in the need for public relations. Colonel Griego explained that the increased number of people in the field resulted in a lot of written warnings and required additional educational efforts of the public. Enforcement officials had to get a bit stricter as the year wore on and as disrespectful recreators left enormous amounts of trash and committed wildlife violations. Throughout the pandemic wildlife continued to be wildlife. Colonel Griego explained the Dept. received 539 wildlife complaints. 190 of those were bear and 28 were cougar. Bear and Cougar complaints always require immediate response. There was one bear attack on a woman in July. The wildlife attack response team located and euthanized the bear responsible for the attack which they were able to confirm through DNA and bite mark measurements. Law Enforcement routinely use advanced technology to solve cases. DNA was additionally used solve an elk poaching case outside of Corona as well as a trophy mule deer poaching case which resulted in the state awarding $74,000 of restitution to the Dept. of Game and Fish. Last year the Dept. solved 5 felony poaching cases. 2 of those cases resulted in 17 felony charges. Game wardens are additionally involved in public safely. They help with many statewide search and rescue missions and participate in motorist assists weekly. This past fall on State Trust Land the Dept. Law Enforcement officials made 2,500 contacts and conducted over 3,500 man-hours of enforcement efforts. Enforcement officials additionally participate in youth mentoring programs. One of which consists of children who have passed hunter safety years ago but have not yet purchased a hunting license. As it turns out, many of these youth come from single parent families and the parent is unfamiliar with hunting. Game wardens help facilitate hunting opportunities for these youngsters and provide all the gear required. The efforts are extremely rewarding for both the Game warden and the youth hunter. LAGUNA DEL CAMPO TRANSFER In August of 2017, the Commission approved the Department to work with the Tierra Amarilla Land Grant on the transfer of the Laguna del Campo property. During the 2019 legislative session, Senate Joint Resolution 2 authorized the Commission to transfer the Laguna del Campo property to Tierra Amarilla Land Grant but did not mention transfer of the water rights associated with the lake. Representatives from the La Puente Ditch Association expressed concerns with the transfer regarding maintenance of the lake and the ditch and how that would affect their interests. During the June 2019 Commission meeting, the Commission conditionally approved the transfer of Laguna del Campo from the Commission to the Tierra Amarilla Land Grant upon execution of a quitclaim deed and associated legal documents necessary to address concerns for the Land Grant, the Department, and La Puente Ditch Association. Since the 2019 conditional approval for the transfer, the Department has met with both the La Puente Ditch Association and the Tierra Amarilla Land Grant to discuss the property transfer. The Commission established a subcommittee consisting of Commissioner Lopez and Vice-Chairman Vesbach to finalize the transfer of the property and deal with the potential transfer of water rights. Next Commission Meeting – May 21, 2021 (Hopefully Not Virtual - But Probably So) COMMISSIONER CONTACT INFORMATION (You are encouraged to contact the Commissioners any time to voice your opinion) Sharon Salazar Hickey - Chairwoman District 4: Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, Guadalupe and Torrance counties Sharon.Hickey@state.nm.us Jeremy Vesbach - Vice Chairman District 3: San Juan, McKinley, Cibola, Valencia, Sandoval, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba Jeremy.Vesbach@state.nm.us Roberta Salazar Henry District 2: Catron, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra and Doña Ana counties R.Salazar-Henry@state.nm.us Gail Cramer District 1: Curry, De Baca, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, Eddy and Lea counties Gail.Cramer@state.nm.us Jimmy Bates District 5: Bernalillo county. Jimmy.Bates@state.nm.us Tirzio Lopez Appointed At-Large – Agricultural Position Tirzio.Lopez@state.nm.us
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January 20211/16/2021 The NM State Game Commission hosted their first meeting of 2021 on Friday Jan. 15th. The meeting was, of course, virtual. Don’t let the benign nature of the agenda fool you. This meeting was full of twists, turns, and unexpected drama. Let’s get rolling… COMMISSION CHAIR & VICE-CHAIR ANNUAL ELECTION As is required annually, the Commissioners voted to elect a chair and vice-chair. Commissioner Sharon Salazar-Hickey was nominated and approved to serve another term as Commission chairwoman. Commissioner Jeremy Vesbach was nominated, by the current vice-chairwoman (Roberta Salazar-Henry), to serve as this year’s vice-chairman of the Commission. This was an interesting move considering Commissioners have not historically been quite so eager to voluntarily give up their chair positions. STATE TRUST LAND EASEMENT The Commission voted unanimously to approve the 2021-2025 State Trust Land Easement. The purpose of the Easement is to provide entry into state trust lands to authorized hunters, anglers, and trappers for the legal, regulated harvest of wild game and fish. The newly adopted agreement was, in my personal opinion, the highlight of the meeting. The Easement is mutually beneficial to both agencies and their constituents. It is not overly costly, encourages habitat improvement projects on State land, and continues all previous benefits afforded to sportsmen. It also details newly established camping areas and provides a clear process for individuals to obtain access in the event of locked gates. Hats off to the SLO, the NMDGF, and Commissioner Soules on drafting the most concise and easy to understand Easement agreement, maybe ever. You can read the entire agreement HERE. PUBLIC COMMENT This segment of the meeting was moved from the very end to the beginning to be more respectful of the average person’s time availability. This structure is anticipated to apply to future Commission agendas and NMCOG agrees wholeheartedly with the decision. During public comment, Colleen Payne of the Mule Deer Foundation inquired about the status of the “extended hunts” better known as the Governor’s Hunt Auction tags. The Mule Deer Foundation has volunteered to sell these hunts for the Dept. during their annual MDF convention. The hunts were not sold last year due to COVID restrictions and the Dept. forfeited nearly $225,000 in auction revenue. Commissioner Salazar-Henry requested that the Director address the issue with Ms. Payne. Director Sloane gave a short, vague, non-response with zero details. We know there are many outfitters who are extremely interested in Governor’s Hunt Auction tags and unfortunately, NMCOG feels the Director’s comments are likely an indication that the Gov. Auction hunts might not be sold again in 2021. John Crenshaw of the NMWF spoke out against the TA Land Grant attempt to legislatively take the WMAs in Rio Arriba county (NMCOG is also strongly opposed to this legislation – more on this in our 1st edition of the 2021 Round House Review which will be published next week). Dave Kenneke with Cattle Growers spoke out in opposition to the pending changes to the Importation Rule and also spoke in favor of the EPLUS system and the conservation/economic benefits the program brings to the agriculture industry as well as outfitter/guides. DIRECTORS REPORT Director Sloane provided a report on the activities of the Department since the last Commission meeting. Department efforts included waterfowl surveys, the 2021 proclamation, and (among many other things) an initiative, in collaboration with BHA, to educate hunters and non-hunters in the wildland-urban interface of the Sandia Mountains to address public concerns during the January bow hunt. COMMITTEE REPORTS Discussion during this segment was ratcheted way down from the last Commission meeting. An effort, we assume, to limit any accidental violations of the Opens Meeting Act; as happened in December with the EPLUS discussion. Finance Committee (Salazar-Henry, Vesbach, Bates) – Commissioner Salazar-Henry provided very brief comments on the efforts of the Finance Committee to research and understand the Game and Fish Bond Act. The Committee will also be meeting next week to discuss license fee structure. She was quick to add that any changes would include a robust public input process. Hunt Structure Committee (Vesbach, Salazar-Henry, Soules) – Commissioner Vesbach backpedaled aggressively on his EPLUS criticism from the last Commission meeting stating there is “a little confusion with the public that we were pursuing a proposal, which we are not”. However, he failed to mention that it was in-fact his buddy Senator Heinrich who opened Pandora’s box back in December. Regardless, any wind in the sails of the anti-EPLUS movement seems to have been calmed for now, at least at the Commissioner level (we will soon see if the Legislature brings any unwelcome surprises). Thank you, to all of you who made calls, sent letters, and sent emails to the Commissioners over the past month. Your voices have clearly been heard! While Commissioner Vesbach did his best to appear unbiased against EPLUS he also continued to attempt to create the misperception that the EPLUS rule is somehow tied to the 4yr Big Game Rule stating, “we remain 2 years ahead of adopting a new big game rule…and we do hope to look into ways to improve resident opportunity”. Please note: the EPLUS Rule is a PERMANENT rule. It does not open every 4 years in conjunction with the Big Game Rule as Commissioner Vesbach continues to insinuate. If the EPLUS Rule opens it will be because the Commission requests the Rule to be opened. Customer Feedback Committee (Cramer, Lopez) – Commissioner Cramer gave a very brief update on the Committee’s efforts to maintain and improve customer feedback efforts. APPROVAL OF THE PUBLIC LAND USER STAMP (HABITAT STAMP PROGRAM) Department Wildlife Chief, Stewart Liley, provided a final updated presentation regarding the Dept.’s proposed changes to the Habitat Stamp program. Under authority of the Sikes Act, the purpose of the New Mexico Habitat Stamp Program is to plan, develop, maintain, and coordinate conservation and rehabilitation programs that are designed to have a positive impact on wildlife and fish populations. Funding from this program is used to improve and restore habitat on US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands, with an emphasis on improving sportsmen opportunities for hunting, fishing, and trapping. The program is directed by the cooperative efforts of the NMDGF, USFS, BLM and the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) which provide input and advice on project submissions, planning documents, and program direction. Proposed changes to the current rule include a reauthorization of the Rule for an additional ten years, creating a single Citizen Advisory Committees (rather than the current 5), increasing the stamp price from $5 to $10 and allowing for future increases to be adjusted according to the Consumer Price Index (the Commission has some control over CPI fee adjustments but cannot defer an adjustment for more than 5 years in a row), requiring that at least 50% of the HSP funds over a 5-year period be spent on projects that benefit fish, and the removal of redundancies in the planning process. Rule changes would be effective April 1st. Because the current rule does not expire until March 31st any individual who applies for a hunt before April 1st will pay the $5 fee. Any applications after that date will pay the increased $10 fee. The Commission voted 6 to 1 to approve the Rule changes. Commissioner Cramer voted against the motion and explained that while she supports that program overall (and many of the amendments), she does not support an increase in the Habitat Stamp fee and therefore could not vote in favor of the Rule change. APPORVAL OF THE IMPORTATION OF LIVE NONDOMESTIC ANIMALS, BIRDS AND FISH RULE Department Fisheries Chief, Kirk Patton, provided a final updated presentation on the Dept.’s proposed changes to the Importation of Nondomestic Animals Rule. The Rule sets regulatory requirements for the importation of live non-domestic animals, birds, and fish into New Mexico to protect native wildlife against contagious or infectious disease, undesirable species, and to protect human health and safety. To meet that purpose, the rule prohibits the importation of any live non-domesticated animal into New Mexico without first obtaining a permit. The Dept. is proposing to change the Rule as follows:
The NM Farm and Livestock Bureau made some very well drafted comments in opposition to the Rule changes as they relate to the importation of carnivores. As a result of this comment (and similar comments from landowners across the state and especially in wolf country) the Commission, shockingly, voted 4:3 to disapprove the Rule changes. This vote resulted in an eruption of chaotic and frantic discussion among the Director and the Commissioners regarding the unintended consequences of disapproving the Rule. There was an obvious lack of understanding between the Dept. and the Commissioners as to the importance of approving the Rule changes and Wildlife Chief, Stewart Liley was called in to explain the repercussions of not approving the Rule as it relates to Mexican wolf recovery efforts. The Commission then repealed their previous vote and then re-voted (4:2) to APPROVE the Rule changes as is, with Commissioner Lopez abstaining from the final vote and Chairwoman Salazar-Hickey changing her original vote from No to Yes stating “it appears the harm is going to outweigh the issues I had originally recognized”. Attempting to slide this Rule change under the radar by masking it as a fisheries issue rather than what it is (which is a wolf issue) was a giant misstep by the Department and reflected very poorly on the Commission. The botched Rule disapproval, confusion, and subsequent approval was a black eye on the Rule making process. There is absolutely no reason that this issue should not have been thoroughly discussed and understood in previous Commission meetings. APPOINTMENT OF THE CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS The Commission discussed the appointment of members to the new Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Habitat Stamp program. The Director explained the application and selection process for CAC members. The Dept. submitted 9 names to the Commission for approval. The Commission chose to approve 7 of the recommended names and inserted 2 names of their own. While it is in the Commission’s ability to make this change, it really did seem, to those of us attending the meeting, that the selection was a bit of a game of politics. And despite the Commissions repeated claims of transparency, the selection of CAC members appeared about as clear as mud. Below is the approved list of appointed CAC members:
ODDS & ENDS Assistant Attorney General Valerie Joe provided a brief overview of the requirements of the Open Meetings Act. The Commission is required to adopt a procedure for providing public notice annually. The Commission adopted the resolution unanimously. The Commission approved their “consent agenda” which included of approval of the Least Shrew recovery plan, License Revocations, and the recognition of Weapons4Warriors as a donation qualified non-profit. In Executive Session the Commission voted to allow the Department to pursue a conservation easement on a property in Valencia County and purchase a property in Catron County. Next Commission Meeting – April 1, 2021 (Virtual)
COMMISSIONER CONTACT INFORMATION (You're encouraged to contact the Commissioners any time to voice your opinion) Sharon Salazar Hickey - Chairwoman District 4: Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, Guadalupe and Torrance counties Sharon.Hickey@state.nm.us Roberta Salazar-Henry – Vice Chairwoman District 2: Catron, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra and Doña Ana counties R.Salazar-Henry@state.nm.us Gail Cramer District 1: Curry, De Baca, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, Eddy and Lea counties Gail.Cramer@state.nm.us Jeremy Vesbach District 3: San Juan, McKinley, Cibola, Valencia, Sandoval, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties Jeremy.Vesbach@state.nm.us Jimmy Bates District 5: Bernalillo county. Jimmy.Bates@state.nm.us David Soules Appointed At-large – Conservation Position David.Soules@state.nm.us Tirzio Lopez Appointed At-large – Agricultural Position Tirzio.Lopez@state.nm.us
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December 2020 Re-cap12/18/2020 It has been 2 full weeks since the NM State Game Commission held their December virtual meeting. Usually, we strive to publish our re-caps within a day or two of the meeting however, the bombshell that was dropped on our industry during the Commission meeting required immediate response and that effort delayed the timing of this re-cap. If you were still enjoying the peace and tranquility of the woods last week you may not have heard that NM Senator Martin Heinrich used the December 3rd Game Commission meeting to publicly launch an attack on the EPLUS system, private landowners, and nonresident elk hunters. Senator Heinrich sent a letter to the Commission on Dec. 2nd. That letter was discussed by the Commission during an agenda item titled “Committee Reports”. To listen to the discussion recording click HERE and forward to The Senator released his letter to the public via Facebook at nearly the same minute that the discussion of his letter was taking place during the Commission meeting. The Commission discussion prompted public comment from the usual suspects (BHA & NMWF) who never miss an opportunity voice their anti-private property/anti-nonresident stance. Yet the whole thing seemed just a bit too orchestrated… While NMCOG was admittedly caught off-guard by the discussion that took place two weeks ago, it is now clear that there are Game Commissioners who are working behind the scenes to push changes to the EPLUS system. What is still unclear is the timing of this effort. The Commission could open the EPLUS Rule anytime. It is also unclear whether there will be a side attempt (from BHA or NMWF) to repeal the statute that mandates the NMDGF to issue landowner elk permits. The EPLUS system is the lifeblood of the outfitted hunting industry in NM. NMCOG will work tirelessly to advocate for the system and to educate individuals on the important mutual benefits provided to NM’s economy, landowners, and resident hunters through EPLUS. You can find more information on this issue at https://www.nmoutfitters.com/eplus.html. Below is our Re-cap of the Dec. 3rd virtual Commission meeting. DIRECTORS REPORT Director Sloane provided the Commission an update on several ongoing Department efforts including their project related to Wildlife Corridors. He additionally provided an overview on the Legislative Finance Council Program Evaluation Report which they conducted on the NMDGF. Director Sloane stated that the NMDGF is the only natural resource agency that has ever had a program evaluation done by the LFC. The report produced 3 general findings. They encouraged collaboration with other agencies (which the Dept. already does but plans to make more publicly obvious), the Dept. to work with LFC and DFA to develop new and improved evaluation standards for the Dept., and recommended the Dept. make a few changes to some Dept./Commission policies (EPLUS being on that list). The Director also provided an update on the ongoing public comment process regarding the Habitat Stamp proposal. NMDGF held another public meeting on the issue that generated comments opposed to the fee increase being tied to CPI as well as opposing reducing regional representation in advisory committees. Based on this input the Dept. revised their final proposal to give the Commission the ability to defer that annual CPI adjustment. The final Dept. proposed changes to the rule have been published to the registrar where they needs to remain unchanged for 30 days prior to commission approval. The Commission will formally approve the change to the Habitat Stamp Program at their January meeting. COMMITTEE REPORTS Finance Committee (Salazar-Henry, Vesbach, Bates) – Chair Salazar-Henry provided an update on their work as a committee which has been meeting to review trends in the NMDGF budgetary issues. Hunt Structure Committee (Vesbach, Salazar-Henry, Soules) – Chair Vesbach explained that this committee has been looking at how permits are allocated between user groups (resident/non-resident) and attempting to determine how to allocate more permits to resident hunters. The committee is looking ahead to make changes to provide more resident hunter opportunity when the Big Game Rule opens in 2022 or possibly before. Customer Feedback Committee (Cramer, Lopez) – Chair Cramer explained that this committee is looking at how the Dept. gathers feedback from stakeholders. The committee will continue to research ways to establish and develop additional ways for the Dept. to obtain public feedback from all parties and agencies impacted by Dept. policy. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION ON THE HUNTER EDUCATION RULE Department Chief of Information & Education, Lance Cherry, provided a final updated presentation to the Commission regarding the proposed changes to the Hunter Education Rule. Currently under the Dept.’s Mentored-Youth Hunting Program first-time youth hunters, 10 years of age and older, are allowed the ability to hunt small game, turkey, javelina, and deer (without going through a formal hunters education program) for two license years in the accompaniment of a licensed parent or guardian (i.e. “mentor”) The Dept. is proposing a roll back of the minimum age requirement from 10yrs to 8yrs and adding the requirement that a program Mentor must pass an abbreviated written hunting test. The Dept. is also proposing to add pronghorn antelope to the list of huntable game (but only for youth age 10-17 )and would like to change the rule from permanent to a four-year cycle, April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2025. Interestingly some Commissioners voiced opposition to the proposed changes put forth by the Dept. even though the Commissioners themselves had made the suggested changes in previous meetings. Regardless, the Commission voted 4-3 to approve the Rule. Commissioners Vesbach, Cramer, and Soules voted against the motion. INITIATION OF THE HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSE AND APPLICATION RULE The Dept. provided a final presentation on changes they wish to make to the license application rule as it relates to the mobility impaired certification for permanent conditions. The Dept. expressed that the current process is being manipulated by individuals who are attempting to cheat the system and increase their draw odds. The Dept. has discovered that there are many individuals who are applying for hunts within the mobility impaired hunt codes as their first choice and hunt codes for not mobility impaired as a second/third choice (which would indicate the mobility impairment is either not a permanent condition or not severe enough to limit hunter mobility). The Dept. would like to change the eligibility requirement for the mobility impaired certification to be eligible only to those individuals who have an inability to walk. They are also planning to remove the allowance for mobility impaired hunters to utilize a crossbow during archery season. A crossbow will be available for hunters under a permit with can be applied for annually. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the Dept.’s proposed changes. UPDATE ON MEXICAN GRAY WOLF RECOVERY EFFORTS Wildlife Chief Stewart Liley provided the Commission an update on the Dept. efforts to partner with the USFWS in the Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery efforts. Chief Liley gave a brief history of the recovery efforts and went on to describe the 2020 efforts as well as successes and struggles. The COVID restrictions as they relate to the international US/MX border have complicated recovery efforts in 2020 however, the program has seen a record number of survival within the cross fostered wolf pups (pups born in captivity and placed with a wild wolf pair very early in infancy). Since 2014, there have been 50 genetically diverse wolf pups cross-fostered into the wild. Five cross-fostered wolves have survived to breeding age, resulting in multiple litters of genetically diverse pups born in the wild. There are currently 14 genetically valuable cross-fostered wolves that are collared and alive in the wild that the IFT is actively monitoring. Highly likely there are additional cross-fostered wolves alive in the population that have yet to be captured and collared. The recovery team will continue collaring efforts in 2021 to document additional cross-foster survival. OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT’S HATCHERY SYSTEMS OPERATIONS Department Fisheries Chief Kirk Patten provided an update on the fish hatchery operations for informational purposes only. Chief Patten explained that the Dept. operates six state fish hatcheries in support of recreational angling and fisheries conservation in New Mexico. Performance based measures set by the Legislature include rearing approximately 640,000 pounds of fish per year from Department hatcheries. The Department consistently meets that target by rearing triploid rainbow trout, walleye, largemouth bass, Rio Grande cutthroat trout, kokanee, Gila trout, YY-male brook trout, and purchasing channel catfish for the summer catfish stocking program. The Department maintains a Rio Grande cutthroat trout brood-stock at Seven Springs Hatchery, a largemouth bass brood-stock at Rock Lake Hatchery, and conducts annual field spawns to maintain walleye and kokanee fisheries across the state. Triploid rainbow trout eggs are purchased from a private hatchery. Due to the age of these facilities, there are continual maintenance costs along with capital investments to replace aging infrastructure and staff housing. Many of the buildings are eligible or designated as historical buildings which creates additional challenges and maintenance costs. OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT’S CONSERVATION INFORMATION SYSTEM Dept. Share with Wildlife Coordinator Ginny Seamster provided an informational update from the Ecological and Environmental Planning Division. The Division provides important technical guidance reviews for a diversity of proposed infrastructure projects, develops comprehensive conservation planning documents, and funds projects focused on informing and enhancing the conservation of Species of Greatest Conservation Need through the Share with Wildlife program. There are several public-facing tools and datasets that the Division has developed in collaboration with Natural Heritage New Mexico, that form the backbone of the conservation-related information and services that the Division provides. These tools and datasets, along with the Share with Wildlife program, are interconnected and present different scales and types of information to inform wildlife conservation in New Mexico. This Conservation Information System is envisioned as a single-entry point for all publicly available conservation-related information on New Mexico’s flora and fauna. The division covers six Dept. run programs:
PUBLIC COMMENT During the public comment segment of the meeting individuals brought up issues from several topics. There were several comments in favor of the Habitat Stamp Fee increase and one comment opposed. There were several comments from individuals who live in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains and were disturbed by recent hunter behavior during the youth archery deer hunt (gut piles left on public trails, dangerous usage of weapons, and deer being killed too close to inhabited areas). These folks encouraged the commission to consider a no-hunting perimeter between inhabited areas and forest service property. Next Commission Meeting – January 15, 2021 (Virtual)
COMMISSIONER CONTACT INFORMATION (You are welcome and encouraged to contact the Commissioners any time to voice your opinion) Sharon Salazar Hickey - Chairwoman District 4: Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, Guadalupe and Torrance counties Sharon.Hickey@state.nm.us Roberta Salazar-Henry – Vice Chairwoman District 2: Catron, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra and Doña Ana counties R.Salazar-Henry@state.nm.us Gail Cramer District 1: Curry, De Baca, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, Eddy and Lea counties Gail.Cramer@state.nm.us Jeremy Vesbach District 3: San Juan, McKinley, Cibola, Valencia, Sandoval, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties Jeremy.Vesbach@state.nm.us Jimmy Bates District 5: Bernalillo county. Jimmy.Bates@state.nm.us David Soules Appointed At-large – Conservation Position David.Soules@state.nm.us Tirzio Lopez Appointed At-large Tirzio.Lopez@state.nm.us
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October 2020 Game Commission Re-Cap10/20/2020 The NM State Game Commission held a virtual meeting on Friday Oct. 16th. While one might expect that everyone would be at ease with all things virtual now-a-day, the fact of the matter is these meetings seem to be getting increasingly more uncomfortable to watch. There is an unexplainable tension between the Commissioners and it’s painfully obvious that the Chairwoman and Vice Chairwoman simply do not get along. Perhaps it’s that a lack of personal interaction has deteriorated the relationships between the Commissioners themselves and the NMDGF staff. Or maybe it’s that virtual meetings lack a certain level of professionalism that is expected with face to face behavior. Whatever the case, it’s clearly eroding public participation in the “open-meetings” process. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION ON THE HUNTER EDUCATION RULE Department Chief of Information & Education, Lance Cherry, provided an updated presentation to the Commission regarding the proposed changes to the Hunter Education Rule. Currently under the Dept.’s Mentored-Youth Hunting Program first-time youth hunters, 10 years of age and older, are allowed the ability to hunt small game, turkey, javelina, and deer (without going through a formal hunters education program) for two license years in the accompaniment of a licensed parent or guardian (i.e. “mentor”) The Dept. is proposing a roll back of the minimum age requirement from 10yrs to 8yrs and adding the requirement that a program Mentor must pass an abbreviated written hunting test. The Dept. is also proposing to add pronghorn antelope to the list of huntable game and would like to change the rule from permanent to a four-year cycle, April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2025. The Commission had a long and lively debate on this issue, and it seemed that there were as many varying opinions as there were Commissioners. At the end of the discussion it seemed the Commission would be more comfortable with the Dept. proposing a “tiered approach” to the age rollback recommendation. It was unclear what exactly the Dept. will be changing however, the proposal is still currently open for public comment and will be updated in the coming days. If you would like to voice your opinion on this issue please send an email to lance.cherry@state.nm.us. The Commission is expected to vote on this Rule at their December meeting. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION ON THE PUBLIC LAND USER STAMP HABITAT STAMP PROGRAM) Department Wildlife Chief, Stewart Liley, provided an updated presentation regarding the Dept.’s proposed changes to the Habitat Stamp program. The Habitat Stamp is a $5 fee charged to all hunters and anglers who intend to utilize public land during their sportsman activities. The fees are utilized to fund habitat and riparian improvement projects across the state. The program is currently managed on a regional basis by 5 different Citizens Advisory Committees. Over the decades since the program was initiated proceeds have been used to fund prescribed fire, forest thinning projects, aquatic and riparian restoration, grassland restoration, and installation/maintenance of wildlife water structures. The Department provided an initial presentation to open this rule back in June. The issue has been open for public comment since that time. Apparently, the Dept. has received many comments expressing the public’s desire to see the fee increased from $5 to $10. The Commission discussed this and several other items they would like to see the Dept. propose to better the program. The Dept. is in the process of revising their proposal and will soon host another round of public hearings to gather input. It is anticipated that the Dept. will be proposing to increase the fee to $10 and to reduce the number of Citizen Advisory Committees from 5 to 1. NMCOG will be providing an official position on this matter to the Commission in the coming weeks. To voice your opinion please send an email to info@nmoutfitters.com FINAL BIENNIAL REVIEW OF WCA SPECIES The Dept. provided their final presentation on the biennial (every other year) review of threatened and endangered species as required by the Wildlife Conservation Act (WCA). There was one recommended change to the listed species. The Dept. recommended to up-list the Narrow Headed Garter Snake from threatened to endanger. These snakes are only found in the San Francisco and Gila River drainages in NM. The Commission unanimously approved the 2020 biennial review of WCA species. DRAFT RECOVERY PLAN FOR LEAST SHREW The Department provided a presentation on a draft Recovery Plan for the Least Shrew as pursuant to the Wildlife Conservation Act. The Least Shrew is a very small mammal that inhabits portions of New Mexico’s High Plains and the Pecos River Valley. It was listed as threatened in New Mexico in 1985. Recent trapping surveys have revealed that the species is considerably more widespread than it was presumed to be at the time of its listing. The Department has prepared a Draft Recovery Plan that is expected to be approved by the Commission in January 2021. The recovery plan outlines a strategy for ensuring the continued persistence of multiple populations of Least Shrew in NM. This recovery plan will soon be open for public comment on the Dept.’s website. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION ON THE IMPORTATION OF LIVE NONDOMESTIC ANIMALS, BIRDS AND FISH RULE Department Fisheries Chief, Kirk Patton, provided an updated presentation on the Dept.’s proposed changes to the Importation of Nondomestic Animals Rule. The Rule sets regulatory requirements for the importation of live non-domestic animals, birds, and fish into New Mexico to protect native wildlife against contagious or infectious disease, undesirable species, and to protect human health and safety. To meet that purpose, the rule prohibits the importation of any live non-domesticated animal into New Mexico without first obtaining a permit. The Dept. is proposing to change the Rule as follows:
The motivation behind the above proposed changes appeared to be that many of the current regulations are prohibitive to the way the Fisheries Department conducts their conservation efforts as well as simplicity in complying with recovery efforts under the Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan. Previously the NMDGF Director had the ability to review and approve permit applications for carnivore importation without Commission approval. The Game Commission that served under the Martinez administration removed that ability from the Director. The current Commission intends to restore this power back to the Director to align the importation and release permit process across all species. This proposal is currently open for public comment. Please voice your opinion at dgf-importation.rule@state.nm.us INITIATION OF THE HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSE AND APPLICATION RULE The Dept. provided an initial presentation on changes they wish to make to the license application rule as it relates to the mobility impaired certification for permanent conditions. The Dept. expressed that the current process is being manipulated by individuals who are attempting to cheat the system and increase their draw odds. The Dept. has discovered that there are many individuals who are applying for hunts within the mobility impaired hunt codes as their first choice and hunt codes for not mobility impaired as a second/third choice (which would indicate the mobility impairment is either not a permanent condition or not severe enough to limit hunter mobility). The Dept. would like to change the eligibility requirement for the mobility impaired certification to be eligible only to those individuals who have an inability to walk. They are also planning to remove the allowance for mobility impaired hunters to utilize a crossbow during archery season. This rule will be open for public comment soon on the Dept. website. The Commission is anticipated to approve the changes to the rule at their January meeting. ODDS AND ENDS The Commission approved the draw deadline dates for 2021 as follows: February 10, 2021 - bear and turkey draw permits. March 17, 2021 - deer, elk, pronghorn, oryx, ibex, barbary sheep, bighorn sheep, and javelina draw licenses. And August 18, 2021 - pheasant and sandhill crane draw permits. Department Colonel of Law Enforcement, Robert Griego, gave a detailed presentation on hunting/fishing violations and the license revocation process complete with hearing date requirements adhered to by the NMDGF, a person’s ability to appeal, and the authority of the Game Commission. After a lengthy Commission discussion on the number of years generally recommended in most revocations, the Commission unexpectedly voted to revoke the license privileges of 5 individuals with 20+ violation points for 10 years (usually the revocation is for 3 years). PUBLIC COMMENT The NM Wildlife Federation and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers expressed that they would like to see the Commission increase the Habitat Stamp fee from $5 to $10. And they would also like to see the Dept. increase license fees across the board. TA Land Grant commented on the transfer of the Laguna Del Campo lake property from the NMDGF to the Land Grant. Although the property was transferred the water rights did not. And the Land Grant is seeking NMDGF assistance on how the proceed to retain enough water to keep the lake in a fishable state. Next Commission Meeting – December 3rd (Possibly Roswell – Possibly Virtual)
COMMISSIONER CONTACT INFORMATION (You're encouraged to contact the Commissioners any time to voice your opinion) Sharon Salazar Hickey - Chairwoman District 4: Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, Guadalupe and Torrance counties S.Salazar-Hickey@state.nm.us Roberta Salazar-Henry – Vice Chairwoman District 2: Catron, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra and Doña Ana counties R.Salazar-Henry@state.nm.us Gail Cramer District 1: Curry, De Baca, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, Eddy and Lea counties Gail.Cramer@state.nm.us Jeremy Vesbach District 3: San Juan, McKinley, Cibola, Valencia, Sandoval, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties Jeremy.Vesbach@state.nm.us Jimmy Bates District 5: Bernalillo county. Jimmy.Bates@state.nm.us David Soules Appointed At-large – Conservation Position David.Soules@state.nm.us Tirzio Lopez Appointed At-large Tirzio.Lopez@state.nm.us
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June 2020 Commission Re-Cap6/29/2020 The New Mexico State Game Commission held their second fully virtual meeting via Zoom last Thursday. The agenda was once again routine and there was a noticeable lack of public comment. The process for providing public comment during these virtual meeting, while relatively painless, does require more effort than previously, which likely explains the lack of public involvement. There were just a few technical glitches and the meeting was wrapped up several hours early. The meeting began with Commission Committee updates from the various committee chairs established by Commission Chairwoman Salazar-Hickey during the April Commission meeting. Director Sloane also provided an update. These updates are expected to be an every meeting event from here on out. Committees are as follows: Finance Committee Salazar-Henry – Chair, Members –Bates & Vesbach Customer & Stakeholder Committee Cramer – Chair, Members – Lopez Organizational Profile Committee Soules – Chair, Members –Salazar-Henry & Cramer Hunt Structure Committee Vesbach – Chair, Member – Salazar-Henry & Soules The updates provided by the Commissioners regarding their work within these individual committees were remarkably interesting and did seem to add a level of transparency to the Commission Meeting (which was the goal). The update from the Hunt Structure Committee was particularly interesting Commissioner Salazar-Henry commented that through her involvement in the committee she has seen the importance of non-resident hunter license revenue to the financial stability to the NMDGF as an agency. UPDATE ON THE DEPARTMENT’S NATIVE FISH PROGRAM Fisheries Chief Kirk Patton provided the Commission an update on the Dept.’s fish programs. Priority activities for the department include stream habitat restoration, repatriation of native fish and invertebrates, and native trout restoration. Notable successes in recent years include: A 21% increase in the New Mexico distribution of Rio Grande cutthroat trout since 2006, improving two miles of habitat for Chihuahua chub and Rio Grande sucker, complete removal of non-native trout from 23 miles of habitat in the Whitewater Creek drainage for Gila Trout restoration, and increases in the abundance and frequency of young Colorado Pikeminnow in the San Juan River. Continuing initiatives for the Native Fish Program include: Participation in the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program for Razorback Sucker and Colorado Pikeminnow, research and restoration efforts for lower Pecos drainage species (Texas Hornshell, Pecos Pupfish, Blue Sucker & Grey Redhorse), native trout restoration for Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout and Gila Trout, improving habitat for Chihuahua chub, and development/implementation of Conservation Strategies for Rio Grande Chub and Sucker. This presentation was for discussion purposes only and no action was taken by the Commission. INITIATION OF BOUNDARY DESCRIPTIONS FOR GAME MANAGEMENT UNITS Department Wildlife Chief Stewart Liley provided a presentation on the Dept.’s proposed changes to several boundary description for GMUs. Chief Liley stressed that these recommendations are for clarification purposes only and will have no impact on hunters in the field. Proposed changes include: Areas that were inadvertently not included in any GMU , assigning areas to only one GMU that were inadvertently assigned to two GMUs, modifying GMU assignment of certain areas and/or boundary descriptions to align with implementation on the ground, and other proposed minor changes that correspond to features on the ground, using correct feature names, and including additional clarifying language. Proposed changes will be posted on the Dept. website for public comment. Specific changes are as follows:
FINANCIAL REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF FISCAL YEAR 2022 CAPITAL OUTLAY REQUEST The Department CFO provided financial and license sales data for the past three fiscal years for discussion purposes as part of the Hunt Structure Committee report. The presentation included revenue data related to license sales, federal revenue, and other revenue generated by the Department. The presentation was extremely interesting and clearly highlighted the extraordinary, and irreplaceable, importance of non-resident hunting license revenue to the overall budget of the NMDGF. Anyone wishing to watch the presentation click HERE and fast forward to 2:40:25. During this presentation, the Department also sought Commission guidance on priorities, areas of emphasis, and desired changes in the 2022 Capital Project Plan. The Department also gathers executive branch guidance from the Governor's Office in their development of the fiscal year 2022 capital budget request. INITIATION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE HUNTER EDUCATION RULE The Dept. also provided a presentation to make changes to the Hunter Education Rule to allow first-time youth hunters, 8 years of age and older, the ability to hunt small game, turkey, javelina, deer and pronghorn antelope for two license years under the Dept.’s Mentored-Youth Hunting Program. The proposed age rollback would more effectively align with the minimum age requirement of 10 for online hunter education certification. It would also allow hunting opportunities for pronghorn antelope. Under the current rule participants in the program are limited to hunting small-game, turkey, deer and javelina. And registration is only available for youth 10 years of age and older (under age 18) and is valid for a period of two consecutive license years. Proposed amendments will be posted on the Department website for public input. Next Commission Meeting – August 13th (Possibly Chama – Possibly Virtual)
COMMISSIONER CONTACT INFORMATION (You are welcome & encouraged to contact the Commissioners to voice your opinion) Sharon Salazar Hickey - Chairwoman District 4: Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, Guadalupe and Torrance counties S.Salazar-Hickey@state.nm.us Roberta Salazar-Henry – Vice Chairwoman District 2: Catron, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra and Doña Ana counties R.Salazar-Henry@state.nm.us Gail Cramer District 1: Curry, De Baca, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, Eddy and Lea counties Gail.Cramer@state.nm.us Jeremy Vesbach District 3: San Juan, McKinley, Cibola, Valencia, Sandoval, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties Jeremy.Vesbach@state.nm.us Jimmy Bates District 5: Bernalillo county. Jimmy.Bates@state.nm.us David Soules Appointed At-large – Conservation Position David.Soules@state.nm.us Tirzio Lopez Appointed At-large Tirzio.Lopez@state.nm.us
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April Game Commission Re-cap4/30/2020 The New Mexico State Game Commission held their first fully virtual meeting today. The agenda was rather routine which was probably the best way to begin the experiment of hosting a successful public meeting that is 100% virtual. If a member of the public wanted to provide comment during the meeting, they needed to pre-register with the Dept. so that the Dept. could facilitate participation on a virtual platform. The meeting went surprisingly well and our hats off to Lance Cherry (NMDGF Chief of Information & Education) for doing a great job managing all the technology ins and outs. FINAL HEARING ON AMENDMENTS TO THE HUNTING AND FISHING MANNER AND METHOD RULE The Department proposed and the Commission approved to delete Subsections DD and EE in the Hunting and Fishing Manner and Method Rule to prohibit licensed trappers and cougar hunters from using traps and foot snares to harvest cougars. The proposed deletion from the Manner and Method rule was necessary to align with the new Bear and Cougar Rule. In November 2019, the State Game Commission passed a new Bear and Cougar rule (which was effective April 1, 2020) which prohibits using traps or foot snares to harvest cougar. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION ON THE MIGRATORY BIRD RULE Dept. Wildlife Chief Stewart Liley provided a presentation on the Migratory Bird Rule. The rule is amended annually, ensuring compliance with Flyway recommendations and Federal guidelines. In New Mexico, season selections and bag limits are determined in conjunction with the Central and Pacific Flyways and the USFWS. The Dept. is considering making the following changes to the Migratory Bird Rule for the 2020-2021 season. If you would like to provide comment on this item please send an email to DGF-Waterfowl@state.nm.us Season selections and bag limits are determined in conjunction with the US Fish and Wildlife Service working through the Central and Pacific Flyway Councils. Please note that seasons are not considered final until they have been published in the Federal Register. Proposed amendments for the 2020–21 season include: • Changes to regular waterfowl season dates TBA, based on public comment and calendar dates • Possible changes to sandhill crane allocation, based on fall population data • Bag limit for northern pintail to remain at 1 per USFWS regulatory framework • Move youth crane hunt to November Proposed Central Flyway Seasons. Includes falconry, youth waterfowl days, and a 9-day September teal season. Species Ducks and Mergansers: North Zone Oct. 10- Jan. 13 South Zone Oct. 28- Jan. 31 Geese: Dark Geese MRGV Dec. 19- Jan. 31 Rest of State Oct. 17- Jan. 31 Light Geese North and South Oct. 17- Jan. 31 Proposed Pacific Flyway Seasons. Includes falconry and youth waterfowl days. Species Ducks and Mergansers: North and South Oct. 17- Jan. 31 Scaup North and South Oct. 17- Jan. 2 All Geese: North 1 Sept. 19- Oct North 2 Nov. 2- Jan. 31 South Oct. 17- Jan. 31 COMMISSION BUSINESS In an effort to increase transparency among the Commissioners Chairwoman Hickey proposed establishing several work groups to facilitate collaboration between department personnel, the Commission, and the public. The committees are to report on their efforts during each Commission Meeting. The definitions and overall intent of each of these committees is still a bit fuzzy, but we should learn more about their role during the Commission meeting in June. Committees are as follows: Finance Committee Commissioner Salazar-Henry – Chair, Members – Commissioner Bates & Commissioner Vesbach Customer & Stakeholder Committee Commissioner Cramer – Chair, Member – Commissioner Lopez Organizational Profile Committee Commissioner Soules – Chair, Members – Commissioner Salazar-Henry & Commissioner Cramer Hunt Structure Committee Commissioner Vesbach – Chair, Member – Commissioner Salazar-Henry & Commissioner Soules PUBLIC COMMENT The usual suspects provided public comment during the Commission meeting (Brandon Wynn, BCHA, & NMWF). They voiced the same tired comments that they always do; their general opposition to the stream access law and their numerous gripes relating to how the Dept. manages hunter opportunity. Next Commission Meeting – June 19th (Possibly Santa Fe – Possibly Virtual) COMMISSIONER CONTACT INFORMATION
(You are welcome and encouraged to contact the Commissioners any time to voice your opinion) Sharon Salazar Hickey - Chairwoman District 4: Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, Guadalupe and Torrance counties S.Salazar-Hickey@state.nm.us Roberta Salazar-Henry – Vice Chairwoman District 2: Catron, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra and Doña Ana counties R.Salazar-Henry@state.nm.us Gail Cramer District 1: Curry, De Baca, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, Eddy and Lea counties Gail.Cramer@state.nm.us Jeremy Vesbach District 3: San Juan, McKinley, Cibola, Valencia, Sandoval, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties Jeremy.Vesbach@state.nm.us Jimmy Bates District 5: Bernalillo county. Jimmy.Bates@state.nm.us David Soules Appointed At-large – Conservation Position David.Soules@state.nm.us Tirzio Lopez Appointed At-large Tirzio.Lopez@state.nm.us |
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