Game Commission Re-cap 8/23/2018

Game Commission Re-cap
August 23, 2018
Gallup, NM

The NM State Game Commission hosted their most recent meeting in Gallup. This was the first meeting for fisheries biologist Mike Sloan in his new position as the Director of NMDGF. The agenda was long and covered many highly important topics. There was also a high turnout of landowners, outfitters, and sportsman in attendance to provide public comment on the elk rule and E-plus changes.
 
REVOCATIONS 
The Dept. presented the Commission with information on individuals who have accrued 20 or more game violation points within a 3-year period. There was one guide on the list who was denied the renewal of his license based on a history of violation. The guide, Hayden Pierce, is not and has never been a member of NMCOG.
 
A number of individuals were revoked due to accruing 20 or more violation points in a 3yr period. All license privileges were revoked for the standard 3-year period.

SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE DEER RULE
Wildlife Chief Stewart Liley presented to the Commission the Dept.’s updated recommended changes to the Deer rule. These recommendations have NOT been approved and were presented for discussion purposes only however, based on the statutory rule posting requirements these proposals will very likely be what is approved by the Commission in November. If you still need to send public comment to the Dept. please do so ASAP by sending an email to DGF-Deer-Rules@state.nm.us. The changes to the rule are as follows:
 
- Adjust some seasons for calendar dates
- Adjust draw license numbers based on biological data and management goals (see details below)
- Separate archery season into September and January (2 different seasons and draws) when a split
September and/or January season currently exists (see Table 1 at end of document)
- Create some new opportunities (see details below)
- Standardize most youth hunts to a 9-day hunt surrounding Thanksgiving week
 
Region Specific Proposed Changes
Northeast
- Allow Either Sex (ES) white-tailed deer hunting for all white-tailed deer hunts in the northeast
- GMU 55: create new September archery hunt of 10 licenses in Valle Vidal
- Create new archery hunt of 10 licenses in Colin Neblett
- Create January archery hunt of 10 licenses in GMU 41
- License increases based on biological data (5% overall)
o GMUs: 41, 42, 43, 45, 47, 48, 57, 58, 59
Southeast
- GMU 30: split 2 rifle hunts evenly (800/hunt; previously 1st rifle hunt was 640 and 2nd rifle hunt
was 960 licenses)
- GMU 31/33: Decrease youth licenses on Huey WMA from 2 hunts of 20 to 2 hunts of 10 licenses
each (the Department no longer has management authority over Brantley and Seven Rivers)
- Do not split GMUs 31 & 32
- License increases based on biological data (3% overall)
o GMUs: 28, 30, 31, 32, 36
Southwest
- GMU 19: create any-legal-weapon hunt of 5 licenses on White Sands Missile Range; move off range
muzzleloader hunt from October to first weekend in December
- GMU 23: Reduce licenses by 13%
- GMU 24: Reduce licenses by 10%
- GMU 23 (Burros): Reduce licenses by 13%, decreasing from 2 regular any-legal-weapon hunts to
1, but lengthening the season to 9 days (35 licenses for mule deer and 40 licenses for white-tailed
deer [mule deer and white-tailed deer hunters will hunt at separate times]). Also, create a new
white-tailed deer hunt of 20 archery licenses in September.
- Allow Burros Archery hunters to hunt Silver City Management Area
- Move January FAWTD archery hunt from Jan. 1-15 to Jan. 16-31
o GMUs 23 (Burros & excluding Burros area), 24, 27
- Other license decreases based on biological data (6-8%)
o GMUs: 26, 27
Northwest
- GMU 4: Create limited public and private hunt in late November (10 licenses each); Include
Sargent in draw for WMAs; Create September archery hunt for WMAs
- GMU 5A: Create late September muzzleloader hunt (public licenses = 10; private licenses = 50)
- GMU 5B: Create September archery hunt (10 licenses) and late September muzzleloader hunt (10
licenses)
- GMU 14: Create January archery hunt (25 licenses)
- License increases based on biological data (5% overall)
o GMUs: 2B, 2C, 5A, 5B, 6A/C, 7, 8, 14
- License decreases based on biological data (4-7%)
o GMUs 10, 12
  
SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE ELK RULE 
Wildlife Chief Stewart Liley presented to the Commission the Dept.’s updated recommended changes to the Elk rule. These recommendations have NOT been approved and were presented for discussion purposes only however, based on the statutory rule posting requirements these proposals will very likely be what is approved by the Commission in November. If you still need to send public comment to the Dept. please do so ASAP by sending an email to DGF-Elk-Rules@state.nm.us The changes to the rule are as followed:
 
- Adjust seasons for calendar date shifts.
- Youth Encouragement hunts limited to resident youth who put in for the draw but were unsuccessful. If hunts are undersubscribed after 14 days, allow license to be sold to resident seniors (65 years and older) who put in for the draw and were unsuccessful.
- Move Antler Point Restriction (APR) hunts into the big game draw (GMUs 12, 34, 37)
- Adjustment to Core Occupied Elk Range (COER) boundaries in the primary elk management
zone (see details below and see EPLUS proposal for additional details).
o COER/primary elk management zone: the portion of land designated by the Department
as containing the majority of routine elk use, this is the area on which elk management
goals and harvest objectives are based.
- Adjust licenses to the current public-private split where COER boundary adjustments occur and
in situations where land ownership has changed.
 
Region Specific Proposed Changes
Northeast
- GMU 42/47/59: Combine units to create new ES hunts; 1 any-legal-weapon hunt Oct.1-5 of 5
licenses and 2 new archery hunts in September of 10 licenses each.
- GMU 48: Move Dec. MB hunt to Oct.
- Separate youth only (YO) and adult hunts on Valle Vidal.
- Combine Colin Neblett north and south hunt zones.
- GMU 56: Create new any-legal-weapon MB (Oct 1-5) and antlerless hunts of 5 licenses each.
- GMU 57/58: Create new any-legal-weapon MB Oct. 1-5 hunt of 5 licenses.
- GMUs 46, 54, 55A: Establish Special Management Zones (see EPLUS rule change presentation).
Southeast
- GMU 30: Create Oct.1-5 hunt of 10 ES licenses (any-legal-weapon).
- GMU 34: Increase female harvest.
o Increase draw A licenses to 3 hunts of 350 licenses and maintain youth A licenses at 120.
o Change MB hunts to ES hunts.
o Expand COER boundaries east and west.
o Change late season archery APR hunts in 34 to APR/A hunt and put in public draw.
- GMU 36: Increase MB and ES licenses by 15%.
- GMU 37: Move 10 MB licenses to new Oct. 1-5 hunt (any-legal-weapon). Do not create COER
boundary.
- GMU 38: Create Oct. 1-5 hunt of 10 ES licenses (any-legal-weapon).
Southwest
- GMU 13: Adjust COER boundary to the northwest (include the Narrows area).
- GMU 19: Create a new any-legal-weapon draw elk hunt of 3 ES licenses.
- GMU 21A & B: Create late season MB archery hunt of 15 licenses in each sub-unit.
o Extend 21B COER boundary south.
- GMU 23: Create late season MB archery hunt of 15 licenses.
Northwest
- GMU 2: Remove quality management designation and
- GMU 4: Change bag limit on Wildlife Management Areas and private land from MB à MB/A,
create new antlerless hunt of 15 licenses (any-legal-weapon) on Rio Chama WMA, include Rio Chama as part of the Humphrees archery hunt.
- GMU 9: Eliminate all cow hunts and reduce MB & ES hunts by 25%.
o Adjust COER boundary to the east to include elk winter range.
- GMU 12: Create COER boundary to establish the “Fence Lake herd unit” with a “quality hunt
management” designation.
o This would move GMU 12 into the Departments primary elk management zone resulting
in the GMU being subject to the public/private split and private licenses being allocated
through EPLUS.
- GMU 14: Create Oct. 1-5 hunt of 10 ES licenses (any-legal-weapon).
- GMU 6B: Eliminate mobility impaired hunts, increase youth hunts from 35 to 60, and change
MB bag limit to ES and increase ES bow hunts by 5 licenses each.
 
SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE E-PLUS RULE 
The Dept. presented their subsequent changes to the E-plus. The Dept. is proposing to determine a definition for “meaningful benefit” and create a scoring criterion for properties to determine their level of “meaningful benefit”. Properties will be required to meet a minimum level of “meaningful benefit” to qualify for E-plus. This will help weed out a lot of properties that are currently enrolled in the Small Contributing Ranch program that are not truly providing benefit to the species or habitat. Under the new system SCR ranches will be issued tags based on their benefit to the species under the following categories:

• Forage (will take into consideration any cattle grazing in addition to elk)
• Water
• Cover
• Irrigated Agricultural
• Any other special contribution

 
Ranches that are contributing more to the habitat will have a better opportunity to receive tags. Also, any change or re-deeding of properties would result in an immediate re-evaluation of the property. This will hopefully dissuade landowners from attempting to play the system. Additionally, unconverted bonus allocations within the large landowners will be passed along to the ranches in the SCR program.
 
The Dept. has also determined that the COER terminology is confusing to most people. They are proposing to do away with the term inside and outside the COER and rather use elk management zones. They are also proposing going over the counter in several areas that are currently designated as “outside the COER”. These over the counter private land tags will be transferable with written permission. All tags in this segment will be ES. There will be consistent season dates and weapon types across this segment. Exceptions will exist on a case by case basis.
 
Proposed improvements:
· Develop Commission approved Guidelines for program administration
· Define “meaningful benefit” based on biological criteria
· Use habitat-based evaluation to screen all properties currently in EPLUS
· Re-evaluate any properties with acreage changes
· Remove properties that don’t provide meaningful benefit
· Route Bonus and Unconverted authorizations through the SCRs first
· Eliminate SCR draw history system
· Develop a weighted draw for SCR properties
· Make outside COER private land tags available over-the-counter
· Added Antlerless as a tag option for outside COER (Secondary Mgt. Zone)
· Added proposed hunt dates for outside COER (Secondary Mgt. Zone)
· Allowed for a specific ranch code to be required before a hunter could buy an elk license OverThe-Counter.
 
FINAL PROPOSAL FOR CHANGES TO THE EXOTICS RULE  
The Dept. presented their final proposals on the exotics rule. The Commission voted to approve the new 4-year rule unanimously.
 

• Adjust seasons for calendar dates for all species

Oryx

• Oryx population data indicates populations (both on and off White Sands Missile Range) are increasing. As a result, the Department is proposing additional oryx hunting opportunities as outlined below.
• On White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) hunts
  • Add 4 new on-range hunts to accommodate more hunters
  • Increase once-in-a-lifetime hunt from 270 to 605
  • Increase Iraq/Afghanistan veteran hunts from 25 to 45
  • Eliminate Rhodes/Stallion designation (hunters can still apply for the area they want to hunt)
  • Increase injured veteran hunt from 3 up to 10
  • Off range hunts, data suggests oryx numbers are increasing and we can offer more opportunity
  • Increase statewide off range hunts from 600 to 800
  • Increase statewide off range youth hunts from 180 to 200

Ibex

• Ibex population data indicates the ibex population is slightly increasing, resulting in a need for annual female/immature harvest. The Department is proposing to maintain ibex as a quality trophy population.
  • 4 female/immature hunts of 75 licenses each
  • Maintain youth, archery, and muzzleloader hunts
  • Combine once-in-a-lifetime hunters with incentive hunters

Barbary Sheep

• Barbary sheep population data suggests numbers are increasing and barbary sheep are expanding into new areas resulting in more hunting opportunity.
  • Proposing increasing draw licenses from 1,275 to 1,750
  • Modify description of GMU 34 west side for clarity
  • Increase McGregor hunts from 15 to 20
  • Split hunts to distribute hunters (no longer a single month-long season)
  • Add new archery hunts

 
SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION ON POTENTIAL CHANGES TO MANNER AND METHOD RULE 
Colonel Griego provided the Commission an update on their proposed changes to the rule that is basically the guts of NM hunting regulation. While this presentation was officially considered the “subsequent” discussion, it was actually the first time we’ve been able to see what the Dept. is considering changing in the rule. Which means you have less time than usual to voice your public comment to the Dept. It seems that the Dept. realizes this and as such they will be hosting several public meetings across the state where you can hear the rule changes, ask questions, and provide feedback. The public meeting schedule is as below followed by the Dept. recommended changes to the rule. If you wish to email public comment to the Dept. please send your emails to DGF-FieldOpsComments@state.nm.us
 
Public Meeting Schedule

• Las Cruces: 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 30 at the Department of Game and Fish office, 2715 Northrise Drive.
• Albuquerque: 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 4 at the Department of Game and Fish office, 3841 Midway Place, NE.
• Roswell: 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 5 at the Department of Game and Fish office, 1912 W. Second Street.
• Raton: 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Department of Game and Fish office, 215 York Canyon Road.

 
Potential Rule Changes

• Sporting arms – Remove caliber restrictions from elk, bighorn and oryx. Make any centerfire .22 caliber or larger legal for all big game. Allow any sporting arm for cougar and javelina.
• Arrows/Bolts – allow small game hunters to use more appropriate points for their game. Remove the steel requirement from broadheads.
• Bait – allow the use of scents except for bear hunting.
• Barbless lures or fly – Allow the use of soft plastic as an “artificial” component in making lures and flies for fishing in special trout waters.
• Restricted muzzleloaders – Allow any full bore diameter bullet or patched round ball. Allow any black powder or equivalent propellant regardless of whether it is loose or pelleted.
• Snagging – Changed to prohibit the action of snagging vs. the accidental hooking of a fish anywhere other than the mouth.
• Spear fishing – Allow spear fishing from above the surface of the water on waters where it is allowed (lakes and reservoirs).
• Game taken by another – Allow for the temporary transfer of game parts for the purpose of transportation and/or processing.
• Sale of parts – Allow the sale of additional legally harvested parts (primarily rendered bear fat and furbearer parts).
• Shed antlers – All shed antlers collected in violation of criminal trespass, a closure or while driving off road on public land shall be seized.
• Possession of wild turkey – Already prohibited under retention of live protected species.
• Captive wildlife permits – Imported wildlife which is listed on the directors “species importation list” as group 2 (wild species generally ok to import with permit), 3 (restricted or invasive species, allowed but more restrictions) or 4 (dangerous or highly invasive, generally not allowed in) must have proof of legal importation regardless of who now owns it.
• Shooting from the road – Allow hunters to shoot from just off of the road surface when no right of way fence exists. If a right of way fence exists they can rest at least half of the firearm on that fence if it is a two or less lane road before shooting. If a right of way fence exists and the road has more than two lanes of traffic they must get beyond that fence before shooting.
• Harassing wildlife – Make it illegal to harass protected species except while legally hunting or in depredation situations.
• Use of aircraft – Make it illegal to scout or locate game from the air Aug 1 – Jan 31 annually. This will not impact any other activity, such as recreational flying, flying for agricultural purposes or flying for real estate purposes.
• Driving off road & closed road – Allow driving off-road on private land with written permission.
• Mobility Impaired – Clarification of language. In the current rule a “handicapped” license is used when it is actually a mobility impaired license. Also requires the MI hunter to designate who their assistant will be for the hunt if they have one.
• Proof of sex and/or bag limit – Allow hunters to keep either the head or the external genetalia attached to most female animals they harvest as proof of sex. Would also require javelina hunters to take the head of their javelina from the field as proof of harvest.
• E-Tagging – Hunters will have to immediately access department’s e-tagging app after killing their animal. App will provide an e-tag number, CIN and date of kill. Hunter will have to write all of this info on durable material (flagging or tape) with permanent ink and attach this durable material to the carcass and antlers/horns.
• Physical tag - Require javelina hunters to tag the head of their kill. No other changes.
• Sale of licenses – Prohibit the sale of draw or over the counter licenses.
• Dogs – Allow hunters to use up to 2 leashed dogs to help blood trail wounded game. Eliminate the requirement that they be registered with the department.
• Use of bait – An area must be free of bait for at least 10 days prior to hunting. Prohibit bait stations as starting points for releasing bear or cougar dogs on a track.
• Hunting captive big game – Prohibit hunting within game proof fences except when licensed as a Class A park.
• Contiguous deeded land – Allow a landowner who wants to hunt their entire deeded property (as long as it is all contiguous) for most big game to do so despite the fact that their property extends into adjacent GMU’s where the season dates, bag limit or sporting arm are different. Landowner must show proof of ownership and request this permission annually from the local department office. Unit wide, ranch wide or unitized properties are not eligible.
• Collars on game animals – Prohibit anyone from putting a collar or electronic tracking device on any game animal.
• Use of traps or snares on upland game or migratory birds – Prohibit the capture of upland game (squirrels, grouse, quail etc) and migratory birds (ducks, geese etc).
• Trotlines – Allow anglers to mark their trotlines using only their CIN.
• Spear and Bow fishing – Prohibit the lethal take of any fish species which has a length requirement since undersize fish cannot be released unharmed.
• Bullfrogs – Prohibit the possession of and use of bullfrogs while fishing.
• Baitfish – Allow commercially packaged and processed dead fish to be used as bait in any regular water in the state. Clarified what is allowed.
• Limit on angling hooks – Remove this law.
• Possession of live fish – Prohibit the moving of live fish from one water to another.
• Chumming – Allow chumming in all regular waters statewide. Still illegal in a special trout water.
• Closed areas – Remove this section. Contradicts what is open.
• Boats and other floating devices – Simplified, standardized and consolidated.
• Crossbows – Remove this section. This was repetitive. Crossbows are legal for all muzzleloader and rifle hunts and are legal during bow hunts by an MI card holder.
• Penalty Assessments – Removed those listed for violations which are proposed to no longer be illegal.
• Seizure – Relocated this paragraph to a single location at the end of the rule.
• Special Accommodations – Require hunters who have a director approved accommodation to carry a copy of this in the field.

 
Odds and Ends 
The Commission approved the Dept.’s opening of the 14-day comment period on the Biennial Review of the Wildlife Conservation Act (WCA) which is the document that the Dept. puts together to describe the condition of the states species of conservation concern. The Commission also heard updates on the new Albuquerque and Roswell offices and were provided a presentation on the Dept.’s 2020 budget.
 
Next Commission Meeting October 4th, 2018 – Albuquerque, NM