"It is NMDGF policy to eliminate aoudads that occur in bighorn sheep habitat." This comes directly from the official state NM desert bighorn recovery program. pg. 40
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/conservation/documents/everythingfinalBighornSheepPlan.pdfYet,
if that is our goal, why would you have a draw for aoudad hunting with very high prices attached to the tags??? An aoudad tag should cost $20-30 dollars over the counter at walmart, if your honest goal is to eliminate them from New Mexico desert bighorn sheep range.
I'm totally with you; the fact of the matter is that governments are very short on monies right now and will do whatever it takes to raise funds, including violating the express will of their own science-based policies.
There is nothing that the gov't can't politicize if there is enough money in it for them. You gotta believe that there are wildlife management areas all over wishing that wild hogs were more desireable to sportsmen so they could take full advantage of that invasive.
