As many of you know, NM for years has lumped all rocky mountain and desert big horn into one hunt code per species. NM did this to ensure there were NR and outfitter pool tags. All other hunts in NM have a specific hunt code per hunt, species, weapon type and time frame.
Without combing all hunts, there would be no NR or outfitter pool tags for any sheep hunt due to the numbers per hunt.
The residents have been raising hell that the NMDGF and commission are not following the law by doing this. In the last commission meeting, the commission is sending this to legal for clarification to see if they are following the law. It is pretty clear to many they are not following the law as written. The commission just got spanked by the NM Supreme Court over “navigable water ways” and I think they are trying to avoid that from happening again.
I’m torn on whether I want to see this reversed. Obviously I would like to slightly increase my odds of ever drawing a sheep tag, but I wonder what the unintended consequences will be? There will obviously be a financial impact from losing the NR tags which could be passed on to the resident, which I would be fine with, but many wouldn’t be. Will it impact the participation of national groups on the conservation of sheep?
What’s everyone thoughts?
