New Mexico Antelope management change proposal

[cedahm]

I came across this on the NMGFD website today after seeing a comment somewhere. Not sure if it's been posted or not.

NM is proposing to more or less do away with the current A-PLUS Antelope hunt management system ("A-PLUS" = Antelope Private Land Use System) whereby tagholders are assigned to an enrolled ranch and may only hunt that ranch.

The new proposal would change to the normal draw system as in place for deer (and elk) for rifle tags, align the seasons, and allow unlimited OTC licenses to private ranches that today would be in the A-PLUS system (plus many who don't qualify based on acreage, but have suitable habitat, and others that simply choose not to enroll).

Links here:

http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/dow...rnative-Pronghorn-Hunt-Management-Summary.pdf
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/dow...ve-Pronghorn-Hunt-Management-Presentation.pdf

I need to read them again in detail - I just had time to skim them - but on the surface this seems like it would be a net 'win' for public hunt opportunity (more tags, more flexibility, more places to hunt). However, the 'unlimited' tags issued to the landowners seems excessive. There is an 'Option 2' framed in the powerpoint where units would be divided into 'Opportunity' (OTC private licenses) and 'Quality' (Draw Private licenses) that is similar to their elk unit designations.

Comments can be sent to: Nicole Quintana from Game&Fish @ [email protected]

 

[Tewa06]

Yes, it has been posted. I think the new format would open up lands for public hunting that don't now qualify for the APLUS due to sheer size of the ranch. Some of the ranches I drove by this past weekend had lopes on them but were not open for hunting.

 

[El Serio]

Interesting proposal, not sure what to think about it. Here's how I break it down.

Landowners benefit by getting unlimited tags and not having to allow draw hunters on their land.

Draw hunters get a few more tags and more flexibility in where they hunt on units with abundant public land (On some units this would be a big benefit). On units that are primarily private, it seems like you could have more public tags, but much less area to hunt than before, with more hunters crowded into that space (major downside for public draw hunters in those areas). In the past you could apply for a rifle tag in a completely private area and be guaranteed to have a place to hunt (downside of the guarantee was you couldn't go elsewhere), now you would only be able to hunt public.

It looks to me like landowners clearly benefit, I can see no downside for them.
I can't decide whether this is a net gain, loss or a draw for public draw hunters, it seems like there is both good and bad.

Does anyone have any insight? Am I missing something?

 

[Flatrock]

That seems like it would be a positive thing to hunt all the public. The existing system is awfully goofy to get assigned to a ranch when you draw. At least for rifle.

I would assume overall quality would drop though if it goes to unlimited OTC on private lands.

 

[El Serio]

It would certainly be better than getting bad ranch assignment (I have experienced this first hand the one time I drew). The downside is that some hunters were getting access to good ranches, now none of the draw hunters will have access to them.