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NMWF Statement on Improvements to A-Plus Rule

For immediate release

May 17, 2018

ALBUQUERQUE: Leading up to the next New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) commission meeting, the New Mexico Wildlife Federation today supports the department’s efforts to update and improve the A-Plus licensing system with the release of the Federation’s official comments. The meeting takes place at 9:00 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Express Meeting Room 60 Entrada Drive in Los Alamos on Tuesday, May 22.

NMWF also commends NMDGF for its thorough and proactive approach to public involvement during the months-long development of the replacement for the existing Antelope Private Land Use System (A-PLUS). We appreciate that NMDGF staff took into consideration many of the suggestions and concerns of local sportsmen and public land hunters, as reflected in the final proposal. NMWF believes the agency worked diligently to develop a more equitable and science-based rule and we recommend and support passage of this rule.

The NMWF Board of Director’s Sportsmen’s Issues Committee was tasked with working with NMWF’s membership to develop the organization’s official position and additional suggestions.

“After years of advocating for a change to the A-Plus rule on behalf of our organization and our fellow sportsmen and women organizations across New Mexico, we are thrilled to see the commission willing to adopt these rules,” said New Mexico Wildlife Federation Acting Executive Director Todd Leahy. “The recommendations, and the comments made during commission meetings shows that the commission and department have really taken the feedback from hunters seriously. We look forward to seeing these new rules implemented, and to seeing more opportunities for public land hunters to successfully harvest Antelope in New Mexico.”

The New Mexico Wildlife Federation continues to encourage all sportsmen and women to get involved in the rule-making procedure now in effect at the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

Click here to read NMWF”s full comments.