New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Media contact: Mark Madsen, (575) 624-6135
Public contact: (505) 476-8000
Mark.madsen@state.nm.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, APRIL 5, 2011:

SOUTHEAST MEETINGS WILL ADDRESS NEW PRIVATE-LAND ANTELOPE RULES
NATIONAL SURVEY ON HUNTING, FISHING AND WILDLIFE WATCHING UNDER WAY
ARCHERY IN THE SCHOOLS STATE TOURNAMENT DRAWS NEAR

SOUTHEAST MEETINGS WILL ADDRESS NEW PRIVATE-LAND ANTELOPE RULES

ROSWELL -- The Department of Game and Fish will conduct three public meetings in southeastern New Mexico in April to explain how landowners will be affected by new rules that change the way the state allocates private-land antelope licenses.
The State Game Commission adopted the new rules affecting the Antelope Private Lands Use System, or A-PLUS, at its December 2010 meeting in Clovis. The rules were revised and adopted after consideration of Department recommendations, public comments during several Commission meetings, more than 30 statewide public meetings, and hundreds of written public comments submitted over a period of more than two years.
Important changes include allowing private-land antelope hunters to hunt only within ranch boundaries, and replacing Antelope Management Units with Game Management Units, the same units used to identify deer and elk hunting areas statewide.
All three meetings will be from 6 to 8 p.m. in:

• Roswell – April 12, Department of Game and Fish office, 1912 W. 2nd. St.
• Carrizozo – April 13, Lincoln County Courthouse, 300 Central.
• Portales–April 14, ENMU Science Building, Room 108, 1414 S. Ave. K. 

For more information about the new A-PLUS rules and the meetings, please contact Ryan McBee, Southeast Area game manager, at the Department’s Southeast Area office in Roswell at (575) 624-6135. Information about the 2011-2012 antelope seasons can be found in the Big Game and Trapper Rules & Information booklet, available at license vendors, Department offices and online at www.wildlife.state.nm.us.

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NATIONAL SURVEY ON HUNTING, FISHING AND WILDLIFE WATCHING UNDER WAY

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is conducting its national survey of fishing, hunting and wildlife-associated recreation and is asking hunters, anglers and other wildlife enthusiasts to participate if contacted for interviews.

Information collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, primarily through telephone interviews, is used to compile the only comprehensive statistical database available on participation and spending on hunting, fishing and wildlife watching nationwide. Interviews will be conducted April to June and September to October this year and January to March, 2012.

The survey, which has been conducted every five years since 1955, will involve 53,000 households. From those interviews, 19,000 hunters and anglers and 10,000 wildlife watchers will be selected for detailed follow-up questions.

The last survey, published in 2006, indicated that in New Mexico, 1.1 million people enjoyed some form of wildlife-related recreation and spent more than $762 million pursuing those activities. Nationwide, 87.5 million people spent more than $122.3 billion on wildlife-related activities.

Participation in the survey is voluntary and confidential. Preliminary findings will be available in spring 2012 and the final reports will be posted on the USFWS website in the fall.

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ARCHERY IN THE SCHOOLS STATE TOURNAMENT DRAWS NEAR

More than 300 students from schools across New Mexico will compete this month in the third annual National Archery in the Schools State Tournament.

Male and female students will compete for team and individual prizes, with the winning team earning a chance to compete in the national tournament. Competition will be a “virtual” tournament, with archers shooting at their own schools and submitting scores online. Students will shoot 15 arrows at 80-centimeter targets 10 meters away, and 15 arrows at targets 15 meters away.

This is the third year the Department of Game and Fish has coordinated the National Archery in the Schools program in New Mexico. This year, teams from 47 schools are eligible to register for the state tournament by the April 15 deadline and finish competition by April 29.

It costs about $3,000 to outfit a school or organization with bows, targets, backstops and other equipment to get a program started. The Department splits the initial cost with participants and provides training for archery instructors. Many schools incorporate the program into existing physical education classes.

Schools or organizations interested in participating in the National Archery in the Schools program can find more information on the Department website, www.wildlife.state.nm.us, or by contacting Brian Guzman, (505) 231-4375 or brian.guzman@state.nm.us.

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Tune in to New Mexico Game and Fish TV:
“New Mexico Wildlife”
6:30 a.m. Saturdays on KASA Channel 2, Albuquerque
6:30 p.m. Sundays on KENW, Portales
7:30 p.m. Thursdays on KRWG, Las Cruces