New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Media contact: Dan Williams, (505) 476-8004
Public contact: (505) 476-8000
dan.williams@state.nm.us

CORRECTED: MARCH 5, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, MARCH 2, 2009:

ELK HUNTERS ADVISED TO REVIEW APPLICATIONS DUE TO ERRORS
IN 2009-2010 BIG-GAME & TRAPPER RULES & INFORMATION BOOKLET

The Department of Game and Fish is advising all hunters who have applied or plan to apply for 2009-1010 elk licenses to review their applications and consider revising them because of errors in the 2009-2010 Big-Game & Trapper Rules & Information booklet.

The booklet listed incorrect "fee types" for some elk hunts, which could affect the license-fee amounts and whether a hunter successful in the drawing will be eligible to apply for the same type of hunt the following season. Knowing the fee type is especially important this year because of changes adopted by the State Game Commission that make deer and elk hunters eligible for "High Demand (HD)" or "Quality (Q)" hunts only every other year. Nonresident licenses for HD or Q hunts also cost more than "Standard" fee-type hunts.

Hunters who applied online can change their applications until 5 p.m. April 8. Hunters who submitted paper applications will be contacted by the Department to verify hunt selections and revise hunt choices as needed.

All hunters who applied for hunts incorrectly in the booklet will be contacted either by e-mail or telephone. Fact sheets listing affected hunt codes and explaining the errors will be distributed to all license vendors and posted on the Department Web site, www.wildlife.state.nm.us.

Here is a summary of numbered hunt codes that include incorrect information in the 2009-2010 Big-Game & Trapper Rules & Information booklet:

• Several HD and Q hunts were incorrectly listed as "Standard," meaning successful applicants will not be eligible for HD or Q hunts the following year. The fee-type was incorrectly listed as "Standard" for the following hunt codes: Elk-1-146, Elk-1-251, Elk-1-273, Elk-1-281, Elk-1-312, Elk-1-318, Elk-1-327, Elk-1-329, Elk-1-361, Elk-2-179, Elk-2-191, Elk-2-295, Elk-2-324, Elk-2-360, Elk-2-366, Elk-2-404, Elk-3-136, Elk-3-242,  Elk-3-326, Elk-3-340. The fee-type for those hunts has been corrected to state “High-Demand.”

• Nonresident license fees for HD or Q hunts incorrectly listed as "Standard" will be higher. Nonresident HD licenses cost $772.

• Some "Standard" hunts were incorrectly listed as HD or Q hunts, meaning successful applicants will be charged less for licenses and will be eligible for HD or Q hunts the following year. The fee-type was incorrectly listed as "High Demand" for the following hunt codes: Elk-1-317, Elk-1-396, Elk-2-163, Elk-2-190, Elk-2-276, Elk-2-277, Elk-2-308, Elk-2-309, Elk-2-332, Elk-3-243, Elk-3-244, Elk-3-311. The fee-type for those hunts has been corrected to state “Standard”.
  
• Nonresident license fees for Standard hunts incorrectly listed as HD or Q will be lower. The non-resident standard elk license fee is $547.00 for a mature bull, and $337.00 for an antlerless elk.

For more information about the application process, please visit www.wildlife.state.nm.us or call (505) 476-8000.

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