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Where does Habitat Stamp program go?

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Well guess it is time for another letter and a change in the subject topic, my family and friends have been hunting for years since I was a teenager in high school.  I can remember my dad taking us out of school for two weeks to go hunting.  In those days, the two-week license covered most all animals from deer, turkey, and bear, you might run across.

As time has gone by the State of New Mexico and its Game and Fish department has increased the rules and made it harder to draw out for a license and tacked on many extra fees which has increased the cost of buying a license.  I and my better half even taught hunter education for almost 12 years to encourage the young people to get into the hunting sports.

Many people are against hunting, but the truth is over population by hunting keeps the large game animals in check, many of which get sick or eat needed farm and ranch land grasses needed to feed cattle that we all eat at McDonalds and beef in your local grocery store.

Recently I got an email the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has scheduled two public meetings on proposed revisions to the Public Land User Stamp Rule 19.34.6 NMAC (Habitat Stamp Program Rule).

A short presentation providing background information about the Habitat Stamp Program and details of the proposed revisions will be given. The presentation will be followed by a Q & A session where members of the public are encouraged to ask questions and provide input. Members of the public are invited to attend one or both meetings (to be held virtually) to become familiar with the program and the proposed revisions: Sept. 10 at 6 pm. Register, and September 28 at 6 pm.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Comments on the proposed revisions can be provided by mail: New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Attn: Habitat Stamp Rule Development, P.O. Box 25112, Santa Fe, NM 87504; or by email,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

While hunting I have found several places in the Zuni Mountains where money from this Habitat program was spent to improve the collection of water for wildlife with these extra monies taken in over the years by Game and Fish.

These locations have been torn up by cattle, damaged by weather and no longer work to collect any water for wildlife.

I replied to the email above and asked for an investigation of the department on where all this money over the years has been spent and why they refuse to maintain and repair many of these so-called water collection tanks, many of them on public forest lands that hunters must pay for the privilege to hunt on.

I do not expect to get an answer but would encourage those of you do hunt to ask the same question at the email above.

Signed:

Mr. Harry L. Hall
USAF Vet Retired Police Officer