Bear Hunt Gets a Boost: New Mexico Considers Bigger Limits
Get ready, folks! The New Mexico Game Commission is stepping into the ring this October to decide if it’s time to crank up the hunting game for black bears. Hold on to your hats, because this could mean more action in several parts of the state.
Stewart Liley, the big cheese in charge of wildlife management at the state’s Game and Fish Department, put on his serious face and showed up to the commission meeting on Friday. He had an idea: why not let folks take down 864 black bears, instead of the current 804? More bears on the hit list, you know.
But wait, there’s more! Liley’s got this plan that says, “Let’s keep things the same for cougar hunting,” except for this one special area. In that corner, we’re going to dial down the cougar kills by 17. It’s like a wild hunting dance with rules and numbers.
Hold up, though! Before you imagine cougars in fancy dresses and bears in tuxedos, let’s talk numbers. You see, New Mexico has this thing called a “kill limit.” For mature bears, it’s like 8% to 12% of the population, and for cougars, it’s 17% to 24%. That’s the range of animals you can say goodbye to, hunting-style.
Now, you might think hunters are like bear or cougar party crashers, but there are rules, people! No killing cubs, kittens, or their mamas. That’s off-limits.
But guess what? This hunting party isn’t all fun and games. Some folks are raising their hands and shouting, “Hold up, don’t shoot!” These are the wildlife advocates, and they’re saying, “Hey, these critters are super important to the environment!” On the other side of the ring, you’ve got ranchers and hunters who are giving these changes a high-five.
Mary Catherine Ray, the head honcho of wildlife at the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter, is waving a flag for reducing the kill count. She’s saying, “Let’s chill with the bear and cougar hunting for the next four years.” It’s like she’s ringing a timeout bell in the hunting game.
But Liley, the wildlife management brainiac, wants everyone to know that the word “quotas” isn’t quite right. It’s not like they’re aiming for these numbers like dartboard targets. It’s more like they’re putting a ceiling on the number of animals that can be hunted. Think of it as a “you can’t hunt more than this many” badge.
Liley is dropping some knowledge bombs, too. He’s saying that even though they’re setting the bear hunting limit at around 10% in most places, science shows they could go up to 14%. But they’re playing it safe, like wearing a seatbelt on a rollercoaster. They want the hunting to be sustainable, so they’re keeping it below 10%.
So, there you have it, folks! New Mexico’s hunting arena might see some changes, and it’s a balancing act between science, wildlife lovers, and those who want to hunt. The wild showdown continues, and we’re all watching to see who comes out on top. 🐻🔍