NM public lands locked.

[hank4elk]

I am not against it either,done properly. Just had seen the leases had dropped to $1.38AUM.
I do know ranching for most is tough these days. It's basically a write off game now, with some meat in freezer.

Them holding NMG&F hostage over the fees on about 1/4 of NM is total BS.

 

[ringer]

I used to hunt NM every year. The unit I was in had the typical private/public checkerboard. USO tried to run me off of access to public land several times saying they had ranch tags for elk and the rancher had a lease on the land I was crossing. I told them to STFU and went and killed my elk. The problem there is that the ranch tags for bulls are worth some big money. As long as ranchers get free bull tags they will try to keep the public away.

 

[hossblur]

When I reviewed the three requests submitted for the closure of Picacho road (referenced in the KRQE article), they cited reckless driving around livestock, poaching, trash, and damage to property. Those requests were all denied after the county commissioners got push back from the public. Part of those three requests would have closed a section of county road that was the only access point to a significant portion of public land. As for the closure of Felix Canyon Road, I honestly don't know the details of that county road closure. I do have to ask though, was access lost or was road access lost? It is my understanding that the land is still accessible, but by a longer route. However, it is also my understanding those requests were approved without due process, which shouldn't have been allowed.

As for State Trust Land, as Hank pointed out they have negotiated higher access fees over the past few years. As recently as 2014 or 2015 we only paid $200,000 per year to access State Trust Lands for hunting. When Aubrey Dunn came in, he raised it to $1,000,000 and made it known he was interested in raising it further. I personally feel like $200,000 for all hunters to access 9 million acres of the state land was a hell of a deal, so I don't mind a higher fee but it has to stop at some point.

Also, some State Lands are withdrawn from hunting. You can go on the State Land Office website to see a map.

http://www.nmstatelands.org/Recreational_Access.aspx

We are currently fighting this where I hunt in Utah. County road runs through ranch to WMA. Ranchers granddaughter petitioning to have county abandon road saying there are access points just not via road. Luckily 1 of 3 commissioners pointed out that ANY abandonment will meat the road will be negated and the granddaughter will have to access via foot as well. Apparently she figured she could have a nice gravel road into landlocked WMA for herself.

Also, DWR explained she will face citations for using their fenceposts to put up no trespassing signs on borders of her land.

I know its Utah, but every once in a while folks in office have a spine