Valles Caldera

[noharleyyet]

New Mexico's Valles Caldera Considers High-Price Elk Hunts
September 22, 2008.

The Valles Caldera National Preserve in northern New Mexico is one of the state's premier places to hunt elk, and sportsmen are worried that a proposal to charge thousands of dollars for one-fifth of the hunts offered on the preserve would disenfranchise hunters.

The preserve's board of trustees has proposed a special access fee of about $7,500 for 15 of Valles Caldera's 77 elk permits.

Currently, Valles Caldera distributes elk permits via a lottery — ranging from $15 to $25 per chance. If a hunter's number is drawn, he or she would have to purchase an elk license from state game officials and pay the required fees.

In addition to the 15 special $7,500 permits, trustees also are considering raising lottery prices by $5 — $20 for an antlerless hunt and $30 for a mature bull or either sex hunt

...read more: http://www.lcsun-news.com/news/ci_10500102

 

[Oak]

...and sportsmen are worried that a proposal to charge thousands of dollars for one-fifth of the hunts offered on the preserve would disenfranchise hunters.

Ya think???|oo

If anyone wants to start trying to reverse this commercialization of hunting, don't wait much longer.

 

[ELKCHSR]

I think were to far along now and the cats out of the bag...

 

[schmalts]

to think that the federal taxpayers money went to purchase this place not to long ago from a private owner who whored the tags out to outfitters. Then the trusties stabbed the nonresident tax payers in the back a year into the lottery and put a quota on nonres who paid just as much as a resident but put it in tiny print when the lottery took place not wanting the nonresident lottery buyers to slump out because of the quota. Now those same trusties want to whore it out again to the same guys who were paying top dollar to hunt it when it was private.
I am sick of my tax dollars going to buy land for rich guys to hunt before average joes.
You think any of this new plan was pushed by outfitters??? Naaaaaaahhhhh..
NM is bad enough with the outfitter only pool, now this.

 

[noharleyyet]

The preserve's board of trustees has proposed a special access fee of about $7,500 for 15 of Valles Caldera's 77 elk permits. The fee would include a stay at the Valles Grande lodge and three catered meals each day.

"Just a little more added value to the hunt," says Dennis Trujillo, the preserve's manager.

 

[Wyodeerhunter]

That is one of the few places that actually makes New Mexico worthy of even going .

Sad to read that article......

 

[1_pointer]

If they start offering up tags at that price, that'll be the end of that 'experiment'...

Is the Board from Utah?