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Sportsmen Save Habitat Protection Project Efforts to Derail Work Funded by Hunters and Anglers Falls Short by Joel Gay New Mexico Wildlife Federation

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Sportsmen Save Habitat Protection Project Efforts to Derail Work Funded by Hunters and Anglers Falls Short by Joel Gay New Mexico Wildlife Federation New Mexico Wildlife Federation 100 Years of Conservation • 1914-2014 REPORTER Summer 2014 Sportsmen save habitat protection project Efforts to derail work funded by hunters and anglers falls short By Joel Gay New Mexico Wildlife Federation Sportsman-funded habitat projects rarely make the news, but one in Lincoln National Forest drew a sur- prising amount of attention this spring, including strong opposition from ranchers and others who want to re- move the stream protection project for the convenience of livestock. Efforts to derail the work on Agua Chiquita, a spring-fed stream in the Sacramento Mountains south of Cloudcroft, actually started a year earlier. But New Mexico members of the National Wild Turkey Federa- tion made it their top priority to complete the work this spring, which prompted a fresh round of complaints, threats and legal action. “Some people have claimed this habitat protec- tion project was ‘overreach’ by the U.S. Forest Ser- vice, but nothing could be further from the truth,” said New Mexico Wildlife Federation Executive Director Garrett VeneKlasen. “This was a collabora- tive effort – something sportsmen have always done – which is working together to protect pub- lic land and habitat so that our children and grand- children have opportunity to hunt and fish in the future.” “Hunters and anglers have had to learn to share our See “Agua Chiquita,” Page 12 Tierras preciadas: Public lands are a treasure for sportsmen and women. In this Outdoor Reporter we focus on how and why hunters and anglers work so hard to protect them. • Hunters key to protecting traditional areas near Las Cruces, Page 3 • Efforts to ‘transfer’ public land bad for all, especially sportsmen, Page 5 • Bombshell dropped on hunters, Page 5 • Agencies work together to reopen The pipe rail fence funded by sportsmen and built around critical riparian habitat on the Agua Chiquita in Lincoln landlocked public land, Page 7 National Forest is having the intended effect. In this photo taken several weeks after work finished, the left side is the area open to cattle while the right side is protected for wildlife. (Photo courtesy U.S. Forest Service) • Streams open? Still no answer, Page 7 Gila Wilderness State of the Game Turkey tracks A legacy for sportsmen By M.H. “Dutch” Salmon in the southwestern mountains. Highest and best use Special to New Mexico Wildlife Federation demands its preservation.” getting thicker Ninety years ago this summer, District Forester Frank When Aldo Leopold, founder of the organization that Pooler responded to Leopold’s assessment of “highest would become the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, ar- and best use” by designating 755,000 acres of the head- all over NM rived in the Southwest as a fledgling U.S. Forest Ser- waters of the Gila River as off limits to roads, vehicles vice ranger in 1909, he discovered six blocks of roadless and other works of man, yet available to hunters and By Jim Bates country in the region’s national forests that contained anglers. Special to New Mexico Wildlife Federation half a million acres or more. It was the nation’s first protected wilderness area. “By the 1920s,” Leopold would write later, “roads “I think that’s number 25,” I said to my turkey hunting had invaded five of them and there was only one left: Gila has it all buddy Dick as we got back into my pickup and headed the headwaters of the Gila River.” on down the forest road. Leopold, who by his own admission had “hunting fe- The Gila now makes up just a fraction of our nation’s “Wow, this is incredible,” he replied. “I’ve never ver,” was the perfect scribe for the subject at hand – wilderness system, which has grown to more than 100 heard so many gobblers in my life!” wilderness – with just the right mix of skilled narra- million acres. And to this day you may stand, as I have, What was even more incredible was the fact that we tion, authenticity (he fished, he hunted, he camped out), amidst these far-flung and peculiar mountains and ask: were “putting gobblers to bed” along a main thorough- poetry, polemic and foresight. In 1921 he wrote some- How can this be? How is it that in the whirl of popula- fare running through Lincoln National Forest. thing in the Journal of Forestry that most Americans tion growth and burgeoning industry and technology, Gobbling turkeys were everywhere on this eve of the would never read but that professional foresters and game the nation has here, voluntarily, turned its back on the start of the spring turkey season. What was particularly managers did. 21st century and returned to the 19th? encouraging, though, was that this was not some iso- By dint of his literacy, elegance and passion, Leo- Well, it all happened right here in the Gila – the lated hotspot or wildly unusual incident. It was only a pold would convince his peers that this far-away place Mimbreño artists; the Apaches’ legacy as equine buc- single example that wild turkeys are doing well in many in New Mexico would best serve the nation by being caneers; mountain men, hound men and predator hunt- locations in our state. left “open to lawful hunting and fishing, big enough to ers; and the conservation legacy of Leopold, the most New Mexico has always had a fairly stable turkey absorb a two week’s pack trip, and kept devoid of roads, avid and articulate of sportsmen, who killed quite a few population. Even in the grim years following the end of artificial trails, cottages, and other works of man.” animals and saved entire landscapes. All were inspired market hunting which decimated wild turkey numbers Furthermore, he continued, “a good big sample of it should be preserved. … It is the last typical wilderness See “Gila,” Page 4 See “Turkey,” Page 10 President’s Message: Summit a good start to a better future By John Crenshaw, President BLM, Forest Service, White Sands Mis- tional Forest, got out and looked. The New Mexico Wildlife Federation sile Range, Valles Caldera Trust and the kids actually got quiet for a few minutes offices of Senators Martin Heinrich and in the beauty and silence, gathered really Something remarkable happened on Tom Udall. State Rep. Don Tripp, who special leaves, rocks and twigs to show June 21: Representatives from a dozen represents the Socorro area, and State Mom and Dad, ate trail mix, got a bit New Mexico sportsmen’s groups, joined Land Commissioner Ray Powell also muddy, had a great time and slept on the by state and federal agency personnel, participated. way home. gathered in Socorro to identify and dis- I was particularly pleased that State Like many of you, I’ve also trekked cuss issues we all face. Game Commission Chairman Paul Kien- into National Forest and Bureau of Land The 50 or so participants at this first zle, along with Commissioner Ralph Ra- Management lands to hunt big game, Sportsmen’s Summit weren’t expected to mos and Game and Fish Department Di- small game and birds, to fish, to camp agree on every issue – although they did rector Alexa Sandoval were there, too. In with my kids and picnic. I’ve relished the reach consensus on several. The main recent months we have seen an initiative spectacle of winter flights of waterfowl thing was: They came, spoke, listened by commissioners and agency leaders to at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife and either agreed or disagreed in an at- reach out to their constituents and listen Refuge, fished on Corps of Engineers mosphere of mutual respect. to what sportsmen say, which will also and Bureau of Reclamation reservoirs— “Hugely productive,” Garrett Vene- go a long way toward rebuilding cohe- all on our freely accessible and publicly Klasen, NMWF’s executive director, siveness in our community. owned federal lands. said as he and I drove home to Santa Fe. We covered a lot of territory, from In fact, almost 90 percent of New “I’m convinced that we all came away trapping laws to transferrable authoriza- Mexico resident hunters and anglers use realizing we have lots more in common NMWF President John Crenshaw tions for elk and deer. Like I said, not all public lands, and countless others enjoy than we probably thought. We brought of us agreed on everything, but we all got them for other uses. down a lot of barriers today.” start: Backcountry Hunters and Anglers a chance to express ourselves about is- Unfortunately, some in power want to I fully agree with Garrett, who envi- and the New Mexico Council of Outfit- sues that matter. ruin this. There are moves afoot in Con- sioned the idea for a Sportsmen’s Sum- ters and Guides; United Bowhunters of Personally, I left feeling more optimis- gress to sell off massive amounts of pub- mit and worked hard to pull it together. New Mexico and the Sportsmen-Land- tic than I have for quite some time about lic lands. Here in New Mexico and other I’ve noted before that, beginning in the owner Coalition; National Wild Turkey the prospects for renewed cohesiveness Rocky Mountain states, some legislators 1990s, it seemed like sportsmen’s groups Federation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foun- among sportsmen, at least on major ini- are pushing bills to force the federal gov- became more numerous and more fo- dation, Mule Deer Foundation, National tiatives and issues that affect us all. Par- ernment to give millions of acres of pub- cused on particular interests. A conse- Wildlife Federation and Trout Unlim- ticipants agreed to follow up with anoth- lic lands to the state governments.
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