N.M. Admin. Code § 19.31.17.12

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 23, December 10, 2024

Section 19.31.17.12 - [Effective 4/1/2025] SPECIAL BIGHORN SHEEP HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES

Bighorn sheep enhancement program:

A.Program description: The director shall collect all proceeds generated through the auction and lottery of special bighorn sheep permits, and such monies shall be deposited in the game protection fund. These monies shall be made available for expenditure by the department solely for programs and projects to benefit bighorn sheep and for costs incurred in carrying out these programs. These monies shall be used to augment, and not replace, monies appropriated from existing funds available to the department for the conservation, restoration, utilization, and management of bighorn sheep.

B.Requirements for issuance of special bighorn sheep licenses:

(1) The state game commission authorizes the director to issue not more than four special bighorn sheep licenses in any one license year to take one ram per license. The director shall allow the sale of one Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep authorization and one desert bighorn sheep authorization through auction to the highest bidder, and one Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep authorization and one desert bighorn sheep authorization to a person selected through a random drawing of a lottery ticket. The drawing will be conducted by the department or an incorporated, non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of bighorn sheep.

(2) Unless their hunting privileges have been revoked pursuant to law, any person is eligible to submit a bid for the special bighorn sheep auction authorization or purchase lottery tickets in an attempt to be selected for the special bighorn sheep lottery authorization.

(3) The special bighorn sheep authorizations issued through auction and lottery may be transferred, through sale, barter or gift by the successful individuals only to other individuals qualified to hunt.

(4) Special bighorn sheep licenses granted through auction or lottery, as described above, shall not be considered 'once-in-a-lifetime' licenses.

C.Enhancement hunts: These licenses shall be valid for any big game sporting arms statewide where hunting is allowed. The bag limit shall be one ram.

(1) Holders of the auction licenses must declare their exclusive hunt area by June 30 annually to hunt the designated subspecies in one of the open hunt areas. Each holder of the raffle license must declare their exclusive hunt area by July 20 annually to hunt the designated subspecies in one of the open hunt areas not declared by the auction hunter.

(2) The remaining hunt units open to bighorn hunting not declared by the auction or raffle hunter as their exclusive hunt area, may be hunted by either the auction or raffle hunter.

(3) The hunt dates for the auction and raffle licenses shall be 8/1-12/31 annually, except GMU 53 south of NM 38 and east of NM 522 is closed 8/16 to 8/31 annually to all bighorn sheep hunters.

N.M. Admin. Code § 19.31.17.12

Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXVI, Issue 06, March 31, 2015, eff. 4/1/2015, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXIX, Issue 11, June 12, 2018, eff. 4/1/2019, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXIII, Issue 17, September 13, 2022, eff. 4/1/2023, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXV, Issue 16, August 27, 2024, eff. 4/1/2025