Help change state’s trapping rules

Many of us New Mexicans are — or know — people who hunt on our public lands. Our state Department of Game and Fish rules give more than 80,000 licensed hunters seasonal opportunities to shoot wildlife game by arrow or gun. Some hunt for food, some for a trophy, many to maintain a family tradition.

Soon our state Game Commission, which oversees the Game and Fish Department, will vote on a very different set of public land hunting rules — the trapping of “furbearers.” Existing Game and Fish Department trapping rules are plagued with environmental, ethical and economic problems. It’s time for change.

New Mexico has only a few thousand licensed trappers — 2,037 in the 2017-18 season. The 81 percent who sent mandatory self-reporting to Game and Fish said their traps “harvested” over 5,100 “protected” furbearers; 85 percent were foxes and bobcats.

New Mexico trappers pay $20 for a license. They typically sell the fur pelts; they pay no gross receipts tax on them. Game and Fish rules let trappers “bag” (kill) an unlimited number of furbearers — “protected” or not. New Mexicans also can trap unprotected furbearers (e.g. coyotes) yearround without a license.

A trap indiscriminately catches any animal that steps into it — whether it be a fawn, critically endangered Mexican gray wolf, cougar cub, livestock — or pet dog.

When the trap’s steel jaw, snare, cage or leg/foot hold closes onto it, the animal can experience excruciating pain. It is always immobilized — whether underwater or out in the open. Most lie in misery for hours or days before the trapper or another predator comes by to finish them off.

Trapping is not “fair chase” hunting.

It is barbaric and cruel. What’s more, the state Game and Fish Department policy that allows trappers to litter our public lands with hidden traps is dangerous (“Dog’s death spurs bill to ban trapping on public lands,” Jan. 10).

It’s no wonder that 69 percent of New Mexico voters oppose the use of traps and snares, according to a Remington Research Group poll. Yet now the state Game and Fish Department proposes a four-year plan that makes only cosmetic changes to New Mexico trapping rules.

This month‚ our governor’s new Game Commission is accepting public comments before it votes on the new rules. How can we open their minds (and hearts) to change New Mexico trapping rules? Here are three things each of us can do now — two of them are very quick and easy:

◆ Participate in the commission’s evening public meeting at the state Game and Fish office, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30 in Albuquerque. Public meeting locations and dates are listed on the department’s website, wildlife.state.nm.us.

◆ Send the Game Commission your comments via email to dgf-furbearer-rules@state.nm.us, and/or mail a letter to: New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, Attn: Furbearer Rule Development, P.O. Box 25112, Santa Fe, N.M. 87504.

◆ Share and sign Trap Free New Mexico’s petition.

Please act now so we can solve the problems of trapping in New Mexico.

Suzanne Reed is a lifelong hiker and regular user of New Mexico’s public lands.