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July 3, 2008
Licenses. . .
Under the adjustment, the area of Unit 5B east of the Rio Chama would become part of Unit 51. Under the present boundaries, approximately 60 percent of Unit 5B now lies east of the Rio Chama, while 40 percent lies west of the Chama, according to Rio Arriba County Commission Chairman and state Game Commissioner Alfredo Montoya.
The Rio Chama would become the eastern border of Unit 5B. The Northern border would be the Jicarilla Apache Reservation and the southern and western border would be Unit 5A, which includes Lindrith and Llaves, as well as a portion of State Road 96 between Highway 84 and Gallina.
The Department believes that under the adjustment the elk hunting opportunities added to Unit 51 would be relatively few, while hunting opportunities in what remains of 5B would be reduced significantly. In other words, the Department would cut the number of elk hunting licenses issued in Unit 5B while not significantly increasing those in Unit 51.
The Department did not release the exact number of licenses that would be affected by the proposed change.
"The feedback was not favorable on that adjustment," Montoya said.
Because of the unfavorable response to this proposal, it was decided that another meeting was required for additional input from landowners in 5B and hunters.
"We will be having an additional meeting to be held August in Canjilon," Montoya said. "Landowners in Unit 51 and sportsmen will be given the opportunity to comment on the adjustments and we want to give them sufficient time to provide those comments."
Maps of the big game hunting units can be downloaded at www.wildlife.state.nm.us.
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