For the next two seasons, New Mexico is going to have a Youth Only hunt for a 3/4 curl or less ram in the Pecos. The below was cut from the New Mexico State Game Commission Draft Minutes of their 11/18/04 meeting. You can find the document at http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/commission/minutes/documents/11-18-04minutes.pdf if you like.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 11 Amend the Bighorn Sheep Portion of the Big Game Rule, 19.31.8.16 and 19.31.8.27, NMAC
Presented by R.J. Kirkpatrick. - Amend 19.31.8.16 and 19.31.8.27, NMAC, for 2005-06 and 2006-07 bighorn sheep seasons by changing one of the 8 licenses for the Pecos Wilderness Area to “youth only” bighorn sheep license. This license would be valid during the same scheduled hunt period. This item has to do with amending the Bighorn Sheep portion of the Big Game Rule in light of requests from the Commission and various others to look at providing more youth-hunt opportunity. The Department has put
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together a proposal to convert 1 of the existing bighorn sheep license for the Pecos area to a youth-only bighorn sheep hunt in an effort to encourage the participation of youth hunters in our state. This will further the positive relationship the Department has with groups like FNAWS.
Commissioner Arvas It has been brought to my attention that something very unfortunate happened on this last hunt.
R.J. Kirkpatrick I don’t know all the details but I know that a young individual did draw a once-in-a-lifetime Bighorn sheep hunt. His father took the initiative to kill the sheep and, therefore, eliminated that young hunter from being able to hunt Bighorn sheep in New Mexico. It was an unfortunate incident.
Bruce Mazuranich Can’t give too many details because it’s still under investigation but we’ve identified a suspect in the case. We’ve had extensive interviews with witnesses and charges will be filed within the next 2-3 weeks.
Commissioner Arvas I wanted to comment because obviously this is a premier effort for the Department and the Commission to take and we hate to see it abused in this manner.
Chairman Riordan Your suggestion, Mr. Kirkpatrick, is that we designate 1 of our existing 8 licenses to a youth-only hunt. Commissioner Arvas and I talked about this and wouldn’t it make more sense to add 1 hunt instead of taking away from the once-in-a-lifetime that we have for the adults.
R.J. Kirkpatrick That was talked about in detail with our Bighorn Sheep biologists, Eric Rominger and Elise Goldstein, and their feeling was that it would make more sense from a biological perspective and from the perspective that the reason the Department of Game and Fish is so successful with its Bighorn sheep management program as a result of the trophy quality sheep that we have in New Mexico. They command a huge price at the FNAWS auctions and raffles. We use that money for management purposes. Killing an additional ram each year as a result of adding this hunt because it is highly likely an individual would be able to kill 1 may negatively affect the image that New Mexico has of the trophy quality bighorn sheep.
Commissioner Jennifer Montoya It’s perhaps not necessarily an impact to the actual quality, it’s a perception of the impact to the quality?
R.J. Kirkpatrick No, the potential could be the impact to the numbers of big trophy rams in that Pecos population as we potentially allow a youth hunter to harvest an additional ram by making it an additional license. That decreases the total number of those big mature rams and has the potential to ultimately reduce the trophy quality of that population which would then reduce the demand for those auction and raffle permits.
Chairman Riordan The problem I have with that logic is the Commission in Chama instructed the Game and Fish Department not to kill those 30 ewes we thought we had in excess and then we found that those 30 ewes were moved without the Commission’s overall approval to South Dakota. It seems to me that someplace in here we need to be able to use some common sense, allow a youth hunt, and it may not have to be a full curl, maybe a youth hunt with a ¾ curl and taking care of the problem that we had with Lief and Dan, by having to be accompanied by a Game and Fish officer on that particular hunt. Do it on a trial basis or maybe for 2 years and see how we do with that, but have it on a limited basis and not go out there and harvest a mature ram but take1 of the lesser rams with ¾ or less. Allowing that particular youth to do something but having it as an added license and not 1 of the 8.
MOTION: Commissioner Arvas moved to amend the Bighorn Sections 16 and 27 of the Big Game and Turkey Rule 19.31.8 NMAC for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 hunt seasons by adding a license for the Pecos Wilderness Area to a “youth only” bighorn sheep license with a restriction of a ¾ curl or less. This license would be valid during the same scheduled hunt period. Commissioner Sims seconded the motion.
Public Comment:
Lief Ahlm Did you say to have a ¾ curl or less?
Commissioner Arvas Three-quarter curl.
Lief Ahlm For that 1 license for youth?
Commissioner Arvas Yes. It’s difficult but what’s your feeling?
Lief Ahlm I think that we’ve got to get away from any restriction on Bighorn sheep for the size of the ram.
Chairman Riordan Not necessarily. What we’ve done in special situations for harvesting for spiritual, educational reasons, we have a ¾ curl or less. What we’re suggesting is we don’t want to have an impact on the large, mature, $100,000 ram that we have out there. What we’re thinking is on a 1-time basis maybe looking at it for 2 years, evaluate and give these ewes an opportunity, but have it as a ¾ curl or less, and if we have a particular officer with them, I think that will void the issue you have because it seems that parents sometimes need to get control of themselves and not ruin the child’s hunt. We’ll have a game officer with them and do it on a 2-year trial basis but we can then evaluate.
Lief Ahlm You’re asking that we restrict that youth hunter to a less mature ram?
Commissioner Arvas Yes, to a ¾ curl or less.
Lief Ahlm Then be escorted by an officer?
Chairman Riordan Correct, yes.
Commissioner Pino You currently have a youth license?
Commissioner Arvas Not for the sheep.
R.J. Kirkpatrick For clarification, there are no youth-only designated Bighorn sheep hunts currently, but 1 thing before the Commission chooses to vote, we’d like clarification on whether the Commission desires that this be a once-in-a-lifetime designated hunt for the youth-only permit.
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MOTION: Commissioner Arvas amended his motion by making this license valid during the same scheduled hunt period and would be considered a once-in-a-lifetime hunt.
Director Thompson On a point of clarification, is it your intent to have this a once-in-a-lifetime youth license and when that person goes beyond the age of youth that they could then pursue a once-in-a-lifetime adult license?
Commissioner Arvas Sure, sure.
VOTE: Voice vote taken. All present voted in the Affirmative. Motion carried unanimously.

At least the New Mexico Game Commission is being clear about the intent of this decision. To "encourage the participation of youth hunters", and 'further positive relationship(s)'. Or are they being clear? "We don't want to have an impact on the...$100,000 ram..."?

It is interesting; the lessons we try to teach our youth. We pass on our experience and knowledge, and hope they learn to understand why we do things. Applying this judgment to their own life experiences. I don't think the message being sent by the N.M. Game Commission, is the kind I want our youth to carry with them. These would include: 1) Certain participant groups should get preference in permit allocation. 2) They can not be trusted to abide by game laws and make good judgment decisions without the presence of a Game and Fish officer. 3) Trophy rams need to be reserved for auction hunters.

What really surprises me, is that these recommendations are considered "common sense" by the Commission. My sensibility(while maybe not common), believes we have more important lessons to teach our youth. Or, I guess if I ever decide to hunt for "spiritual or educational" reasons, I will target only lesser animals. Then again, maybe I have already made that decision, and that's been my problem all a long?

Hi Provider,

Nice post. Glad to have someone chime in on some of these things.

One clarification I'd like to point out about your item #2. I'm not sure, but I don't think the concern was of the youth hunter not being trustworthy, it was rather the possible behavior of a parent - as cited in the minutes, near the top of the original posting, by Commissioner Arvas, R.J. Kirkpatrick and Bruce Mazuranich.

I've heard of similar situations where a husband puts in for a wife, she draws / he doesn't, then expects that he's going to go pull the trigger. Pretty warped.

Hello RamDreamer,

Thank you for clarifying that aspect of the N.M. Commissions decision, and for all your contributions to this message board. You have offered great information and perspective, and it is much appreciated.

I think we all understand the logic behind giving consideration to requiring a Game and Fish Officer to be present. Unfortunately, stories of illegal, and more importantly, unethical practices like the one stated by the Commission, and those you eluded to, are far too common. I agree with the logic, but was just questioning the overall intent. Should we try to prevent these occurrences by imposing restrictions on the legal and ethical hunter? Or, are we better served by enforcement of existing regulation? And what message does this send our youth?

I did not mean to make a big deal out of this particular recommendation from a Wildlife Commission, but I am concerned about the trend of preferential treatment to some, at the expense of others. Sometimes, on the surface, these decisions seem quite logical, but the actual intent needs to be considered. Not only for our youth, but for the benefit of all.

Provider,

Thanks for the kind words. I just try to pass on the best information I can for other folks that may benefit from it and benefit the resource at the same time.

I believe that I am in complete agreement with you. Some of it is a politically messy issue that, I must admit, I just try to avoid getting involved in as it can get really emotional.

One short related story you might get a chuckle from... My wife drew the first Lincoln Cliffs (WA) bighorn tag ever available in 1997. We lived in western Washington at the time. Long story short, we had three game wardens watching us on opening morning, we later found out. We knew about one, whom had come to check her license on that morning. Come to also find out, those wardens were just sure that I was going to pull the trigger. I got a great laugh when that realization hit home. The thought had never crossed my mind, so I was actually stunned at the thought. Heck, my wife would have shot me if I tried to pull some stunt like that. She proudly displays that beautiful ram now and rubs in the fact that to me that "you don't have one" every chance she gets. I try not to let on how proud of her I am. She did most all of her scouting by herself and she hunted unguided and took that ram all by her lonesome. It's a great story, but I'll not go on and on here.