People's Forum Panel on New Mexico Public Lands Trapping

Panel Report and Recommendations

Executive Summary

The State's Public Policy Process Failure

Table of Contents

Introduction, Background, and History

Outcome of the People's Forum on Public Lands Trapping

Public Attitudes, Survey, and Comments 2005 Survey

The Special Case of Mexican Wolves

New Mexico's Regulatory and Statutory Scheme

Conclusion

References

Notes

Appendix 1: 2005 Survey Results

Appendix 2: Biological Overview

Download the Report [205 KB PDF]

Panel Members

Hon. Judge Peggy Nelson (ret.)

Nate Cote

Kathleen Holian

Martha Marks

Peggy Weigle

Links

Animal Protection of New Mexico

Born Free USA

New Mexico Dept of Game & Fish

New Mexico Legislature

New Mexico Sierra Club

Trap Free New Mexico

WildEarth Guardians

Panel Report Released

Download the Report
[205 KB PDF]

The People’s Forum Panel Report on Public Lands Trapping
in New Mexico Executive Summary:

The New Mexico Legislature should ban trapping on public lands in New Mexico because traps harm people, animal companions, and whole populations of wildlife including rare species. Most New Mexican voters believe that trapping is cruel and unnecessary. The State’s 2011 administrative rule-making process relative to trapping was marred by special interest politics and undemocratic.

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People's Forum on Public Lands Trapping

On September 14, 2011 in Albuquerque, NM, the People’s Forum on Public Lands Trapping was held as an opportunity for the entire New Mexican public to add their voice to the debate over public lands trapping in New Mexico. This event featured a citizen panel, presided over by the Honorable Judge Peggy Nelson, that listened to public commentary and presentations from WildEarth Guardians, the New Mexico chapter of the Sierra Club, Animal Protection New Mexico, wildlife biologist Dr. Robert Harrison, Ph.D., and educational materials from TrapFreeNM. An audio recording was made of the proceedings of this public hearing.

Background

During the summer of 2011, New Mexico citizens submitted more than 12,000 comments to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish requesting a trap ban on public lands. The New Mexico Game Commission ignored this appeal. On July 21, 2011 the NM Game Commission voted unanimously to expand trapping across New Mexico, and lifted the trapping closure in the range of the endangered Mexican wolf.

Traps on Public Lands: Hidden, Dangerous, Destructive

• Since 2002, 15 endangered Mexican wolves have been caught in non-governmental traps. Two died. Five more sustained injuries, while three required amputation surgeries (two wolves had entire limbs removed). In the wild, lobos number less than 50 individuals; yet, over 20% of that number have been trapped. 
• In the last decade, New Mexico supplied over 23,000 bobcat pelts to the world’s fur markets and unknown numbers of foxes, weasels, and other species because they go uncounted by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
• Traps can be placed as close as 25 yards from any trail with no warning signs in New Mexico. As a result, many people and pets have had negative injurious encounters. Dogs have lost limbs from trap injuries. People have been injured while helping their dogs.

Panelists

• The Honorable Judge Peggy Nelson (ret.), Panel Chair
• Nathan Cote, Former State Representative
• Kathleen Holian, Santa Fe County Commissioner
• Martha Marks, Republicans for Environmental Protection
• Kathy Sedlacek, New Mexico Mountain Club
• Oscar Simpson, former Game Commissioner and hunter
• Peggy Weigle, Executive Director, Animal Humane New Mexico

Audio Recordings from the People's Forum