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New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Media contact: Dan Williams, (505) 476-8004
Public contact: (505) 476-8000
dan.williams@state.nm.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, NOV. 21, 2007:

DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR SAYS HUNTING INCIDENT A MISTAKE;
WILL COOPERATE WITH INVESTIGATORS

SANTA FE -- The director of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish said he made a mistake and is cooperating with investigators into an alleged infraction of a state hunting rule. At this time, the infraction appears to be unintentional.

"I made an honest mistake, and this situation concerns me because I pride myself on being a hunter who pays meticulous attention to the rules," Director Thompson said. "I used one wrong GPS coordinate when I planned my hunt, which unknowingly led me onto private land. When I realized I might have made an error, I immediately reported the incident to my staff and asked that I be treated no differently than any other hunter, which means I will accept any pertinent consequences."

It is the Department's policy not to release information about an ongoing investigation. No charges have been filed at this time. The Department will release details about the investigation once a determination is made regarding the case, most likely next week.

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