New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Media contact: Mark Madsen, (505) 624-6135
mark.madsen@state.nm.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JUNE 29, 2010:

COMMENTS SOUGHT ON UNITIZATION AGREEMENTS IN SOUTHEASTERN N.M.

ROSWELL -- The Department of Game and Fish is seeking public comments about agreements that would open some private lands to public hunting and trapping in exchange for closing some areas of State Trust land to those activities.

The "unitization" agreements among the State Land Office, the Department and several landowners in the southeastern part of the state are designed to benefit sportsmen and landowners. Under the agreements, unitized State Trust land would be treated as private property and would be closed to hunting and trapping. The private lands covered under the agreements then would be open to public hunters and trappers.

Unitization agreements give hunters and trappers access to private land while providing landowners greater flexibility in maintaining ranching operations on often-landlocked State Trust lands.

The agreement between the Department and the State Land Office calls for obtaining public comments about the unitization process and agreements throughout the state. All comments received will be forwarded to the Department of Game and Fish Director and the State Land Commissioner.

The following ranches have been proposed for unitization agreements in southeastern New Mexico:

Ranch Name                            Game Management Unit(s)                    County

High Lonesome                            32, 33                                           Chaves

Cuevo Canyon                                         34                                                Chaves

Pajarito                                                 32, 36                                              Lincoln

I Bar X                                                  36                                            Lincoln

Stokes                                                  37                                            Lincoln

Armstrong                                             37                                            Lincoln

L Bar and Pentosa                                  38                                           Lincoln

Anyone with comments or concerns about the Department and the State Land Office entering into agreement with these landowners may send written comments to the Roswell office of the Department of Game and Fish, 1912 West Second Street, Roswell, NM, 88201; or by e-mail to george.farmer@state.nm.us.

For more information about unitization agreements, please contact George Farmer at (575) 624-6135.  General unitization agreement information and maps of the proposed ranches can be found on the Department’s Web site, www.wildlife.state.nm.us, under the recreation tab.

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