MEETINGS IN CHAMA, ABIQUIU WILL ADDRESS PROPOSED HUNTING RULES

CHAMA -- The Department of Game and Fish will conduct public meetings in Tierra Amarilla and Farmington on June 17 and 18 to review and listen to comments about the Department's recommendations for big-game hunting rules for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

The Department will consider public ideas and suggestions in developing the big-game hunting rules, which will be presented to the State Game Commission at the commission meeting July 23 in Las Vegas. The Commission will adopt the final rules Oct. 2 after further revisions and public comments.

Meetings:

* Tierra Amarilla: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, Rio Arriba County Complex Building 149, on N.M. 162 in Tierra Amarilla.

* Farmington: 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, Farmington Civic Center, 200 W. Arrington.

Proposed rule changes include adding more youth hunts for various species, adding a separate archery hunt for javelina, and minor boundary adjustments to some hunting units to help streamline the current system.

Proposed rule adjustments can be reviewed on the Department website, www.wildlife.state.nm.us by clicking on the "public comments" tab. To receive a copy of the initial proposals by regular mail or e-mail, please call the Wildlife Management Division at (505) 476-8038.

Comments can be mailed to New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Wildlife Management Division, P.O. Box 25112, Santa Fe, NM 87504; or e-mailed to darrel.weybright@state.nm.us.