CONSERVATION GROUPS URGE GOVERNOR MARTINEZ TO REMOVE BIDEGAIN, ESPINOZA FROM NEW MEXICO GAME COMMISSION
Nine conservation organizations with thousands of members in New Mexico are calling upon New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez to remove two individuals from their positions on the New Mexico Game Commission for participating in and organizing coyote-killing contests.
In a letter drafted by SWEC http://www.wildmesquite.org/files/gov_re_bidegain_espinosa_coyote_contest_final.pdf , and dated February 5th, the groups urged the Governor to remove Chairman Scott Bidegain and Commissioner Robert Espinoza: Bidegain for competing in a major coyote killing contest in Nevada last December, in which he and his partner killed eight coyotes and won $1300 in cash, and Espinoza for his role in organizing coyote killing contests in New Mexico while serving as executive director of the anti-predator group Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife—NM Chapter.
“By their actions, these two officials have demonstrated a callous disrespect for wildlife and betrayed the public trust placed in them to manage and conserve New Mexico’s wildlife for the benefit of all the state’s residents,” said Kevin Bixby, Executive Director of the Southwest Environmental Center. “The Governor should replace them immediately with individuals who will take their stewardship responsibility seriously.”
Coyotes help to maintain the balance of natural ecosystems by controlling populations of prey species, including rodents that sometimes carry human diseases, such as Hantavirus and plague. Research shows that indiscriminate control efforts have no effect on overall coyote numbers, but cause suffering to individual animals, disrupt family pack structure and can actually increase coyote conflicts with livestock.
“Their actions demonstrate ignorance of the important, scientifically-established role predators such as coyotes play in natural ecosystems, and indicate an extreme view of wildlife killing for mere entertainment and to win prizes which has no place on the Game Commission,” said Mary Katherine Ray, Wildlife Chair of the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club.
"That state game commissioners would condone, let alone participate in killing contests demonstrates incredible ignorance of basic wildlife science and should lead to their dismissal from public office," said Bethany Cotton, wildlife program director for WildEarth Guardians.
The groups included: Southwest Environmental Center, Sierra Club: Rio Grande Chapter, The Rewilding Institute, Project Coyote, WildEarth Guardians, Sandia Mountain BearWatch, Conservation Voters of New Mexico, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, and the Center for Biological Diversity.
http://www.wildmesquite.org/news/swec-leads-effort-remove-nm-game-commissioners-involved-coyote-killing-contests/021014
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CHAIR OF NEW MEXICO GAME COMMISSION RESIGNS AFTER COUGAR KILLING
By Jonathan Kaminsky
Tue Feb 18, 2014 6:46pm EST
(Reuters) - The chairman of the New Mexico Game Commission
http://www.reuters.com/places/mexico?lc=int_mb_1001 has resigned after he was accused of helping to illegally hunt a cougar on his family's cattle ranch earlier this month, the agency said on Tuesday.
Scott Bidegain was charged with one misdemeanor count of being an accessory to the unlawful killing of a cougar, said Department of Game and Fish spokeswoman Rachel Shockley.
The commission enforces hunting and fishing regulations.
Bidegain was accused of unlawfully releasing his dogs to pursue a cougar without the hunter being present on his ranch near Tucumcari, 170 miles east of Albuquerque, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper
Cougar hunting is legal in New Mexico, and tracking and hunting them with dogs is common, but the hunter must be present from the time when the dogs are released to when the cougar is killed. http://www.reuters.com/places/mexico?lc=int_mb_1001
In a resignation statement released Monday, Bidegain acknowledged he took part in the cougar hunt, and commended the officers who cited him even as they were under his authority in his role as chairman of the seven-member commission.
"Unfortunately, I was present during a hunting incident earlier this month that will result in charges being filed shortly," he said. "I believe that it is in the best interest of the Commission and the Department that I step down at this time."
Bidegain was appointed to his post in 2011 by Governor Susana Martinez, a Republican.
"We count on our game commissioners to set wildlife policy. To blatantly engage in illegal activity like this sends exactly the wrong message and I'm glad he resigned," said Phil Carter, wildlife campaign manager for Animal Protection of New Mexico.
Bidegain was already under fire from environmentalists over his participation in a coyote-killing contest in December.
Together with a partner, Bidegain placed sixth in the World Coyote Calling Championship in Elko, Nevada, by shooting and killing eight coyotes. The pair collected $1,300 in prize money, contest results show.
(Reporting by Jonathan Kaminsky in Olympia, Washington; Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Lisa Shumaker)
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