Ep. 46: Wildlife Heritage Act

Hunting is conservation. That phrase was popularized by David Allen while he was the CEO at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. David is a marketing genius. That phrase went viral and hunters continue to use it at every opportunity. There is a lot of truth to those words. For about the last 100 years hunters have been the primary source of conservation funding. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is an enterprise agency. The roughly $50 million dollars per year they operate with is not provided by tax dollars or other general fund appropriations. Instead, their budget is a result of dollars spent on hunting and fishing licenses and federally matched dollars generated by an excise tax on firearms, ammunition, and some other fishing and hunting gear. This model has worked historically, but it's not sustainable into the future. Conservation funding must be broadened. The Public Trust Doctrine makes clear that wildlife exists in trust and shall be managed for the benefit of all the residents of the state. Because wildlife belongs equally to all the residents, all the residents should contribute to the financial investment needed to effectively manage that wildlife. Through a variety of strategies, New Mexico's conservation funding is both increasing and becoming more diverse. It's more critical than ever that hunters welcome to the table those co-owners of our wildlife who choose not to hunt. This is happening in a huge way in New Mexico. In this episode, Jesse Deubel facilitates a conversation with members of the New Mexico Conservation Coalition to discuss how they are working together to reform the NM State Game Commission, and support our state wildlife agency by ensuring they have the tools, authority and funding necessary to carry out their mission. By working together we can sustain our hunting and fishing traditions. Enjoy the listen!    For more info: NMWF Website