ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Valles Caldera National Preserve in northern New Mexico is one of the state's premier places to hunt elk, and sportsmen are worried that a proposal to charge thousands of dollars for one-fifth of the hunts offered on the preserve would disenfranchise hunters.
The preserve's board of trustees has proposed a special access fee of about $7,500 for 15 of Valles Caldera's 77 elk permits. The fee would include a stay at the Valles Grande lodge and three catered meals each day.
"Just a little more added value to the hunt," says Dennis Trujillo, the preserve's manager.
The problem, sportsmen say, is that Valles Caldera is public land.
Purchased by the federal government in 2000 for $101 million, the 89,000-acre former cattle ranch is known for its meadows, streams, forests, volcanic domes and huge elk herds. It's managed not by a federal agency, but by a board of trustees appointed largely by the president.
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The board is charged with protecting the land's natural and cultural resources, providing recreational opportunities, operating it as a working ranch and being financially self- sufficient by 2015.
Trujillo said trustees are trying to determine if people would be willing to pay $7,500 for a special hunt on the mountainous preserve.
When the ranch was private, elk hunts sold for $12,000, he said.
"It's an experiment," he said of the proposal, which has yet to be approved. "… It's something that the board was trying to get a feel for. Is there a demand for that, is there a willingness to pay that or is it something that's way out of line." Sportsmen have been vocal about their opposition. Some spoke against the proposal at a recent state Game Commission meeting and about 300 letters have been sent to state Game and Fish Director Bruce Thompson, the preserve and members of the state's congressional delegation.
"As hunters and anglers we pay all kinds of fees, but we've never seen anything like this where a public agency with public land and public wildlife would charge a fee that's out of the reach of 99 percent of the people," said Jeremy Vesbach, director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation.
Vesbach acknowledged the quality of the elk on Valles Caldera. Between 2,500 and 3,500 of the animals call the preserve home.
"There's a huge demand for those hunts, but the opportunity shouldn't be doled out based on financial ability," he said. "It should be an equitable process of distributing that opportunity." Currently, Valles Caldera has a lottery — ranging from $15 to $25 per chance — for an elk permit. If a hunter's number is drawn, he or she would have to purchase an elk license from state game officials and pay the required fees.
Trujillo said in addition to the 15 special elk permits, trustees also are considering raising lottery prices by $5 — $20 for an antlerless hunt and $30 for a mature bull or either sex hunt.
The preserve can determine its own fees, but the Game Commission must approve any changes to the number or type of hunts offered by the preserve.
The commission could consider making separate hunt codes for the 15 elk permits at its Oct. 2 meeting.
Trujillo said hunting and fishing have been consistent revenue generators for the preserve. Total revenue collected in the 2007 fiscal year was nearly $750,000, with elk hunting bringing in more than $330,000.
Valles Caldera had more than 12,000 visitors last year, including 268 hunters over 12 weekends.
The preserve also offers hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, van tours and other activities for a fee, and Trujillo said plans are in the works for increasing public access.
Vesbach said as Valles Caldera looks for more ways to be self-sufficient, all outdoor enthusiasts should take notice of the elk hunt proposal. He said similar proposals could be made for the best fishing spots or the best hiking trails.
"There's a lot of demand to access places like that and you don't want to see the opportunity doled out solely on ability to pay," he said. "As residents, we would get priced out pretty quick. We're not a rich state." On the Net: Valles Caldera National Preserve: http://www.vallescaldera.gov/ New Mexico Wildlife Federation: http://www.nmwildlife.org/
