Posted on 11/29/2007 7:14:06 PM PST by CedarDave
The director of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is facing misdemeanor charges of hunting on private land without permission and illegal possession of a deer.
Charges against Bruce Thompson, filed Monday in Lincoln County Magistrate Court in Carrizozo, stem from a Nov. 17 hunt in which Thompson is alleged to have shot a buck on the Diamond T Ranch in Lincoln County west of Roswell.
Thompson had a deer hunting license that permitted him to hunt on public or private land— if the private-land owner had given written permission.
In a prepared statement last week, Thompson said he thought he shot the deer on public land adjacent to the private ranch.
"I made an honest mistake, and this situation concerns me because I pride myself on being a hunter who pays meticulous attention to the rules," Thompson said in the news release. ... "When I realized I might have made an error, I immediately reported the incident to my staff and asked that I be treated no differently than any other hunter, which means I will accept any pertinent consequences."
~~snip~~
If convicted, Thompson would face $400 in fines and up to six months in jail for each offense. He also could face a civil penalty of $250 to reimburse the state for the deer, Williams said. ...
~~snip~~
Thompson was named director of the department in March 2003 by the state Game Commission, whose members are appointed by the governor.
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
“I pride myself on being a hunter who pays meticulous attention to the rules”
Evidently, not.
When in doubt, don’t shoot.
Well, if he turned himself in it does sound like an honest mistake. It’s pretty easy to cross an unmarked boundry between public and private land when out hunting.
Didn't sound like he had any doubts, he thought he was still on public land. Now, if he crossed a fence or walked right on past a posted sign, that's a different story.
Will he use the (outer space) alien defense?
Fire the fool and let him work for a living, Who needs a game and fish man that cannot read a map.
Well, if I turned myself in, I’d still pay the penalty, being one of the “little people”.
Wrong is wrong.
When hunters make “mistakes”, people often die.
I don’t hunt with people that make mistakes.
I don’t know about the unit he was hunting on, but I’ve been on some units in New Mexico that make me sympathize with him. Sections of private, BLM and Forest Service land look like a checker board in some areas, and there is often no way of telling if the fence you just crossed is dividing Forest Service from BLM, a different management district or private land. The best bet is spend a lot time scouting out your unit before the hunt.
“he thought”
That’s how innocent hunters die, every year.
I used to belong to a hunt club. Pheasants, ducks, quail.....
There was an influx of, shall we say, new to this country hunters, that couldn’t keep their fingers off of the triggers of their shotguns.
After being pinged on several occaisions, I, along with several of my friends, cancelled our memberships.
The place went downhill and is now closed and for sale.
Real hunters don’t NEED to pull the trigger.
Sorry to hear about your hunt club. Rigorous screening of potential members is a must. If it were my club, prospects would need the sponsorship of a member.
Folks like Mr. Thompson don’t hunt all alone.
Think about it.
This would have been a large hunting party.
They payed little attention.
That’s what big people do.
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