NEW MEXICO - A New Mexico plainclothes conservation officer was scanning the prairie through his binoculars during pronghorn season when a group of hunters caught his attention. He watched as the hunting party stalked and harvested a buck pronghorn on New Mexico State Trust Lands, then moved about a mile away. Although the animal was harvested on public land, the hunters then hauled it back onto private property before field dressing it.
The group’s activities were highly suspicious, so the plainclothes officer contacted Sergeant Stephen Apodaca. Sergeant Apodaca contacted the hunters and found they had tagged the pronghorn with a privateland- only license which is not valid on State Trust Land. The hunter and his guide lied about where they had killed it, claiming it had been killed where they field-dressed it.
Sgt. Apodaca, with help from the undercover officer, traced their trail and confirmed the actual kill site of the unlawfully taken pronghorn. The poacher and his guide were charged with multiple violations, including illegally killing a pronghorn on public land with a private-land-only license, driving off-road and the pronghorn was seized.
This case is a testament to the importance of notifying authorities of suspicious activity. While this time it was a plainclothes officer who notified their colleagues, the general public can help protect wildlife and prevent poaching. Wildlife belongs to everyone. You can help protect it.
If you see suspicious hunting activity, you may make an anonymous report to Operation Game Thief at 1-800-432-4263. Our system is designed to accept calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to ensure we are available whenever someone has information about a wildlife law violation. All calls are confidential, and the reporting individual has the option of remaining anonymous.