As a result of public outcry against cruel and indiscriminate traps, the New Mexico State Game Commission undertook a review of the state’s trapping laws and is now proposing a set of changes. However, the Trap Free New Mexico coalition, of which Project Coyote is a part, believes that these changes largely cater to special interest trapping groups and fall far short of addressing the public’s concerns about trapping. Last year, at least two dogs were killed and a number of others injured, while countless thousands of wild animals were trapped and skinned for their fur.
We need your voice to help push for meaningful reform to protect the state’s people, pets, and wildlife from trapping.
It is unacceptable that New Mexico residents cannot walk freely on our public lands—which belong to all citizens—without fearing that their beloved companion animal will fall victim to a snare, leghold or Conibear kill-trap. We must stop catering to a miniscule percentage of the population who litter public lands with indiscriminate traps for private gain.
The inadequate changes include:
- Closing only 0.5% of New Mexico’s public land to most traps;
- Increasing the distance traps must be set from trailheads but not from trails or roads; and
- Adopting a year-round hunting season for raccoons and nutria.
The agency also has declined to propose bag limits for furbearers—meaning that animals like coyotes, foxes, bobcats, raccoons, otters and other species may still be killed in unlimited numbers.
Help ban trapping on public lands!
Contact the State Game Commission:
Email the Commissioners urging them to ban trapping on all of New Mexico’s public lands. Additional talking points below. Contact information:
Joanna.Prukop@state.nm.us; R.Salazar-Henry@state.nm.us; Jimmy.Bates@state.nm.us; Gail.Cramer@state.nm.us; Tirzio.Lopez@state.nm.us; David.Soules@state.nm.us; Jeremy.Vesbach@state.nm.us; dgf-furbearer-rules@state.nm.us
Submit a Letter to the Editor:
Please send a letter to your local newspaper encouraging readers to urge the State Game Commission to ban trapping on all of New Mexico’s public lands. If your letter is published, send the letter via email to the Commissioners. Find tips for submitting letters to the editor here and additional talking points below.
Additional Talking Points:
- Traps are cruel. Animals in traps may starve to death, succumb to exposure or dehydration, or even chew off their own limbs trying to escape.
- Traps are indiscriminate. They kill non-target animals including cats, dogs and imperiled species, including Mexican gray wolves. Countless New Mexico residents have lost beloved pets to indiscriminate traps.
- Trapping allows a tiny minority of the population to steal New Mexico’s wildlife for personal profit. Wildlife belongs to ALL citizens—but for only $20 a year (even less for youth), a trapper is allowed to kill as many animals as he or she wants for private gain.
Preventative and non-lethal methods are more effective at protecting public health and livestock. More information here.
Thank you for speaking up for New Mexico’s animals!
For wild nature,
Joe Newman
Project Coyote Creative Associate