The Department of Game and Fish is encouraging hunters and other wildlife enthusiasts to review and comment on the Department's recommendations for big-game hunting rules for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

The Department will consider public ideas and suggestions in developing the big-game hunting rules, which will be presented to the State Game Commission at the commission meeting July 24 in Las Vegas. The Commission will adopt the final rules Oct. 2 after further revisions and public comments.

Proposed rule changes include adding more youth hunts for various species, adding a separate archery hunt for javelina, and minor boundary adjustments to some hunting units to help streamline the current system.

Proposed rule adjustments can be reviewed on the Department website, www.wildlife.state.nm.us by clicking on the "public comments" tab. To receive a copy of the initial proposals by regular mail or e-mail, please call the Wildlife Management Division at (505) 476-8038.

Comments can be mailed to New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Wildlife Management Division, P.O. Box 25112, Santa Fe, NM 87504; or e-mailed to darrel.weybright@state.nm.us.

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South African Blesbucks
I was several days into a 10-day hunt in the Groot Winterhook mountains of South Africa's eastern cape. I already had an nyala, duiker, eland, baboon, 3 black wildebeest, 2 blue wildebeest, a black springbok and a mountain reedbuck. Next on my list was a blesbuck pair, one male and one female.