A coalition of farmers, ranchers, landowners, outfitters, guides, sportsmen and recreationists has formed the Save EPLUS campaign to defend New Mexico’s Elk Private Lands (EPLUS) program.
The coalition comprises the Western Landowners Alliance, New Mexico Council of Outfitters and Guides, Chama Peak Land Alliance, New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau, New Mexico Stockgrowers Association, and the Dallas Safari Club of New Mexico.
The groups say the program “is under attack again” due to “some so-called sportsmen’s groups,” set on destroying the program “for a fractional increase in their odds of drawing a trophy elk tag.”
The coalition says the hunting economy creates thousands of jobs in rural communities, boosts the economy, provides direct revenue to farmers and ranchers and incentivizes landowners to protect the habitat that elk need.
