Land Commissioner joins fight against Coyote hunt

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - New Mexico Land Commissioner Ray Powell has joined the fight against the controversial Coyote hunt set to start this weekend.

On Thursday Powell sent a letter to Gunhawk Firearms , the Los Lunas gun shop organizing the hunt, ordering hunters to stay off State Trust Land.

Gunhawk started organizing the hunt after criticism forced an Albuquerque gun shop to give up a similar event.

Powell says hunters on State Land will be trespassing, although the Land Commissioner did not say what the punishment would be.

Land trusts generate revenue from public schools, universities and hospitals.  Powell says people leasing the land are concerned about protecting its integrity.

“Going out and blowing up every coyote exacerbates predator-prey relations and creates a circular firing squad amongst human beings.  It’s a really bad idea,” Powell told KRQE News 13.

Powell says there are 13 million acres of State Land Trusts throughout New Mexico.

Organizers will be addressing the warning at Hunter Safety Orientation at 4 PM and 7 PM Friday.
Although they are not releasing the location of that meeting due to possible protest disruptions.

At last check, 60 teams are registered for this weekend’s hunt which begins just before sunrise Saturday statewide.