NEWS
Governor removes Game Commission member
Gov. Susana Martinez removed Game Commission member Jerry Maracchini without providing sportsmen any explanation and replaced him with Robert Espinoza, executive director of Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife. Maracchini, a former director of Game and Fish, had actively reached out to the sportsmen of northeast New Mexico, unlike the commissioners of most other regions.
Espinoza now represents northwest New Mexico. He has frequently opposed efforts to provide New Mexico resident hunters with additional big game licenses. He joined forces with the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association and the New Mexico Council of Outfitters and Guides to oppose revisions to the A-PLUS regulations as well as an attempt to give New Mexico residents 90 percent of Big Game Draw licenses.
Representing northeast New Mexico is Scott Bidegain of Tucumcari. He works for his family’s ranch, T-4 Cattle Co., and is on the board of directors of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association.
Southeast New Mexico is represented by Bill Montoya of Alto, a longtime Game and Fish employee who was director from 1988-94.
Representing Southwest New Mexico is Rob Hoffman of Las Cruces, a retired chemistry professor at New Mexico State University and currently the vice-president of New Mexico Quail Inc.
Current members Jim McClintic, Tom Arvas and Dickie Salopek will remain on the commission. McClintic apparently holds the statewide seat representing the conservation community, despite the fact that he has never been active in conservation issues. He lives in Albuquerque. Arvas is supposed to represent the sportsmen of Bernalillo County. He and McClintic were both major campaign donors to former Gov. Bill Richardson. McClintic’s construction company also gave $3,000 to Martinez just days before the 2010 election. Salopek, a Las Cruces pecan farmer, was appointed to represent the agriculture community,