I got this email recently from NMDGF.....I'm all for catching poachers, however, how come
they have to violate my 4th amendment rights?

Email below:

Expect roadblocks statewide during hunting season
SANTA FE - The Department of Game and Fish will conduct roadblocks throughout the state during hunting seasons to collect harvest data and to detect wildlife law violations.

Hunting seasons are approaching for pronghorn antelope, deer, elk, bears and some other species as listed in the department’s Hunting Rules & Information booklets.

At roadblocks, conservation officers also will check for compliance with the Off Highway Motor Vehicle Act and the Aquatic Invasive Species Control Act. Drivers of vehicles hauling wood products will be asked to produce documentation as required by the Forest Conservation Act.

Department officers may be assisted by other law enforcement agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Police or county sheriff’s offices. As a result, the public may encounter minor delays.

To report a wildlife-law violation, please contact a Department of Game and Fish area office in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Raton, Roswell or Las Cruces, or call the toll-free Operation Game Thief hotline at (800) 432-GAME (4263). Callers can remain anonymous and earn rewards for information leading to charges being filed.

I'm on board with them tryin to catch more poachers, but my guess would be that most poachers don't have to travel far from home and take back roads avoiding as many main roads as possible which more than likely is where these road blocks would take place.

It's just another revenue grab to insure job security for the officers, their management, and the politicians behind it all. When stopped just get out of your vehicle and drop your pants to your ankles and say "do you see what you are looking for? If not I can show you what to kiss." Find out who is behind the implementation of this new policy and vote that sum-bich right out of office.

If you're not breaking the law, you've got nothing to hide?

Are they going to stop all vehicles or just the ones with game in the bed of the truck? I thought that's how DUI roadblocks are legal - they stop every vehicle driving that section of the road.

Seems weird, especially the, "drivers hauling wood'" part. Is that trucks hauling chords of wood? The guy that is bringing a tree he cut down on his land somewhere, or what? I didn't know you needed documentation for this. Was there a link in the email that had more information?

I have been hunting NM now for 20 years and this is the 5th year they have posted on their websites about the road blocks. Before then, they did the roadblocks anyway. They would set up for a couple hours and then move to another location. My experience has been positive with every contact I had with a game officer. When I was stopped, they asked if I was hunting and if I had a deer. If I did, I showed them the deer or license. They are also checking for wood that came from out of state. Not supposed to be bringing any in due to the blight that is in the oak wood. If you have horses, they're checking for Coggins. If you have an ATV, checking for compliance with having it tagged. Depending on how many vehicles are in line, they will check every other or every third vehicle. We have been visited by the game officers in camp as well as the forest service rangers. They have been nothing but professional. One I met about 7 years ago lets me know where deer are being seen and how other hunters are doing. As mentioned above, if you're not breaking the law there should be no worries. The deputies are with them on the blocks to transport if someone has warrants or if they're maybe intoxicated.

They are cracking down on imported wood because of the devastation the pine beetle has caused.
New Mexico is one of the states that is actually trying to do something about them( to late for most of the state)
The checks are to insure that a person isn't bringing in another problem like oak wilt or cedar bores.

Just like the wood sellers are "supposed" to provide documentation as to where the wood was harvested. You can really whizz on a wood sellers day by asking for it. Sometimes it is hilarious to watch them try to "weasel" out of providing it. But the buyer is as responsible as the seller to have the document when asked for it.

http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_g/G102/welcome.html

Read all the posts. I'm cool with catching poachers and I have nothing to hide.
I just think road blocks seem a little too intrusive. I guess if your going to catch
poachers, why not set up stings like decoy deer or elk on the side of the road like
some other states do? I'll be polite if I do get pulled over...I do not have anything
to hide.

Thanks for the details and answers, everyone.

Interesting reasoning. I'm not sure I agree with it, but interesting nonetheless.

Hunters are usually easy to spot on the road coming from that kind of country. 4 wheelers, coolers, campers, bed full of stuff, trailers you name it.

They do set up decoy deer, even have smoke blowing out the nose to simulate breath on a cold morning. They are very effective too. One game warden said that most of the poachers he catches are all locals. I hunt in Unit 30 and most of the decoys are set up on Hwy 137 coming out of Carlsbad or Dark Canyon Rd. One poacher shot the decoy 5 times before he realized what it was. He stopped shooting, set his gun on the ground, and waited for the officers to show up.