President’s Message
July 2020
I hope you were one of about 80 folks that were able to attend our June picnic. Everyone there had a good time visiting, eating good BBQ from Peppers Grill & Bar, enjoying a cold beverage from Quality Liquor, shooting our rifles at the professional hunter challenge and our shotguns off the Lincoln Co 4-H trap machine and the Eddy Co YHEC trailer. Special thanks to the Chaparral Skeet Club for providing the clay targets we shot at. I was watching closely and did not notice anyone struck down by the Cabrona Virus so I think it was a great success.
Unfortunately it seems I’m in more danger than ever before. The Cabrona is out of control somewhere. Der Fuhrer has taken it upon herself to keep me “safe” from anything that might be fun and has even mandated how I dress. Reminds me of when I was a kid and my classmate got in trouble. The whole class was punished. Nothing will help keep the social order better than mass punishment, NOT! Her most recent punishment has resulted in the closure of the Roswell Country Club’s indoor dining where we were scheduled to hold our regular monthly Chapter and Board meeting. I’m starting to realize that this tyranny must run its course. Maybe after the elections in November we can begin to return to a more normal way of life.
Therefore, I’ve scheduled a Board of Directors meeting to be held in my home on the evening of the 23rd. Beginning about 6PM we'll gather and finalize the results of the Board of Directors election, elect new officers for the coming year and attend to several matters of business that simply cannot be delayed. Several of you were disappointed that Bryan Bartlett, President of the NM Wild Sheep Foundation, was unable to attend the picnic and give his presentation about their conservation activities concerning the Rocky Mtn Bighorn herd around the Taos gorge. He’s been in contact and will try to attend the Board meeting and give his presentation this month. Perhaps someday we can actually hold a regular monthly Chapter meeting. I wish my home was big enough to hold everybody but it simply is not.
I also have received several emails from our loyal outfitters in Spain, Africa and other places. They’ve been affected by this pandemic in ways we’ll never understand. I sincerely wish them the best but I know they are suffering as we are. I pray that they will come through and remind everyone that with NO HUNTING to speak of in many places, the critters will be another year older.
This may be my most depressing newsletter in all the years that I’ve been writing them. So, on a more positive note, Dove season opens in 42 days and the NM Antelope season opens in about 30 days. Hope to see pictures of some nice antelope and hear about your dove hunts. Please send pictures as it makes for a much better newsletter.
Sincerely,
RA “Pancho” Maples
President, SNM Chapter SCI
