Floridas

Cookie2 · Dec 30, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Dec-30-15 AT 03:20PM (MST)[p]Anyone hear about this one? Anything to add? Puts a new spin on ibex hunts..
http://www.abqjournal.com/602006/bi...ction_type_map=["og.likes"]&action_ref_map=[]

NMPaul · Dec 30, 2015

Interesting. Couldn't be to good for the Ibex though. The way they have been hammering them the last few years maybe it wont be to much worse.

Sounds like good jobs for New Mexico though.

stevie · Dec 30, 2015

Can't be good.

I don't know why they don't put some ibex in surrounding mountains like the Cooke's or the Portrillo's. It would liven things up a bit.

Cookie2 · Dec 31, 2015

I'm thinking a mine up there will require roads and that will change the whole "Rock experience". I agree with the jobs aspect but my passion is those goats and I hate to see this...

Ltsheets · Dec 31, 2015

You can put me firmly in the camp of not being happy seeing this unless they introduce them to some neighboring mountains before starting up. Ibex hunting is one of the most unique and maybe the most challenging hunt in the States...I'd hate to see it go downhill.

NMPaul · Dec 31, 2015

I want to look at the bright side of this.

If they lower the tops of those peaks it will make it easier for us fat guys to get up there.

JJhunt · Dec 31, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Dec-31-15 AT 11:08AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Dec-31-15 AT 11:07?AM (MST)

Correct me if i am wrong, but the article says the mine will be just north of demming.
wouldnt this be out of the floridas, thus not affecting the Ibex?

Or will they harvest from the floridas and process at this site?

huntswnm · Dec 31, 2015

It says that the Mill/Industrial park would be built north of Deming, but all the material is in/on the Floridas. As much as I am for mining, it does suck that this one, large, distinct, isolated area is a potential site. Here in Silver City we have 2 copper mines, but they are surrounded by hundreds of thousands of acres of similar looking areas so to put a huge hole in the ground is no big deal. At the Floridas, they are talking about mining from the top down basically. That drastically changes the landscape.

In regards to putting them elsewhere, I would hope some thought is being put in to that. However, the beauty of the Floridas is how isolated it is and how difficult it is for Ibex to migrate to other ranges. In a sense they are "fenced" in on that mountain. When they first put Oryx on White Sands they believed they could keep them "on range" and we see how that turned out. Obviously not a big deal because Off Range tags provide tremendous opportunity. However, in a sense, they are still "corralled" into a certain area. I couldn't imagine what would happen if some wondered East into the Lincoln or West into the Gila, but surely they would become a competitor for habitat and food with the deer and elk. The Floridas seem to be the "perfect" place for Ibex, but it would be interesting to know if there are other possibilities.

Jeff

sportsman01 · Dec 31, 2015

By the sound of the article it's still very premature so hopefully it doesn't gain much ground. I sure like chasing those goats. I'd hate to see it ruined by a mining outfit. I also doubt they'll introduce ibex anywhere else down there as the desert bighorn initiative it still ongoing and it doesn't sound like G&F wants ibex anywhere off of that rock pile. Let's hope it doesn't take off.

kimbersig · Jan 7, 2016

The Florida mountains are a BLM WSA wilderness study area. They can't open up new roads or mines only use the current ones that are there. I doubt it would be a big impact IF it does happen.

and the reason they don't put ibex on other mountains is fear of disease to the desert bighorns. that's why they have the off florida mountain hunt. they used to be on cooks and other ranges but they eradicated them when they started growing the desert bighorn program.