The New Mexico Wildlife Federation is calling on its members to contact their state lawmakers and urge them to save the state Game Protection Fund.

A provision in the pending general government appropriations bill, House Bill 2, calls for transferring $500,000 from the Game Protection Fund to support operations at State Parks. The House Appropriations and Finance Committee is set to consider the proposal at 1:30 p.m. Fri., Jan. 25, in room 307 of the state Capitol in Santa Fe.

Federation President John Crenshaw and Federation Director Jesse Deubel testified to an appropriations subcommittee on Monday that raiding the Game Protection Fund to pay for state parks would be unfair to hunters and anglers who paid license fees. In addition, they warned the move would likely cost the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish millions in federal matching funds.

The Wildlife Federation encourages every sportsman/woman to contact their lawmakers and attend the hearing and speak up for the Department of Game and Fish.