ALBUQUERQUE — The head of the New Mexico's Game and Fish Department could lose his hunting license for two years for illegally shooting a deer on private land during a hunt in southeastern New Mexico.

An independent hearing officer heard testimony Monday about a November 2007 incident on the Diamond T Ranch west of Roswell in which director Bruce Thompson shot a deer. It's illegal to hunt on private property in New Mexico without permission from the landowner.

Thompson, who had a valid deer hunting license, said he believed he was on U.S. Bureau of Land Management land, based on coordinates entered in his global positioning system unit.

After listening to Thompson and one of the department's law enforcement officials, the hearing officer made a preliminary recommendation that Thompson's hunting license be revoked for two years. A final recommendation is expected in 10 days.

"The recommendation could change. He has the option of reviewing what he heard and changing it if he wants to," said Dan Williams, a spokesman for the Game and Fish Department.

The state Game Commission, which has the final say, will likely consider the recommendation at its Oct. 2 meeting. Thompson sits on the seven-member board.

Commission chairman Tom Arvas said it will be a difficult decision, like all revocation cases.

"In this case, I think the commission is going to do what it considers the right thing," he said. "They've always done it in the past and I have a lot of faith they'll do it with this case."

Williams said other revocation hearings were held Monday and there was no preferential treatment for the director. He added that the department is following its usual procedures for such a hunting violation.

When Thompson was first charged with illegally hunting on private land, he said the incorrect entry in his GPS was no excuse and that he expected "to be treated like any other hunter who unintentionally violates wildlife regulations."

At Monday's hearing, Thompson said: "It's regrettable. It's awkward. I've taken responsibility."

He pointed out that the incident resulted in two court convictions for unlawful hunting and illegal possession of a deer. Thompson was ordered earlier this year to serve 182 days of unsupervised probation and pay fines as a result of his no contest plea to the charges.

Williams said the department's policy is clear when it comes to cases like Thompson's. Each of the counts that Thompson faced carry a 10-point penalty. Once a hunter reaches 20 points, his or her license can be revoked for up to three years.




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