Sonora nurtures efforts to attract US hunters

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U.S. hunters looking for prized game are giving beef and dairy cattle ranchers in northern Mexico an economic boost. And more and more ranchers are cashing in on the growing industry of "hunting tourism" by making their lands — inhabited by mature deer, bighorn sheep, Gould turkeys and buffalo — available to well-aiming foreigners. Three years ago, Enrique Savedra opened his 6,400-acre La Jagüey Ranch to U.S. hunters. He receives $3,000 per hunter whether or not they make a kill. Sonora gets about $30 million annually from hunting tourism, according to state tourism officials. Of the 7,248 permits issued in the 2007 season, more than 5,000 were awarded to U.S. hunters. Hunters are brought to the ranches by coordinators on both sides of the border who make the arrangements for accommodations, meals, travel, permits and — most importantly — the import of weapons into Mexico. The ranchers must provide room and board for the hunters at their ranch homes, including running water, hot showers and electricity. The ranch cowboys are used as guides, and their wives do the cooking. The rancher incurs no other responsibility, other than getting the ranch registered for hunting with the Mexican government....