Hunting bill stirs up New Mexico Senate race

An environmental group that is part of a coalition behind a $2 million dollar advertising blitz supporting U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich's campaign for U.S. Senate has joined sportsmen groups in pushing his legislation to improve access to millions of acres of public land. The measure introduced by Heinrich, D-N.M., calls for an inventory of all public parcels larger than a square mile where hunting, fishing and other recreation are allowed but where access is blocked. It also asks agencies to acquire easements and rights of way for improving access. The National Wildlife Federation last week joined a number of sportsmen's groups from around the West in backing the bill, which is just the latest in a decade-long effort to overcome access issues created by a combination of population growth, changing demographics and the landownership checkerboard that defines the American West. Heinrich is in a tight race against Republican Heather Wilson for the seat currently held by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, who is retiring. Wilson's campaign said the endorsement was a political ploy by environmentalists cloaked as sportsmen to further their liberal agenda. "This group is part of the same environmental extremists that are spending a million dollars to falsely attack Heather because she doesn't share their job-killing agenda," said Wilson campaign spokesman Chris Sanchez...more