To further reduce human impact, information from seven weather stations on the refuge is retrieved by radio telemetry. During an afternoon tour, Sevilleta visitors are sure to see black grama grass, creosote bush, and plenty of gravel road, but no promises of wildlife are made. A fleeting visit by a hurried herd of eight pronghorn can take even the refuge manager by surprise. It's always neat to see these critters, and it makes your day when you do. Not everyone concerned with wildlife diversity works for the government or a nonprofit organization.
Many private landowners have an interest, too.
They have a harmony with wildlife that most people don't understand. To get a better handle on the economics of hunting in New Mexico, Extension is surveying the state's 3,000 landowners who receive elk or pronghorn hunting permits. Pupfish Byron Wright, agricultural specialist with Extension, is conducting the study. Information collected will help them make informed decisions about creating a wildlife enterprise. The study analyzes wildlife's economic value.