A man who recently released a fox from a foot-hold trap near Placitas found himself in a bind after the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish learned about the incident.
Gary Miles, founder and owner of Placitas Animal Rescue, said a Game and Fish officer called him and told him that he could be arrested for being in possession of the fox.
“He wanted to come and get (the fox), and I said no because he would not tell me what he was going to do with it,” Miles said.Miles was concerned the animal would be destroyed.
The fox, which was found in the trap on Dec. 30, is once more free.“Officially, it escaped, ” Miles said. “Its skin was broken (by the trap), but it healed up real nice. He ran up a hill on all fours. He was not limping or screeching.”
Trapping, with certain restrictions, is legal on public lands in New Mexico if the trapper is licensed. Open season for trapping fox, badger, weasel, ringtail and bobcat is Nov. 1 to March 15.
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