P
Prince
Guest
I quit posting on MonsterMuleys a long time ago because I felt that most conversations on this site usually deteriorated into bickering, name calling, and foul-mouthed ranting. I don't know if any of you remember me, but I use to post fairly often several years ago until I got into a shouting match with a few members and left. My apologies to any that I offended.
The reason I'm posting now is due to the excellent comments I've been reading on the "Can We Do Better in Utah" thread of posts. I don't think I've ever agreed more with a post than groundshrink's about the pressure we put mule deer through in Utah. I believe he hit the issue right on the head. I believe that with the way Utah's mule deer are so relentlessly pursued for nearly a quarter of the year each year, they'll never recover in numbers.
Let me say this, however: Each year after the hunts are over we inevitably have discussions such as this regarding how we can make things better in Utah. There is always a thread of hopelessness that weaves its way through each topic. Phrases like "the DWR needs to" and "when will they" and "what needs to happen is." It's as if we need others to solve our problems, when, as I see it, we have all of the power as sportsmen and women.
"How?" you ask. Well, as I see it, it's all about the money. If we all got together via the power of the Internet, via word of mouth, via ads posted in popular magazines, etc. and spread the word about a "Voluntary No Hunt Season" where we all voluntarily decided to not hunt during the general hunts in 2006, thus costing the UDWR tens of thousands or potentially hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, then I believe they'd sit up and pay more attention to the average sportsman.
Sure, you might think that no one would go for this idea, and assuredly not everyone will. But if even a few thousand hunters decided not to send the UDWR their general season money for 2006, think of the impact. As long as we keep sending the UDWR our money year after year, what motivation do they have to change?
Think of all the special discounts, new vehicle designs, and new policies and implementations the US domestic automakers are putting into place because they're losing more and more business to foreign automakers. Money talks, folks. Plain and simple.
If we could get something put together where hunters voluntarily agree not to send money to the UDWR for the general hunts (yes, still apply for limited entry hunts, OIL hunts, etc.) and let several thousand of those 97,000 permits sit unclaimed on the counter, then you bet they'd think about changing things.
Now, think about this, if we could even get one-third of Utah's hunters to skip their general season hunts for one year, that would cost the UDWR over a million dollars. Think they'd start implementing new ideas then? I think so.
IF A CERTAIN BUSINESS' CUSTOMERS ARE OBVIOUSLY UNSATISFIED AND ARE NOT BUYING THE PRODUCT THE BUSINESS IS OFFERING, THEN YOU BET, NEW IDEAS WILL BE CONSIDERED.
Again, this post is just food for thought. Let's remember, we have the power to make a change. Never in the history of the world have average citizens had the power to implement changes due to the voice we collectively have. I believe we can start a campaign and see it to fruition if we use the Internet and sites such as this to publish an idea to boycott a year of hunting to show the UDWR that we're dissatisfied with the quality of mule deer hunting we're seeing in Utah.
Yes, people will say things such as drought, winter range depletion, etc., but get off the Wasatch Front and see all of the prime country that exists with very few mule deer roaming the hills in Utah. Elk are increasing like crazy in Utah, so let's not focus all of our energy on land losses. Yes, elk and mule deer need different types of food to survive, but, again, I believe the land is there to sustain much larger mule deer herds if they're managed correctly.
One more time, if we all send a clear message via the withholding of our money for a general season, maybe the UDWR will think more seriously about the mule deer's future in Utah.
The reason I'm posting now is due to the excellent comments I've been reading on the "Can We Do Better in Utah" thread of posts. I don't think I've ever agreed more with a post than groundshrink's about the pressure we put mule deer through in Utah. I believe he hit the issue right on the head. I believe that with the way Utah's mule deer are so relentlessly pursued for nearly a quarter of the year each year, they'll never recover in numbers.
Let me say this, however: Each year after the hunts are over we inevitably have discussions such as this regarding how we can make things better in Utah. There is always a thread of hopelessness that weaves its way through each topic. Phrases like "the DWR needs to" and "when will they" and "what needs to happen is." It's as if we need others to solve our problems, when, as I see it, we have all of the power as sportsmen and women.
"How?" you ask. Well, as I see it, it's all about the money. If we all got together via the power of the Internet, via word of mouth, via ads posted in popular magazines, etc. and spread the word about a "Voluntary No Hunt Season" where we all voluntarily decided to not hunt during the general hunts in 2006, thus costing the UDWR tens of thousands or potentially hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, then I believe they'd sit up and pay more attention to the average sportsman.
Sure, you might think that no one would go for this idea, and assuredly not everyone will. But if even a few thousand hunters decided not to send the UDWR their general season money for 2006, think of the impact. As long as we keep sending the UDWR our money year after year, what motivation do they have to change?
Think of all the special discounts, new vehicle designs, and new policies and implementations the US domestic automakers are putting into place because they're losing more and more business to foreign automakers. Money talks, folks. Plain and simple.
If we could get something put together where hunters voluntarily agree not to send money to the UDWR for the general hunts (yes, still apply for limited entry hunts, OIL hunts, etc.) and let several thousand of those 97,000 permits sit unclaimed on the counter, then you bet they'd think about changing things.
Now, think about this, if we could even get one-third of Utah's hunters to skip their general season hunts for one year, that would cost the UDWR over a million dollars. Think they'd start implementing new ideas then? I think so.
IF A CERTAIN BUSINESS' CUSTOMERS ARE OBVIOUSLY UNSATISFIED AND ARE NOT BUYING THE PRODUCT THE BUSINESS IS OFFERING, THEN YOU BET, NEW IDEAS WILL BE CONSIDERED.
Again, this post is just food for thought. Let's remember, we have the power to make a change. Never in the history of the world have average citizens had the power to implement changes due to the voice we collectively have. I believe we can start a campaign and see it to fruition if we use the Internet and sites such as this to publish an idea to boycott a year of hunting to show the UDWR that we're dissatisfied with the quality of mule deer hunting we're seeing in Utah.
Yes, people will say things such as drought, winter range depletion, etc., but get off the Wasatch Front and see all of the prime country that exists with very few mule deer roaming the hills in Utah. Elk are increasing like crazy in Utah, so let's not focus all of our energy on land losses. Yes, elk and mule deer need different types of food to survive, but, again, I believe the land is there to sustain much larger mule deer herds if they're managed correctly.
One more time, if we all send a clear message via the withholding of our money for a general season, maybe the UDWR will think more seriously about the mule deer's future in Utah.