I was disgusted by the political puppetry displayed at the RAC meeting in Springville.
The argument I heard from the puppets on stage with the puppet master, was; "WHY NOT REWARD THOSE WHO MAKE GOOD FOR THE WILDLIFE HABITAT, THEY DESERVE IT BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY DO...LOOK AT OUR TRACK RECORD. THESE TAGS WILL RAISE MONEY.
For all the conservation group members out there... Thank you for your efforts to improve your area of emphasis. I do not doubt you serve a great purpose to the community for our wildlife habitat. YET, with this Convention Tag I ask you, "Are you still serving the community or being rewarded for your service. You will now have opportunity to hunt what I won't if I don't attend your convention.
I may not be the guy that goes to every meeting like you do... I may not be the guy that plants seed in a barren critical winter range....
I many not be the guy that takes my time off to go build a water trough in the desert...
I may not spend 5% on my earning or whatever amount I'm sure you do to go to the wildlife conservation effort all for my benefit of hunting.
HERE IS THE MISSION STATEMENT FOR SFW:
SFW Mission
Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife and Sportsmen for Habitat, Inc. were organized to promote the protection and enhancement of wildlife habitat, the quality of wildlife management programs, and protect America?s family heritage of hunting and fishing.
I DO NOT DOUBT YOUR INTENTIONS... I belive they are TRUE AND JUST.
YET THE SAME CONSERVATIONIST OR YOUR LEADERS and our beloved DWR OR RAC LEADERSHIP is asking that WE INCENT you for your volunteer service. FRANKLY, isn't this what the dedicated hunter program is suppose to be. Aren't you tainting the service you are so willing to give? I don't read anything about if you give and if we help improve the habitat we will gain more opportunity to partake of the limited resource in tag allotment.
SFW: HELP ME protect my hunting heritage before I have less and less... I am the average joe... I can't attend your convention. I can't even get involved with the state's dedicated hunter program... but I can help in other ways... let me explain.
Let me ask you a questions:
While... your out planting seed and making that happen for my benefit...
Who is making the burger that your going to eat at McDonalds in Nephi?
Who is patroling the freeways for your safety?
Who is working gas station as you fill your Big rig to go plant seed?
Who is running the grader plowing the dirt roads so you can access the remote country your heading to?
Who is coaching your son's little league game for your future hall of famer?
Who is watching your sick grandmother in the hospital?
Who is teaching your son or daughter in school?
Who is attending insurance conventions on the same weekend your event is going on so when you die... you family has a plan?
Who is doing all the other areas of life so you can go CHOOSE TO BE A CONSERVATIONALIST or SFW or SPORTSMAN?
THE ANSWER?
HUNTERS JUST LIKE YOU.
WE are no different. We share the same desire you do. We would love to be in your shoes... Be supportive of the efforts your involved in. Yet, we have other roles in life. The common ground we share comes down to same passion we have to hunt. Just because I am not able to go plan seed on saturday doesn't mean I don't contribute to your consevation efforts. We live in community. We benefit each other... I benefit you.... you benefit me... We all need equal representation to the allotment of tags. Find a better solution to divide up the new tags being offered without mandating me to go to your support groups convention.
WHY ARE YOU USING TAGS AS INCENTIVE TO ATTRACT CONVENTIONS ANYWAY?
My feelings are this will help drive attendance or membership... you are making and striking deals with government officials on conventions and the likes... all so you can grow membership.. IS IT NOT AN INCENTIVE.... Ironically, you got my interest... if I can have a crack at the opportunity to go to your convention and thrown down five bucks for any animal and hope for a better shot at a tags... Why Won't I... BUT what if I can't attend. What if I have so much else going on that I can't possible get involved in another group such as yours. THE tags cannot be a dangling carrot to attract conservation groups to the state... WE have several other attractive incentives to do that... such as free skiing on public leased land by the forest service.... WHy not offer those... because they don't offer what your tags do. Why not give them free useage of all the camping in our state parks for a huge rally? The reason, because you want the average joe... your thinking is increase membership for your support groups. Drive some incentive to attract membership... clever, very clever. YES, their are other ways... Don, you know many ways to raise money... but none would drive membership to support groups unless they hit the hunters most prized possesion. The Animal. Give hunters a way to take a lifetime hunt only while they are members of your organization and they can have it... You do more for the state.... but for you to grow. You've got have a plan to grow. Most will come and join... I may even in the long run. But what about the patrolman, what about someone else who doesn't belong to the group... They are left out. Tags are in control by this committee, not the state.
Give us a voice..... A Real voice and we can come up with solutions that will impact all of UTAH not just your own agenda.
Your volunteer group should seek out things that do benefit all of the citizens in this state. Take a vote at the RAC... Make it public opinion. Take a public vote. We understand that the RAC members are appointed. File a motion to include public opinion... Don't hide behind your self-centered agenda. Seek out the true intentions of the hunters in UTAH... if any lobbying needs to be done.... perhaps they can start with us.
For future reference, why should I go to a meeting and have no say... Do I need to watch the muppet show? Is that a new requirement for the dedicated hunter to find out how DWR politics is run? I think am only wasting my time. I'd bet money no one would be there if you didn't have it a requirement to attend. Record number of attendance is only to sign your name on the form... No wonder you make them stay until the end. If we voice our opionion, you even threaten to throw us out. The public opinion was against Rule to pass regarding the Convention Tags... yet for the exception of one.... (Good strategy, Don) The panel had one vote against. He was the only non-bias, puppet on the stage.
THIS CONVENTIONAL TAG IS UNFAIR and DISCRIMINATING.
IN FAIRNESS: THESE conservation groups do tons more than I do or ever will do for wildlife habitat. Yet, they speak of our community... They are helping our future generation do what others can't do for themselves. GREAT.... WAY TO GO... GIVE YOUSELF A PLAQUE ON THE WALL. ELECT THE GREATEST GIVER AND CONTRIBUTOR to be yourPRESIDENT..... HELL, GIVE HIM ALL YOU FUNDS TO BE YOUR LOBBYIST. DO WHAT EVER THE HELL YOU WANT...EXCEPT, Take more from the general pool, the average joe.
YOUR OBJECTIVES stood out that these tages will 1)raise more funds for habitat and 2)give back to those that give and help in the conservation arena.
OTHER SOLUTIONS TO MEET SAME OBJECTIVE:
1) RAISE MORE MONEY.... offer every hunter in the state an opportunity to bid on these.... You'll have more money raised by average hunter than you will the convention goers.
2)YES, there were other solutions presented that night... WIll the be taken in consideration? Not a chance. Their decision is so bias, What a shame. What a joke... The crowd was outraged and their was only one vote that was against the entire event.
PROBLEM #1
WAS THE PURPOSE.
Geez,
Now I'm all fired up... enough of endless chit, chat. Someone forward this to Don. Nevermind... I'll send it myself.
GW4BOW
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