I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish in Wyoming and it does require 24/7 attention to our issues. Personally, I believe the strength of SFW is also our weakness; our members. If the organization is not doing what you want I would urge you not to abandon the organization but to get more involved. I am certain there is a reason behind every decision that each independent SFW state takes. Sometimes, I believe we, as sportsmen, are too quick to assume the intent and/or direction we are attempting to go. As a body and in general, sportsmen are not very well versed in our political process, nor do we understand just how political things are. Don & I use to argue over the role politics played in wildlife management. He eventually convinced me that everything is political. Sportsmen need to recognize that others will attempt to manipulate and misinform us; almost always with the intent to divide us. While none of us will always agree on how to get from point A to point B, we must try none-the-less to understand each others different perspectives and strive for common ground. Ultimately, though decisions need to be made and sometimes, we are only as good as our membership allows us to be. Get to know your SFW leadership and how the process works. If you can be patient, the SFW model does in fact work but only if we focus on the big picture issues, have good informed debate, and rally behind the decisions we make. If the decision doesn't go your way, you either need to work harder at explaining your position to others to garner increased support for your position, realize that you were unable to persuade the majority to your position but support the decision made by the organization, seek another alternative to the one being put forward, etc. This is a process and will continue to evolve over time; however, walking away from it will not make the organization any better. The model does really work but it requires more than simply paying your membership. Obviously, those which put the most into the organization will reap the most out of it.
Having said all of this, I am sure their will be attacks, both personal and in general about SFW. All I can ask is that you will try what I said and get more involved not abandon our cause. I believe we all share a common desire to see that our hunting heritage is protected and passed on to future generations. I know what I am now doing will have little if any direct benefit for my son &/or my daughter; however, I hope that some day there will be some else to step up and replace my generation as this battle is sure to continue until one generation fails to protect it. I do not want it to be my generation to be the last to know what it means to hunt.