Wes-
That is a very good point. We cannot lose sight of the fact that the UWC's proposal is the mechanism for change. Griping and moaning on the internet may help us feel better but it is not going to fix the problem.
I sent the following email to my friends and contacts who care about hunting and the outdoors. I suggest that each of you send similar emails.
Hawkeye
Browning A-Bolt 300 Win Mag
Winchester Apex .50 Cal
Mathews Drenalin LD
_____________________________________________
Hello-
As most of you know, each year the Utah DWR takes 200 premium hunting permits out of the public draw and turns them over to two private wildlife conservation organizations to be given away at the Utah Hunting and Conservation Expo. You can apply for a chance to win one of those 200 permits if you pay a $5 application fee. These two groups are generating several hundred thousand to a million dollars a year from the $5 application fees. I generally support the Expo and even drew a deer permit at the Expo back in 2008. However, I am very disappointed that the State of Utah and the DWR have failed to impose any requirements as to how those monies are used. The funds generated from a public resource (the 200 Convention Permits) should be carefully accounted for and used by the participating groups for actual wildlife conservation projects. The administrative rule creating the Convention Permits expressly states that one of the two statutory purposes for the Convention Permits is to ?generat[e] revenue to fund wildlife conservation activities.? Utah Administrative Code R657-55-1(2). Given this language, I am shocked that year after year we turn 200 premium hunting permits over to the participating organizations without requiring that one red cent of the revenue generated there from be spent on actual conservation projects. This problem is compounded by the fact that the participating organizations refuse to provide any accounting for those monies. Convention Permits are public assets and monies generated from those permits should be carefully accounted for and spent in an open and transparent manner.
I would like to personally thank the Utah Wildlife Cooperative (?UWC?) and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (?RMEF?) for taking a stand on this issue. The UWC has submitted a proposal to the Utah DWR that will remedy this glaring problem by imposing transparency and accountability requirements, and mandating that 90% of the funds raised from the Convention Permits will be used for actual conservation projects. The groups participating in the Expo would still be allowed to retain the remaining 10% to cover overhead and administrative costs. The UWC's proposal will not jeopardize the Hunting and Conservation Expo. Rather, it would improve what is already a wonderful event and ensure that the money generated from the Convention Permits is spent in such a way as to fulfill the very purpose for which those permits were created. The UWC has asked Wildlife Board to place its proposal on the agenda for the August RAC and Wildlife Board meetings. I have worked with the UWC in preparing its proposal and I strongly support it.
I ask you to please support the UWC?s proposed amendment to the Convention Permit rule. The DWR and the participating conservation organizations have ignored this problem for years. As members of the general public, we need to stand up and demand accountability with respect to this important public resource. Please take a minute to sign the UWC?s online petition (
http://www.change.org/petitions/uta...nvention-permits-to-august-agenda-action-item) and email your comments to the DWR and the Wildlife Board. Please feel free to forward this email and the attached link to your friends and associates who care about hunting and the outdoors.
Thank you for your time and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding my email.
Jason Hawkins
