mightyhunter
Very Active Member
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- 1,183
I have lived in Park County since 2000. Most of my big game hunting has been in that county. I started hunting deer in Park County as a non-resident in 1998. I have taken sheep, deer, elk and antelope in that county. Over that period of time, I have watched as hunting regulations in the Cody area have been changed repeatedly almost every year. General tags have gone to LE. Unit boundaries have been changed and later changed back. Quotas have been changed. Season dates have been changed. Units have been created and deleted just a few years later. Keeping up with the change is not always easy. I have attended many public meetings and provided my input at many of those meetings. I have submitted my written input to the commission when they meet. I did this again for last week’s meeting.
I believe that continuity is an important part of game management. However, I also believe that drastic measures become necessary when disease or winter kill become controlling factors. The winter kill last year in many parts of Wyoming is an example of a significant event that required swift action.
Over the course of time in the Cody Region I have come to some conclusions. These are my conclusions and mine alone.
1. We have fairly consistent weather patterns compared to other parts of the state.
2. That disease is not a huge factor in game populations in the area.
3. That wolf, lion and other predator issues involving ungulate populations are virtually ignored by our local biologists.
4. That little is ever spent on improving habitat.
5. That the G&F waste an incredible amount of time and money on grizzly bears. Those bears will be delisted and potentially available to hunt only if the current political landscape changes. Grizzly bear management is currently not science based.
6. That G&F give to much credence to the opinions of outfitters in the area.
7. That reducing quotas, increasing NR tags and changing units from general to LE can have unintended consequences. As an example, a few years back most of the local elk hunting went LE and many general seasons were gone. Outfitters were getting fewer NR elk hunters and they switched to general NR deer hunters. Almost overnight the deer started to suffer.
8. That the few biologists in the region lack the education or the local knowledge to be making the decisions they make. I have more confidence in those who were educated and lived in Wyoming, than those employees who were educated in the Midwest or came here from other states. These folks remind me of the beaver biologist in YNP from Oregon that suddenly became an expert on wolves.
9. Although it will never happen, local biologists and some wardens, should be subject to annual “no confidence votes” from the public they serve. Unelected administrators have too much power and no accountability for their decisions.
10. Hoping for an outcome is not a management strategy.
Just sayin…mh
I believe that continuity is an important part of game management. However, I also believe that drastic measures become necessary when disease or winter kill become controlling factors. The winter kill last year in many parts of Wyoming is an example of a significant event that required swift action.
Over the course of time in the Cody Region I have come to some conclusions. These are my conclusions and mine alone.
1. We have fairly consistent weather patterns compared to other parts of the state.
2. That disease is not a huge factor in game populations in the area.
3. That wolf, lion and other predator issues involving ungulate populations are virtually ignored by our local biologists.
4. That little is ever spent on improving habitat.
5. That the G&F waste an incredible amount of time and money on grizzly bears. Those bears will be delisted and potentially available to hunt only if the current political landscape changes. Grizzly bear management is currently not science based.
6. That G&F give to much credence to the opinions of outfitters in the area.
7. That reducing quotas, increasing NR tags and changing units from general to LE can have unintended consequences. As an example, a few years back most of the local elk hunting went LE and many general seasons were gone. Outfitters were getting fewer NR elk hunters and they switched to general NR deer hunters. Almost overnight the deer started to suffer.
8. That the few biologists in the region lack the education or the local knowledge to be making the decisions they make. I have more confidence in those who were educated and lived in Wyoming, than those employees who were educated in the Midwest or came here from other states. These folks remind me of the beaver biologist in YNP from Oregon that suddenly became an expert on wolves.
9. Although it will never happen, local biologists and some wardens, should be subject to annual “no confidence votes” from the public they serve. Unelected administrators have too much power and no accountability for their decisions.
10. Hoping for an outcome is not a management strategy.
Just sayin…mh
