LAST EDITED ON Feb-07-19 AT 10:16AM (MST)[p]Sierra,
That's an awesome post, you really out did yourself...nice work.
While I cant speak for everyone else, I've spoken to enough Residents that simply feel they're tired of NR's trying to tell Wyoming Residents what's best for our wildlife.
You hunt here as a NR at the pleasure of Resident hunters and the State's citizens, period. That's for starters. Secondly, Wyoming Residents and the associated GF commission and Legislature can pass regulations, laws, and push any agenda we want. Its not up to NR's how we decide what's best for our wildlife, our State, our Resident hunters, and up to us how we choose to discriminate against NR hunters.
I'm not saying you have to like it, only that the choice isn't yours to make.
I'm in the same boat in 49 other states...the only difference being that I'm not whimpering, crying, bit ching and complaining with an incessant high pitched whine every time those 49 states pass laws and regulation as they see fit with their wildlife. I don't complain when they discriminate against me (rightfully so) as a NR hunter. I thank them that they are generous enough to share their wildlife resources with me at all. They sure as hell aren't required to, and would be much better served keeping my share and further favoring the residents that live there.
I will confess to doing some whining in Montana, and drove for 14 hours to testify at a FWP meeting against a law that favors me as a former native Resident of Montana. I also have written several letters regarding same, complaining about the NR Native hunting licenses, that allow former Native Residents of Montana to purchase elk/deer, elk, and deer combination licenses at a significantly reduced rate. For a 4 year period, I could, and did, buy a NR deer tag for $64 and a NR elk tag for $80....I still get them at half price to what any other NR would pay. That's bullchit. Even though I'm a recipient of the good deal, the resource in Montana takes enough of a beating without making it more affordable just because you happened to be born in Montana, but now live in another State. If you want the good deal, move to Montana and become a resident.
You know, keeping things on the level with every other NR who hunts Montana, to not favor myself over everyone else, while keeping the needs/health of wildlife first. I recognize that is a very foreign idea and way of thinking on this board. So rare, that even when the WYGF makes recommendations, based on science, while keeping the health and needs of wildlife a priority, the high pitched NR whine-fest is pushed to full throttle.
Talk of reducing a quota, raising a fee to support the wildlife and department...and NR's go ape-chit. See the recent post on the credit card fees, etc. etc. etc.
Look at the level of chit that Wyoming took for not feeding mule deer a couple years back...NR's telling our Department and Resident Sportsmen to defy the science, that clearly shows feeding is NOT effective. Still, the NR crowd was hammering our department, thankfully, the various Sporting groups, BHA being one of them, supported our department on their correct decision to not feed deer.
While you want to call it jealousy, Resident hunters in Wyoming are wanting to run their wildlife programs as they see fit, I would say its "about time". For wayyy too long, they didn't take action on their own behalf for a variety of reasons...well, now they are.
If you don't like it, well, tough...the Residents of Wyoming are not beholden to your ideas, thoughts, or how you feel we should manage our State and Wildlife. Get over it, or die with it...your choice.
As for the BHA comment, totally irrelevant to the discussion. If you want to talk about the merits of BHA, start a new thread.