Sportsman Fighting together instead of each other FB post.

[akah2o]

John Bair posted this.... It was about Sage Grouse for context.

"It saddens me greatly to see sportsmen all fired up to fight each other, but then be totally unwilling to make a hard stand with those trying to win the big fights against the antis. If these groups win on the sage grouse issue, it will have a HUGE impact on our Utah hunting, ranching, mining, oil and gas industries. This could well be the biggest threat to our way of life EVER. If sportsman would fight FOR hunting as hard as they fight OVER hunting, we would crush these antis."

Thinking bout this for a little bit I am a little disturbed. John is a Great Guy, but my thoughts are a tad different. If we weren't having to fight transparency issues by SFW, MDF, and UDWR wouldn't we all be that much better off?

My thought process is to get our "Hunting" House in order before getting to the Anti's. Hard to fight two battle lines if there is corruption from a large group using public tags, for "Non Disclosed" deeds.

 

[Hawkeye]

akah2o, you hit the nail on its head. That argument has frequently been used by the groups in an effort to shame sportsmen for asking legitimate questions about the money generated from our public tags. Simply asking sportsmen to trust that the money is put to good use is not enough. As Ronald Reagan used to say with respect to the Soviet Union, "trust but verify."

The division within our hunting community is not the fault of sportsmen calling for accountabilty and transparency with our public assets. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that request. Rather, the division is the direct result of certain groups digging in their heels and refusing to do the right thing. Hopefully this issue will work itself out before it really blows up.

-Hawkeye-

 

[Zim]

Arizona's Jerry Weiers was a great guy too, with a long history of supporting sportsmen's issues, until the lure of fast easy cash crossed his desk in March 2012. Then everything changed.

 

[desertpointbrian]

Well said Hawkeye the sooner the UDWR and sfw work towards fixing this thing. and putting out what the public wants transparency and accountability.

The sooner we can unite and do better for our wildlife.

 

[Vanilla]

I have two questions:

1- What interest does Utah's Wildlife Board hold in ranching, mining, and the oil and gas industry? Is it disconcerting to anyone else that the chair of the wildlife board, in a public statement attempting to get hunter involvement in an issue, cites protecting ranching, mining, and oil and gas industries? Does this tell us hunters all we need to know?

2- Can anyone tell me what REAL impact the listing of the sage grouse would have on me as a hunter? I've heard so much crap thrown out there that simply isn't true. I want to know what negative impact that will have on me as a Utah hunter. Not political rhetoric, but true negative impacts that will occur.

 

[Stonefly]

Distraction, Smoke and mirrors, Look over here (while we moveover there), We'll just do what WE want anyway! who does this sound more like Obummers administration or the wild DNR ?

 

[desertpointbrian]

Yes this is a smoke screen to try and divert your attention.

But they still will not show the books or take any blame for the piss poor handling of the expo tags.

 

[DIG]

Well said Gentlemen. No group or entity has done more to divide hunters in this state than SFW. Now, they've proven that they will do whatever it takes to hold on to the power, control, and money which they have become accustomed to. Simply said, they are parasites (like giant ticks) leaching their livelihood off of Utah's wildlife.

 

[BillyBoB]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-01-16 AT 08:09AM (MST)[p]This debacle reminds of the ending of the movie enemy of the state!
With the possibility of any corruption
it begs me to question.....
Who's job is it to make sure the DWR is doing what they are suppose to do and correctly?
Who's going to monitor the monitors?
http://youtu.be/G6NW_6Bg4M8



Theodore Roosevelt's guidance concerning
conservation...
"The movement for the conservation of wildlife,
and the conservation of all our natural resources,
are essentially democratic in spirit,purpose and
method."

"We do not intend that our natural resources shall
be exploited by the few against the interests of the
majority. Our aim is to preserve our natural
resources for the public as a whole, for the
average man and the average woman who make
up the body of the American people."

"It is in our power...to preserve game..and to give
reasonable opportunities for the exercise of the
skill of the hunter,whether he is or is not a man of
means."

 

[Kwalk]

I realize your questions are largely rhetorical, and I agree 100%. It is extremely disconcerting. I've seen several facebook posts from Mr. Bair surrounding the airing of the KUTV story and it doesn't appear that he is able to remain unbiased and actually represent me, the average sportsman.

The Wildlife Board should be concerned about wildlife. Period. I realize they have to work with other groups to balance needs and minimize wildlife conflict, but representing extraction industries isn't in the job description.

The sage grouse issue is another one that is used disingenuously on both sides of the spectrum. The extraction industries on one end, and the environmentalists on the other. In the recent BLM plans to protect the grouse, neither side was happy. Sounds like a decent compromise to me.

I would much prefer the money, time, and effort spent complaining and stirring people up about sage grouse listing be spent on the ground improving the sage grouse habitat as well as other conservation projects that benefit ALL wildlife and ALL sportsmen.

 

[Zim]

>it begs me to question.....
>Who's job is it to make
>sure the DWR is doing
>what they are suppose to do and correctly?

I'll take a stab at it and say the governor's office.

 

[desertpointbrian]

So show where the money has gone sfw and all of this could go away and we could unite

Simple

 

[WapitiBob]

The Sage Grouse is another Chicken Little revenue stream for BGF.

 

[TOPGUN]

>The Sage Grouse is another Chicken
>Little revenue stream for BGF.
>


Yep, and more consulting fees for the Don! Not sure any more, as I haven't checked lately, but I don't believe BGF is even a 501 C (3) nonprofit organization.