time to unite

[littlejoe]

I have read the good and the bad on this site. I cannot believe how much time is wasted criticizing others. It is time to become united not divided.

Post after post is out to trash the SFW. I am a member and will continue to support the SFW. Do I agree with everything that is happening? NO!! Do I think they are the best organization currently out there? YES!! I suggest that rather than rip on SFW, most of you have no knowledge of the SFW other than this website, you should check into it and make an educated decision. If you believe everything posted on the net you are missing most of the story. I would like to know how many of you have tried to contact Don Peay to discuss issues or concerns? I am willing to bet not many of you. His e-mail address is listed on the SFW website. Contact him, he will reply.

I have read several times about politics should not be part of wildlife decisions. Whether you like it or not that is the game. More money can be raised in 5 minutes through legislation than in 50 years of putting on banquets and fundraisers. Most of you complain that Don Peay is a crook. Don is a politician. Show me an honest politician and I will show you one that did not last long. If Don was replaced you guys would be writing the same things about his replacement. If you don't like the rules of the game get involved and try to make a change.

I would like to say that I think Tony Abbott did a great job for the SFW, thanks Tony. I do not agree with everything he has said especially on this website but I will support his new organization. I do not understand why people are picking sides. What is wrong with supporting Tony (Sorry Tony I don't know the name of your new organization), the SFW, RMEF, etc. They all have their good parts and their bad as well. Rather than try to bring down others if you don't agree with how they are doing things go start a group on your own. Tony has elected to do that. You can do the same!

If I was an anti- I would sit back and laugh at how the hunters are divided over stupid things and the anti?s are more united than ever. This website argues and argues. Check out the anti?s. They have an agenda and they go for it. All of us need to be involved to try and make a difference. I am sick and tired of listening to people sick back and complain but not want to help out. There are many dedicated people out there but I am willing to bet that for every person that helps , 99 are sitting home complaining. If you are not trying to make a difference then stay home and keep writing worthless internet posts that in no way will benefit anyone or wildlife.

I would also like to express my disgust with a recent post. There was a post recently about the passing of Bob Fontana. BC_HUNTER responded that he was not sorry because Bob was a crook. I don't care if you like Bob or not but your post was way out of line, if Bob was alive he could defend himself and I would not care. Death is entirely different in my book. There are people I dislike as well but to post it on the internet. Obviously you have no class to trash somebody that is dead!!!! I think that if you want to directly trash somebody on a post you should list your name or are you to spineless to do it? It is easy to complain and hide behind a username. I personally have not hunted with Bob but I have hunted with the Lancaster?s last year and I am booked again in the future. These guys are as good as it gets.

To those of you that are putting in countless ?thankless? hours for wildlife. I take my hat off to you and say ?Thank you?. I am a resident of Utah and was not able to attend the meetings in Arizona. Thank you for voicing your disgust at the meetings for those that attended. I believe that an 80/20 split would be great. Residents should receive preference to some degree. Residents are the one taking care of the animals in their backyard.

In closing, good luck to all this fall. Be safe and shoot straight!!!

Justin

 

[BCBOY]

Justin,
I agree 100% with you. Thanks for conveying in a serious manner what I have been trying to say in a not so serious manner.

I was going to post a reply to BC HUNTER but I thought it would be best if I left it alone. Because that wasn't the time to hammer him. I agree with you that that was one of the most disgusting posts I've seen on here as of late. I think the moderates have been really slack in the last couple of months and should be doing a better job deleting posts and locking posts. I'm all for freedom of speech but when the threads start bashing people or organizations it is time for the Mods to step in and clean up. Makes me wonder out loud how come this hasn't been happening. This site is better than that.

 

[Deerlove]

I look forward to seeing Tonys ideas and supporting him and his endevors with the average middle class income in mind.

 

[Buckshot22]

I would like the addy for the SFW site.

 

[SMOKESTICK]

www.sfwsfh.org

 

[Muleynuts]

WELL SAID LITTLE JOE!

 

[PinonPaul]

littlejoe, since you decided to weigh in on the res-nonres issue I will just have to check in on this one. How can you say that a certain ratio ( 80/20 ) is best for all states? There are way too many variables such as resident populations, herd sizes etc. What is good for Utah is not good for AZ or NV. I haven't noticed Utah handing out large numbers of Premuim tags to non-residents lately. AZ and NV have managed for quality vs quantity. Residents of AZ and NV have sacraficed many hunting opportunities to maintain this quality. An AZ resident who does not draw has no OTC tag option except archery deer. Why do so many Utah residents apply in AZ? That's a no brainer isn't it.

 

[bobcattrapper]

Justin, That was perfectly said, Thanks

 

[littlejoe]

PinionPaul, All I am saying is that there needs to be a compromise by both sides. In my opinion 10% is not enough and 50% is way way to many. In "my" opinion 20% is fair. It allows residents the vast majority of tags to hunt in their back yard but gives a nonresident a chance of eventually drawing. I get the feeling you think that nonresidents only apply in Arizona because of the quality. I usually apply in 7-9 states each year. There is no question AZ and NV have awesome animals but UT is producing many trophy animals as well. Look at how many more people keep applying in UT every year. In the last 5 years many many more people have applied. I never said that UT's 10% was fair to everyone. In your opinion what is fair in the res-nores issue??? You state variables such as herd size and resident populations. Please help me understand what does herd size have to do with how many tags nonresidents should receive??? There can only be so many tags regardless of how many res-nonres get the tags.

 

[GrandpaNasty]

Nicely said littlejoe.

 

[PinonPaul]

Herd size controls the number of potential hunting opportunities, factor in the growing resident population in AZ and you can see that opportunities for residents have already become very diminished through the years. They are projecting 50,000 + new homes built in the Phoenix market this year. How many of these new residents will be outdoorsmen & women? I am not against non-resident hunters at all, IMO over 10% is too much for AZ when all the NR's want to do is cherry pick the best hunts. All the Bull hunts in AZ are good hunts but the NR's apply for the 5 or 6 best hunts and units, same with deer, all the tags issued in the supplemental ( unconstitutional draw ) were for the Strip and Kaibab. Spread these applicants out over the entire state and the impact would not be so devastating to residents. Why should we give 50% of the Strip tags to NR's when most residents including myself have applied for years and haven't drawn it. Most likely I will never draw a Paunsagunt tag, Mt Dutton tag or any quality tag in Utah, hell my son can't even draw a Jr open bull tag up there. Unlike Utah, Arizona made a conscious decision to manage for quality years ago. In doing so the residents have sacrificed many hunting opportunities. Lets just compromise and you guys hunt your animals and we'll hunt ours.

 

[littlejoe]

PinionPaul, you tell me to stay home and hunt my own animals in UT but yet you are sending in as a nonresident. AZ chose years ago to manage for quality. Approximately 12 years ago UT started to do the same and now we have a great herd and the same horrible odds as AZ. I have max bonus points in UT and still have not drawn. I have points in AZ and still have not drawn but I will continue to send in. You state you most likely will never draw a premium tag in UT, the same should be said for myself. Most likely I will never draw a premium tag in AZ. I could draw a less quality tag but I am willing to play the odds game on a premium unit. In response to you saying more people are moving to AZ. There are more people everywhere. UT is growing by leaps and bounds just like the surrounding states. Odds are never going to be good anywhere. This is one subject that does not have a right answer that will make everyone happy. If you want to improve your odds move to WY or somewhere where the odds are better. You could buy a general season elk and deer tag over the counter in Wyoming. I could do the same but I am not willing to leave my job and family. So I will deal with the terrible odds.

 

[PinonPaul]

So now lets take your terrible odds in Utah and make them worse by doing away with the Non-Res quotas. See how we feel?

 

[littlejoe]

PinionPaul, I am 100% against the lawsuit in AZ, don't get me wrong. I am on your side. I have sent e-mails to sponsors and USO regarding the lawsuit. We are fighting the same fight, the only difference I know we have is you want 10% or less to nonresidents, I wanted 20%.

 

[nbjbhunterman]

I went to the SFW banquet and I was quite impressed at all that went on there. Big high rollers but it doesn't affect anything I can do hunting.

NBJB