I'm gonna give you some props Tri. You finally came out and told us the truth. You told us you don't care about looking at anyone's books or transparency. It does not matter to you. I can and do respect that. Everyone has different priorities and things that are important to them even though Some don't agree with that. But also remember you are not from Utah and it seems like you don't even hunt here. So you have no real vested interest in the process as it does not effect you.
Anytime someone chooses to tap into any public resource, whether it's tags or tourism dollars or grants or anything similar they automatically put themselves in a position to be scruntinized and questioned by the public. The hunt expo, the big outdoors expo, stadium of fire, Sundance and. Countless other entity's all chose that path.
The big difference between them all is the hunt expo takes tags out of the public draw and forces one to go to an event to draw one. That is the difference. The other entity's get financial backing to promote tourism. Now at the end of the day you can say they both are trying to accomplish the same thing but they are done by very different paths.
But you see hunters are a funny breed. I can promise you that the vast majority of hunters would rather the hunt expo gets $1,000,000 from tourism to promote the expo than the 200 tags.it might be the same financially but it is very different in actuality and appearance.
Hunters feel that something is being taken from them when the tags are awarded to the expo and than they feel they are spit on by not getting an accounting of all the dollars.
That is the issue. I believe if the money generated by the tags was all transparent that hunters and the public would have very little to say unless it was shown it was mostly going to salaries and not going to wildlife.
At the end of the day the hunt expo tags are not going away, and to be honest I don't want them to. I believe some good that is measurable comes from them and I believe some unmeasurable good also comes from them. But I also know that more good could come from them. More transparency and openness.
There is a large amount of tax revenue generated by those that attend the expo that most people don't see. There is an actual formula the state tourism department has that can show what the economic impact is by that event. Maybe the expo people could get those numbers and put themout for the public to see.
Now I don't believe a certain portion of hunters will ever be satisfied regardless what the expo releases or reports. But I believe most of them would if the transparency was there.
Tri you don't live in Utah, you are not effected by what this is all about. You don't know the 20+ year history of how we got to where we are. These are things that many on here have lived through and understand much better than you. I would guess there are countless things that happen in your state with wildlife that we know little to nothing about. Step back and try to look at it that way if you can.
Whether you agree with the expo tags or not they are here to stay.people. They are not disappearing and they are not getting awarded to a different group. Sfw and Mdf have them for life unless some fraudulent scandal happens. I don't see a fraudulent scandal and I don't see the tags going away.
30% returned to wildlife is 30% more than it use to be. Maybe in 10 more years that will be 50%. Only time will tell.
As long as 10,000-12,000 people apply for these tags and it generates $1,000,000+ the expo tags are hear to stay.
Look at it from the legislatures perspective. ThAt is $5,000 per animal averaged out that is generated that would not be otherwise.
Give credit where credit is due. When MDF and SFW and FNAWS dreamed up and got this Implemented they knew what they were doing. It was a brilliant plan and one that thousands of hunters support. That is undeniable as they apply every year.
Hunters need to be grateful for the 30% return because initially there was no set number. Hunters need to continue to expect transparency.
In my opinion these groups who I know very well would do themselves a huge favor by showing more of this money goes to wildlife. But that is just one mans opinion.
My ship has sailed on this subject. I've moved on to other things. But rest assured Tri, I was one of 3 that created the expo and the tags. I was there at the beginning and I take some credit or blame for where it is now depending what side you sit on. But I know how it all came to pass, I don't have an opinion. Opinions are for those that see things from a far. Knowledge is for those that actually created it. Like me or not I have that knowledge.
Enjoy the show this year people, I hope you get the tag of your dreams and it turns into the critter of your dreams. And I hope the money generated goes to Utah wildlife.
Hope to see you all March 10-11 at the big outdoors expo At UVU. I don't have any hunts I'm giving away but I do have a Honda side by side, a Fort Knox gun safe and a few other cools things that all attendees can enter to win for no charge.
Look for founders post, he will be giving away more tickets for free to the show.
Thanks for a great site Brian, it gets people involved one way or another.
Tony Abbott
www.thebigoutdoors.com
801-885-1274