Wyoming SFW here's yer sign...

BuzzH · Jul 25, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Jul-25-05 AT 11:03PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jul-25-05 AT 11:01?PM (MST)

I talked today with some folks from the local Game and Fish office about this latest WYOGA proposal. The folks I talked with are not real happy about this whole mess. The trouble they face is the age old problem of everything is decided by the State legislature, the G&F has very little control.

What needs to happen is for the G&F to take control of the decisions regarding this kind of crap and let the biologists ALONG with comments recieved from SPORTSMEN, not groups like SFW, MDF, etc. mandate decisions of this nature. It does little good to have a Wildlife Biologist hired and make recommendations when the legislature decides to say "pi$$ on the Biologists, average hunters, and the wildlife, my buddy is an outfitter".

Also, the G&F is really upset that the outfitters have asked for this. The one individual I talked with said that they should already be happy with the Wilderness Guide law, the Special License fee, and now the preference system. The main reason for the NR SPECIAL licenses that cost $200-$400 more, was a brain child of, and pushed for, by the WYOGA as were the recent high fees for NR preference points. Its a way to increase the chances of their rich clients being able to draw tags. The WYOGA IS NOT, I repeat NOT, in it for anyone but themselves and their high-paying clients. They dont give a $hit about the average do-it-yourself hunter, they dont give a $hit about the average resident hunter either. We're nothing but competition and a pain in their a$$. Every tag a do-it-yourselfer draws is money out their pocket. They dont care about me...and I dont care about them right back.

You have to understand the mentality of who you're dealing with...and I've seen this crap played over and over and over again in states all over the West. Even though I'm sick and tired of writing letters, making phone calls, attending meetings, etc.I still take the time. Everything is a fight and this one is worth the fight.

Write the Wyoming Legislature, Governor, make the calls, support the Wyoming Wildlife Federation...and dont allow the greed of the WYOGA or politics to take YOUR wildlife and YOUR hunting opportunities away. Theres plenty of Wyoming Residents on your side...but you have a lot more to lose than we do (at least for now).

I've done my part, and its pretty obvious that SFW has not.

I feel the same way toward both the WYOGA and WYSFW...they can both go pi$$ up a rope. I think SFW is headed into big trouble, trouble of their own making through their attitude and complacency. They better make sure their outfitter buddies continue to make some big donations...as thats about all they'll have left.

I dont need, and I dont want groups like these "helping" my wildlife and my hunting opportunities.

mmwb · Jul 26, 2005

Inundate these people with your input. See the Casper Star Tribune link above as well.

http://wyoming.gov/governor/contactgovernor.asp
http://gf.state.wy.us/support/contactus/index.asp
http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2005/members/rep.htm
http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2005/members/sen.htm

schmalts · Jul 26, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Jul-26-05 AT 03:27PM (MST)[p]I just did it, it is easy, just cut and paste your letter and email everyone. Don't forget to warn them also about SFW not actually being the sportsman's voice. I know i sure did. Offer them proof by sending a link to this webpage to show that they do not represent the majority.

ansonlynn · Jul 26, 2005

I posted this on the mule deer page too - my letter

Dear Editor,

Once again, there is a move afoot to create a "pool" of "guaranteed" licenses for big game outfitters in Wyoming. What a farce!

Any outfitter wanting guaranteed licenses for their clients, need only lease hunting rights on a quality, private land ranch in undersubscribed areas. RIGHT NOW, there are over 6,000 leftover deer licenses (NOT including doe/fawn licenses), thousands more of any antelope licenses, over 600 any elk licenses. All the outfitter has to do, is pay fair market value to the person who owns the habitat (or the access to it).

To me it's simple. The only outfitters who deserve any sympathy regarding licenses, are those who own or lease the privately owned ground they operate on, and still have difficulty drawing "their" hunters. If they want to outfit on public land, however, they should not be entitled to negatively impact those of us who do not care to use their services; emphasis, services. That is the commodity an outfitter SHOULD offer - not access to a public land license.

Outfitting is a business that will always attract too many wannabees, either looking for quick, easy money (the fly by nights), or those wanting the lifestyle. Market forces should not be exempted from the outfitting business - and anyone wanting a pool of licenses for clients need only lease land in the dozens of hunt areas where there are thousands of buck and bull licenses available RIGHT NOW. However, that requires giving value for value received! The best outfitters will - and do - survive; they can charge what they need to, in order to thrive, because a strong track record and excellent word of mouth referrals keep hunters coming back (when they draw - just like you and me), and generates new business. It is the lesser class that can - and should - struggle trying to make an easy dollar off public resources, and often fail. They do not deserve a captive clientele, forced to use them in order to get a license to hunt; and those of us who do not need an outfitter should not see our odds worsened to provide welfare to subrate outfitters in a market with too many providers to begin with! This would be no different than requiring hunters to have their game commercially processed to prop up marginal meat processors, or requiring hunters to have professional taxidermy to legally retain horns and antlers from their game - certainly that would boost the number of taxidermists, and allow them survive while providing substandard service.

I don't hear excellent processors like Dan's in Evansville, or taxidermy artists like Swann's, moaning for hunters to be required to use them - I suspect it's because they have all the business they need. For that matter, I don't hear private land outfitters like S-N-S, who lease hundreds of thousands of private acres and provide good service, whining for this either (check their website, and others like them - there are, RIGHT NOW, outfitted hunts available for Wyoming buck antelope and deer for the 2005 season). I acknowledge I've used the services of the first two; and had a usually cordial, sometimes frustrating professional interaction with the outfitter, but met many of their happy, repeat clients in the field. Quality and service sell.

I hope this effort fails - but if there is going to be a pool of licenses for public land outfitters, I would like to see those auctioned to the highest bidders, not as another welfare entitlement which allows the outfitter to pocket the value of that guaranteed license; that's how we sell off other publicly owned resources into private ownership, e.g., minerals, oil and gas, timber. Further, I would like to see those set-aside revenues in excess of the regular cost of the nonresident license, dedicated to enhancing public land for big game. That way, those of us giving up that welfare handout might get something back, in return for the privilege of allowing a few individuals to privatize and exploit a precious public resource.

Beau Patterson
Wyoming Game and Fish Department Casper District Wildlife Biologist, 1993-2001

gleninaz · Jul 27, 2005

I hope you all win this one but bet it will end up in court at some future date. If you think about the impact of a court ruling that the state cannot designate a public resource to a select business it goes way beyond hunting. Think about the states that have enacted laws to force an open and honest bid process for grazing leases on state lands. They are producing up to 30 times the revenue as the old closed system. I will bet that Wyoming ranchers are 100% behind the outfitters on this issue. Good luck.

McKinney · Jul 27, 2005

Beau,
Thank you! Very well said.
McKinney aka Hiker
Proverbs 3:5-6

McKinney · Aug 11, 2005

I have written letters, Yes, as a non-resident, made calls and tried to let folks know what us Non-Residents think.
When will it be decided on whether or not the Outfitters get the Welfare tags?
Thanks,
Jeff

wymw · Aug 12, 2005

Jeff:
The Legislative Task Force meets on Sept 6 in Casper. At that meeting, they'll vote on whether to forward the proposed set-aside bill on to the Joint Travel, Rec, and Wildlife Committee for consideration at their October meeting.

Even if the bill gets voted down by the Task Force or the TRW committee, there's a chance a bill will still be introduced in this legislative session (or next).

So it's pretty difficult to say exactly when the issue will be decided in a firm and final way. Even if it's killed, it always seems to come back again. I'll let folks know about the Sept 6 decision as soon as I get home from Casper.
Mark

McKinney · Aug 18, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Aug-18-05 AT 11:08AM (MST)[p]I received this e-mail this morning from Wyoming, on the Wilderness issue.

Dear Mr. McKinney:

I am writing in response to your email to Governor Freudenthal concerning Wyoming Statute 23-2-401(a) which requires nonresidents to be accompanied by a licensed guide while hunting in wilderness areas.

This law was created years ago by the Wyoming Legislature and has survived several legal challenges over the years, including an appeal to the Wyoming Supreme Court, where they deemed it to be a valid law. Once a law is enacted, it is the game warden's duty to enforce that law. Even though you may disagree with the law, we cannot pick and choose which laws we will and will not enforce.

Any change to the current law mandating guides in wilderness areas will require an amendment by the Wyoming State Legislature. Until that time, we must enforce the statute as it is currently written.

Thanks for taking time to express your feelings and feel free to contact our office if you have any further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,
Jay Lawson
Chief Game Warden

Bea Pepper
Management Assistant
Wyoming Game and Fish Dept.
5400 Bishop Blvd
Cheyenne, WY 82006
(307)777-4684

McKinney aka Hiker
Proverbs 3:5-6