A conservationists take on the SHOT show

[Ben Lamb]

http://www.mtbullypulpit.org/2012/01/parting-shot.html

Some good stuff from Land Tawney on the SHOT show and future needs of conservation. Thought you guys would enjoy it.

 

[trevore]

I've been misinformed for a couple of years, according to that. I was under the impression all outdoor goods were taxed up PRA. That could bring a ton of money in!

 

[Ben Lamb]

There's a number of items that have fallen through the cracks in terms of being taxed under P-R/D-J/W-B

It's unfortunate, but things like trail cams, tree stands, etc weren't invented or in heavy use when these laws were passed.

 

[Rat Fink]

The downside is once you have "skin in the game" you become more viable in the decision making. I for one do NOT want kayakers having more say in deciding if I can duck hunt a small navigable river. Or wolf watchers with their binoculars getting a say in if I can hunt wolves. When they start paying the Pittman Robertson taxes they will have more say.

I do support expanding Pittman Robertson in some ways but as hunters we could be asking for trouble by getting some other groups involved.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Dustin,

Most state game agencies are tasked with managing all wildlife, including non-game species. To date, hunters and anglers have been the only ones putting up. Those same agencies are already working with other user groups in terms of river recreation management, etc, but those groups pay nothing, or very little for the management of the resource.

We're going to have to get pretty creative in funding sources over the next few years. License fee increases won't cover the expenses unless we ramp those increases up by 40-50% every 5 years. That's not a position that many folks would support. However, utilizing the taxes on other outdoor equipment, in conjunction with alternative funding sources at the State level will get us to where license prices remain relatively low, and others help us fund wildlife management. We can bifurcate budgets, etc, to make sure that license dollars go to manage game species, to be sure. You can have both.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

+1 on that Ben!!!