Attention!

[azhunter42]

I sent my emails,left message on governers office line,left message on governers FB,left message on AZSFW FB also.

 

[ringer]

Typical AZSFW post where there is one person who will make bank on the tags in support and 99% against it. I heard the legislators have put the word out that HB2072 is TOXIC. That means they are all getting hundreds of emails and calls telling them that they can pack their bags if this gets passed. Keep the heat on and any other organization that does not pull support from AZSFW can pack their bags as well.

 

[AZ402]

Here is a link to an AZGFD comissioner who is gathering emails to keep people posted on HB2072.

http://www.azgfc.com/contact_info.htm

 

[sagebrush]

SFW is like the worst form of cancer. Every time I think we are winning, they come up with a new strategy. These people have the smell of money in their nose and just will not give up. We are doing all we can, but I feel like an elk in belly deep snow with a pack of wolves nipping at my hamstrings.

 

[dszymo]

Wow, the height of arrogance. As condescending as one can get, but we have come to expect as much from SFW leaders.

So, let me get this straight. They are offering this proposal to AZ hunters.

We plan to steal a few million dollars from the citizens of Arizona via these tags. To make it look legit, we will give 30% of the net proceeds (after all our consulting fees, admin charges, etc.) back to the people we stole it from.

Please tell me this isn't going to pass. If this passes, especially as much as the self-serving features have been brought to open daylight by AZ hunters, something is very messed up.

And some wonder why the rest of the world wants to see SFW swept off the western landscape. Whether this passes or not, no more evidence is needed to show why we will all be better off when the SFW ship sinks.

to help augment their hunter recruitment program how about they don't steal tags! there aren't going to be new hunters if there are no tags.

 

[Craig S.]

That response from Hamberlin seems like he has a gun pointed at all of us that oppose the structure & development of this bill. I don't know him or probably ever will, but you can definitely see he is coming from a completely different view point. Pretty obvious he feels his position is superior from the rest of us.


Focker out.

 

[emrah1028]

Ok, I may be of very feeble mind here, but can someone explain to me - in layman's terms - what's going on and what we're talking about? I've read the posts and the links and I am absolutely clueless. Too many acronyms. What will this bill do? Why is it bad?

Lost.

Emrah

 

[BuzzH]

The bill would take 350 of AZ's top trophy tags and give them exclusively to AZSFW. Their plan is to auction the best 50 to the highest bidder and raffle the remaining 300 in an Arizona Expo very similar to the Salt Lake City Expo.

Its bad for all kinds of reasons.

1. It flies in the face of the North Amerian Model of Wildlife Conservation, where ALL citizens are afforded equal access to the publics wildlife.

2. It greatly devalues preference points that many hunters have built for decades, as they would take the 350 tags from the pool of tags that the average guy applies for every year. It could set some people back decades in drawing some tags. Look at Utah for a classic example.

3. In the original bill, very little, if any of the money would go back to the G&F. AZSFW would be the lone recipient of a vast majority of it.

4. It creates a system where the wealthy can cut in line and hunt quality areas every year, while others wait in line for their tags. Its not fair, and its not right.

Thats the quick and dirty on it...theres much more, but I dont feel like writing a novel.

 

[emrah1028]

Ah. Got it. Thanks. I'm guessing these are elk tags that we're talking about.

I've never heard of a private organization getting their own allotment of tags before. It's kind of like a major corporation buying up entire sections of seats at a football stadium, then auctioning them off. Weird.

Thanks for the explanation,

Emrah

 

[spook12]

Emrah, not all elk tags. SFW has been doing this in Utah for awhile. Your comparison to tickets is off just a little. These tags belong to the people of the state, to be allotted by the dept of wildlife with the funds used on wildlife management .Buzz made a very important point ,the wildlife belongs to the PEOPLE. not just the select few.

 

[BuzzH]

emrah,

Deer, pronghorn, desert sheep tags as well...not just elk tags.

 

[Battleborn]

Below is a link to a guest commentary / post by Mr. Robert Woodhouse (former AZGF Commission Chair) on Mr. Norm Freeman’s personal website (current AZGF Commission Chair). It is a good read that gives a simple and well-rounded explanation of how the tag hustle works.

http://www.azgfc.org/guest1.htm

 

[Big Fin]

Every wildlife commissioner in the country should go read what Mr. Woodhouse posted there. Excellent. I hope he stays involved in wildlife politics.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Excellent read and I hope somebody from AZ sends it to every Legislator and to Gov. Brewer!

 

[Devil Diver Down]

Perfectly summarized from the Woodhouse commentary:

'So- the proponents have come back again … they want a “stakeholder” meeting. Really?! Everybody in Arizona is a stakeholder, but they have not invited everybody. You can be assured that the current Chair of the Commission will not be invited. He is a volunteer who has been an advocate for the common guy. No matter how they spin it, this idea is NOT for the common guy.

Proponents want to “compromise.” The only compromise is: if you want a new expo, pay for one yourself. Put your own assets at risk. If you want a bigger banquet, pay for one yourself. If you want your club’s costs and administrative fees paid, pay for them yourself. And if you want your lobbyist paid- PAY YOURSELF! There- we don’t need a bill for that.'

 

[Battleborn]

I personally think this paragraph from the Woodhouse commentary says all you need to know about the organization in AZ behind this legislation, especially the last sentence.

No, actually, I have a conscience. I find this dirty back-room deal disgusting. I believe in fair play, fair chase and fair opportunity. As a commissioner I tried the route of ethics, diplomacy and compromise. I have since showered. You cannot be diplomatic with those who themselves have no ethics or diplomacy. You cannot compromise with those who have no intention whatsoever of holding up their end of the bargain. You cannot make a fair deal with people who do not care about fairness. You cannot work with someone to resolve a problem when that person makes money by creating problems!

 

[emrah1028]

That is an excellent read. Isnt' it amazing that those "in charge" and those who benefit from crap like this (and other similar bits of legislation) manage to fall back on the argument that it will be "financially beneficial". Gee, and all this time I thought hunting and wildlife management was supposed to be about..... hunting and and wildlife management! Not fundraising.

Now, I do understand that money IS needed to management purposes, but it's pretty clear that they are seeing $$$$$$$$$ dollar signs and is the primary driving force and wildlife management and hunting (the TRUE purpose of hunting) secondary.

I particlularly love the part about wanting to hold a "stakeholder meeting". How very corporate of them.

Emrah

 

[RJH]

I really do not do stupid and dumb very well and this Bill is way past that - if any of you guys and gals here in AZ want to get together and make a house call on some of our representatives drop me PM and lets put something together soon.

R

 

[MNHunter]

I think I am going to stroke out as high as my blood pressure is getting reading about the SFW shenanigans going on. First UT, then AZ and AK, then...??? It won't end.

Sportsmen Against SFW

 

[trevore]

You know that old saying about it getting worse before it gets better. I think they're going to really fight right now, but if everyone who opposes this crap keeps at it they will start to fade away.