For those that think this was a “win” stop and realize this
All that was being done was an effort to find a compromise with the NDGF to allow hunting over bait even with restricted amounts
Hunting over bait does not cause transmission
Feeding/baiting deer still continues for a number of purposes including some being done by the NDGF as well as sportsmen and housewives
Dr Charlie Bronson asked at a cwd meeting if our group would be open to limiting the amount of bait
All through this testimonies we repeatedly heard from the GF this bill would take away a “ tool from THEIR tool box” to manage cwd
Those supporting this bill (75%) have a tool box as well …. We tried to use the tool of compromise with the GF for several years and that tool was useless
So we tried the tool our state constitution specifically spells out we can of approaching this “by law” through the legislature and that tool was taken away by Brock and company of national orgs dictating policy without any means for ND members to vote on that policy
So now because of those efforts of these national orgs and their in state representatives landowner sportsmen, farmers and rancher may be down to the last tool in our tool box and that is a pretty blunt big hammer
There is already talk by many people not directly involved with this bill that the hunting access they allowed even with their lands posted is done
ND is 93% private lands all 3 major ag orgs supported this ( FU and FB being on the same side is rare) and all 3 of those orgs members or their representatives voted on and supported this bill representing over 40,000 members landowner sportsmen farmers and ranchers … how many acres are in that memberships control?
People on sites like this do not understand the frustration that exists in the country with these govt agencies and the NGOs that push their agendas through these agencies …it is real and beyond just this baiting issue
So heres what will likely happen
Access that has been granted ( in our area lands that have had 20 plus once in a life time moose tags filled in the last 6 years with the land owners loading them with their tractors helping locate animals and calling hunters, along with deer archery and bird hunting are now closed) … will change
With farms being several thousand acres now it can add up fast a couple large farms that have never been posted now will be … electronic posting allows that to be done relatively easily
It remains to be seen how many acres will be closed but the hunting landscape WILL change even more there is no doubt
You can make accusations, call farmers greedy, make your own threats of retaliation through legislative bills ect…. and that will just reaffirm this response
So what will happen….bow hunters that see their access closed on private lands will turn to the 7% of lands that are public in ND that Brock and company brag about “ethical” hunting on
There is already complaints about how crowded these lands are gettingand that the “resource” is being pressured to hard …. There is talk of going to a draw archery tag that is likely to happen…. When access to private lands becomes harder people will apply to hunt public lands and there will be a 2 then 3 then 4 year wait building points to draw an archery tag
Maybe guys that can afford to travel to other states to hunt won’t be impacted … but alot of everyday sportsmen will be
Or… people will just quit bow hunting … then how does that next generation get introduced???
So those of you that think this is a “win” …. Remember this post 5-10 years from now when the threads bitching about archery draw tags and 4?year waits start showing up on these sites and people are saying they hung up their bow and are fishing more
Yep access was already getting tough but it was allowed … this “win” will make it even harder … so who really won here ?
