Real world results? Sure that was mostly positive stuff, I maintain I simply haven’t seen any benefits. I’ll ask you Gerald has your hunting improved since this movement started? More wildlife in the field, more access to land, better quality of hunt? Damage done has been far greater than any improvement I have seen.
I think one thing you need to keep in mind, is you're not considering how much WORSE it could be if not for the involvement of people like Randy.
As Ben pointed out, there was a bunch of crap legislation that could have likely passed without the public engaging on issues.
If you don't believe that what Randy is promoting isn't helping to move the needle you're wrong. I can say with 100% certainty that I wouldn't be nearly as involved with issues in the West without much of the information that is shared on this board. It's also helped immensely for me to get the word out on bad things that go on in Wyoming. Things like the Bonander land exchange, drone/aircraft regulations, corner crossing, saving a few HMA's, and a bunch of other work we get done in Wyoming. Just recently, 2,600 comments, a majority against for outfitter set asides in Wyoming...a good many of those comments from this board.
What's funny, is that lots of people whining the loudest, they weren't actively involved 20-30-40 years ago, they were too busy taking advantage of the good old days to be bothered helping anything to do with wildlife. But, guess who was there, in the trenches? Guess who still is?
Yeah, the guy you're raking over the coals. Make no mistake hunter complacency over the past 2-3 decades has as much, if not more to do with the place we find ourselves than any hunting personality. While you were busy enjoying the good old days, there were groups like MOGA, WOGA, etc. that were/are systematically dismantling the NAM.
Another thing that I appreciate about Randy is that if a person shows ANY kind of initiative to get involved, he makes himself pretty damn accessible. I talk to him all the time about issues in MT and WY. He also offers advice, lends a hand when needed, and makes his platforms available for the betterment of wildlife and public lands. He has a ton of useful contacts that he can either get in touch with, or put you in touch with to assist in the complicated issues hunting, fishing, trapping, and public lands involves.
Its seems very unfair to complain that Randy has only hurt your hunting, I would contend without his platforms, help, and involvement things would be much much worse for you and everyone else.
I do agree that I wish there were more people willing to step up and do more, but as much as I would like to FORCE people to become active participants in hunting, wildlife, habitat, and the associated politics of it, that just isn't realistic. Since I started hunting in 1979, that hasn't changed...everyone likes to complain, very few step up to the plate to invoke change or even to keep what they have. I would also like to see more advocacy and less takers of the resource, but again, that's not new or unique to the hunting world. Every club, group, organization or group of people it never changes, 5% of the people do 95% of the work. Hunting world is no different...its the minority that are willing to stick their necks out to put the work in to keep what we have or improve it.
May want to consider what you haven't done for hunters, before you start critiquing what others have done to help.
