SB 380 Reconsideration of Bill!

[Eric Albus]

T, you are right that it is kind of confusing now...to many options...the deer would most likely be a draw were it not for the abiltiy to split off the elk if a permit is not drawn( deer was a draw last year, aparently more folks figured it out)

If Montana had great quality the license would sell out, but we are suffering through a downturn in wildlife populations, wolves, G-bears, drought, EHD, and an economy that is uncertain...it all adds up to an undersell, and I do not see it changing much in the forseeable future.

 

[Eric Albus]

Perception is a funny thing. Just how many "bad bills" in your opinion did MOGA introduce? How many did MOGA support that were "bad bills"?

 

[Ben Lamb]

Perception is a funny thing. Just how many "bad bills" in your opinion did MOGA introduce? How many did MOGA support that were "bad bills"?

SB 397
HB 151
HB 404
HB 440
HB 198
SB 197

I'm sure Shoots' list is more comprehensive.

 

[Eric Albus]

You forgot 380.

 

[Eric Albus]

197 (housekeeping bill?) was not a bad bill.

 

[TBass]

The next time MOGA stands in support of a bill to increase the number of licenses, they need to be asked how many nonresidents is enough. Just like sportsmen are every time they oppose a bill that would decrease or eliminate property going into public ownership.

 

[Ben Lamb]

You forgot 380.

I just put down bad bills that were MOGA supported. Not MOGA sponsored bills.

SB 197 was a bad bill. It was poorly written and had way too many loopholes to allow for some really unethical behavior. It was also unsupported by the Hunter Ed community by and large.

 

[Eric Albus]

tbass...if we do not have some input from the sportsmen there will be much suspicion and adue about nothing...much like 197...if MOGA or an outfitter supports a bill...it must be bad...so rather fight it out in the legislature it would be much easier to meet and see if there is something teneable and palatable prior to the next session....if we can not find a reasonable solution to the woes I see coming, then it'll be what it'll be....

 

[Eric Albus]

197 was kids under 12 hunting?....that was not a bad bill either.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Right, kids under 12. Different perspective.

Agree 110% with tour post to TBass. Check your IM

 

[Eric Albus]

unethical behavior? Ben you of all people should know that we can not legislate morality....how about all the guys who shoot a buck or bull on their 12 year olds and wife's license? So we punish a 7 yr. and don't let him hunt w/ a parent?

 

[Eric Albus]

have to figure out how to check im....i can barely type ....

 

[Eric Albus]

if this site was computer illiterate friendly there would be an orange sign leading me to the i.m. box

 

[Ben Lamb]

Upper right hand corner, under the banner ad.

 

[Eric Albus]

found it, want a job as a guide this fall?

 

[Ben Lamb]

found it, want a job as a guide this fall?

I don't think I'd be able to refrain from yelling at people long enough to be of any service.

 

[shoots-straight]

Besides SB 380, there's
HB 418, Increase nr tags of 15% in some districts
SB 197 Create apprentice hunter certificate
SB 397 Establishing provisional hunting seasons for certain large predators
SB 381 - Revise qualifications, fee for nonresident relative hunting
HB 31 - Revise laws related to hunting wolves
HB 298 - Study relations between the Dept, of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and landowner
SB 260 - Revise restriction on # of nonresident large predator hunting licenses issued


Eric, is what is more telling is the bills that attacked wildlife, that MOGA could have been with us as opponents but chose not to get involved. For example, bills like

SB 341 - Establish criteria for transplantation or augmentation of wildlife
SB Provide mandatory criteria for bighorn sheep transplantation

There was many bills that had to do with habitat, or wildlife that MOGA chose not to get involved.

That's shows they don't care about the resource, but about what that resource can do for them.

 

[Eric Albus]

shoots, MOGA does not have the man-power or funding to battle every bill that comes along, you are wrong to think that we don't care though. Maybe next time around email me about some bills that could be worked on for the benefit of wildlife. I will see if I can garner support. I suggested MOGA support the game warden's salary increase( we did), and then the Gov. vetoed it.

197 was not a bad bill, 260 why would anyone care how many or by who large predators are killed?, what was wrong w/ 298?

31, out of fear of wolves being delisted? 418, 381 i can understand res. hunters not liking, 397 I did not like either...anything w/ a predator lable, large or small should be shot on sight...which is why we don't have a problem w/ "large predators" in Eastern MT....now, if everyone would just get as aggessive on coyotes



Ben, my clients are used to that....one of them told me last fall, "remember, we are old and paying you for this, you shouldn't be yelling at us"...we had a good laugh on that one.

 

[Pierre]

Pierre

Eric, many of us run a business. As such, we know that our actions and deeds speak loudly. Your leaders and directors are the face of your business. No one has kept MOGA from working with sportsmen except their own arrogance and lack of leadership. Even this session you chose to ignore a chance to work together and decided to move ahead with your "take no prisoners" agenda. After all the money MOGA spent, how did that work out for you? This business model of profit at any cost to the rest of us will not win you any friends in the sportsmen community. Constant attacks on the N.Am. Model and public trust get you just what any of us could have predicted....hate, disdain, scorn, and a total lack of respect. That doe NOT give me a warm fuzzy feeling. All your sponsored bills were bad because you worked with no one and then tried to jam them up our backside. Under 12 hunters was a bad bill because you ran right over the top of our HS instructors. They are active sportsmen and in our groups as active members. They took it as a real slap in the face. Once again, no homework done. You allied with SFW and tried to ram her thru. How did that work out for you?
Where were you on that sheep transplant bill? Never did see you folks. Your leaders told me MOGA didn't want to upset their R friends so couldn't testify.
I can guarantee a couple of things. One, we will be playing offense next session. Two, we will not hesitate to use the initiative process. Whenever MOGA says voters are uninformed on a vote because you lost, you slap Montanans in the face. We are fiercely independent and we count our votes as very important! You have absolutely no evidence to back up that claim and we resent it.
I applaud your vision of working together but your leaders have already burned bridge after bridge. Who are you going to get to step forward? Without a change in leadership and agenda, it is destined to fail. The framework must include an understanding of the N. Am. model, Public Trust, and fair chase. Are you going to put a muzzle on Mac and Paul? Would you require accuracy of your leaders? I never remember hearing an apology from Mac or MOGA for trying to remove Randy from RMEF board. Maybe some outfitters called him? That tells the rest of us something. Perceptions. Many outfitters from our neighborhood are embarrassed by MOGA and MAC.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Ben, my clients are used to that....one of them told me last fall, "remember, we are old and paying you for this, you shouldn't be yelling at us"...we had a good laugh on that one.

we'll see how this self employment goes for a while long, but maybe I'll call you next year.

As for the bills. How many of those were based on actualcscientific managment of the resource, and how many were based on perceived notions of what the sponsor of others think needs to happen, with no facts tp back them up?