Sportsman for Federal Land Transfers

[MiStickSlinger]

I just got an email from the Colorado Bowhunters Association on a recent survey, it showed 96 percent of the members opposed a federal land transfer. I would be curious to see how the guys here in Michigan would answer the same question, I would be willing to bet that it would be majority for it

 

[airlocksniffer]

On Rokslide if you post a discussion on the weight of the First Lite Puffy vs the Kuiu Puffy you'll generate far more discussion than Federal land transfer/sale will.

Yep and those sweet puffys won't mean jack chit to most guys if we have no public land to hunt.

Not talking smack about Rokslide, it just has a different focus (gear) than Hunt Talk.

 

[Trial153]

I just got an email from the Colorado Bowhunters Association on a recent survey, it showed 96 percent of the members opposed a federal land transfer. I would be curious to see how the guys here in Michigan would answer the same question, I would be willing to bet that it would be majority for it

I am not really sure if its that hinged on location, hence the reason I asked if anyone notices trends or common denominators in sportsmen who are ok with transfers.

Honestly I think political persuasion might be a better indicator. They see the party they typically agree with getting behind an idea so they support it. If the inverse was true and the other party was making the exact same proposition they would appose it.

May this is a good referendum on where we are at as a country. Party and the apprentice of being right is more important then solutions for problems and finding commonality that works across the spectrum,

 

[u1299]

This may sound a bit silly, but each and every time I go hunting and or fishing on public lands which is where I do 99% of my recreating, I personally thank folks like Teddy Roosevelt for that opportunity. Maybe just a short thought to myself saying thanks TR before heading out. I'm convinced without his efforts and vision none of what we have today would be possible. Regrettably though, given the political mindset that I see from even the most dedicated members of the hunting community, I'm not real sure TR could win an election and garner the full support of the hunting community today. That's sad to me and speaks volumes about how off track we have gotten. I hear a lot of lip service praising TR and other visionaries but not sure a lot of those folks are putting their money and efforts toward preserving what those Conservationists handed down to us. I think each of us in the hunting community need to hit the reset button and reflect a bit more on what's really important. That's just my opinion and I understand it sounds pretty sappy.

Right now no issue is more important to me that keeping and preserving our public lands, it's the most important issue by a mile, nothing else is even close.

 

[sagebrush]

I think the whole topic is much ado about nothing. Nice for internet arguments but little else. Our congress cannot even align support behind needful legislation much less a topic as controversial as turning the way public lands are managed on its head. Keep an eye on it, sure. Better to lose sleep over earth being struck by a comet, which is much more likely.

 

[shootbrownelk]

All three Wyoming representatives, 0ne Congress woman and both our Senators are 100% in favor of the transfer. With a Republican president seated this coming election, it sounds like it will be on the table. I think it's a serious situation, I hunt 100% on Federal land, BLM & NF.

 

[Big Fin]

I think the whole topic is much ado about nothing. Nice for internet arguments but little else. Our congress cannot even align support behind needful legislation much less a topic as controversial as turning the way public lands are managed on its head. Keep an eye on it, sure. Better to lose sleep over earth being struck by a comet, which is much more likely.

I hope you are right. I thought that to be the case, until going to DC and seeing the forces and money behind the effort. I have a hard time seeing that much money and lobbying effort being invested in "much ado about nothing."

I do find it a bit ironic that a boogey man can be made of just about any sentence of comment when it comes to guns, mostly from one group - urban politicians. Yet, when legislation is introduced, organizations are formed, and attorneys are hired for states to sue the Federal government, mostly by rural politicians, it is considered "much ado about nothing."

Again, I hope you're right. But, 25 years of doing this tell me that is not the case. And given my connection to these landscapes, I'm not about to discount such an obvious threat to something that is one of my life's higher priorities.

 

[jryoung]

I think the whole topic is much ado about nothing. Nice for internet arguments but little else. Our congress cannot even align support behind needful legislation much less a topic as controversial as turning the way public lands are managed on its head. Keep an eye on it, sure. Better to lose sleep over earth being struck by a comet, which is much more likely.

320M in the US and closing in on 8B globally. The demand on the resource will not cease.

 

[shoots-straight]

I think the whole topic is much ado about nothing. Nice for internet arguments but little else. Our congress cannot even align support behind needful legislation much less a topic as controversial as turning the way public lands are managed on its head. Keep an eye on it, sure. Better to lose sleep over earth being struck by a comet, which is much more likely.

So why respond? When there's a topic that I feel is "much ado about nothing" I don't respond.

I'm thinking this subject means more to you than nothing.

Carry on.

 

[Southwind]

The most effective manner in finding support is to not let it be directed as a partisan political discussion. That immediately causes a large share of people to tune out the message. Just the way it is when a discussion is couched as a us v. them, right v. left. And it plays in the false dilemma that is has to be one way or the other..

AMEN AMEN AMEN!!! Probably what frustrates me the most about the conversation.

When you are trying to convince or recruit allies for the cause you eliminate a large majority of potential supporters by making it a political discussion.

Bluntly we will lose the war if we chase off potential supporters by making it political!

I won't name any names but you know who you are.

 

[bowguy]

New to the forum as well but very familiar with “On Your Own Adventures” and “Fresh Tracks.” I know I am with like-minded folks here when it comes to Public Lands, which attracted me to this forum. I am glad I am not alone out here worrying about the future of our National Heritage. I am from Utah, and we do have the “crapper politicians,” which sickens me. Ken Ivory and Rob Bishop are very familiar with me and my emails.
Utah seems to be the center of the “land transfer” concept. I met with the NRA last week at the Western Expo held here and challenged them stop supporting the “Rs” that support the transfer. My belief is when the access is lost, sportsmen will fall in the apathy stage and that will be the tipping point for the far left to continue with gun control. Thanks Randy for being the voice of so many that need one.

 

[airlocksniffer]

I met with the NRA last week at the Western Expo held here and challenged them stop supporting the “Rs” that support the transfer.

Did you get a response from the NRA? BTW, welcome to Hunt Talk.

 

[Southwind]

. I met with the NRA last week at the Western Expo held here and challenged them stop supporting the “Rs” that support the transfer. My belief is when the access is lost, sportsmen will fall in the apathy stage and that will be the tipping point for the far left to continue with gun control. Thanks Randy for being the voice of so many that need one.

Welcome, my tact would be not to stop supporting the "R's" but rather to challenge them to put their substantial support and influence behind opposing the transfer or sale of federal lands to all regardless of political affiliation.

 

[Trial153]

The NRA is a sore point for me. I firmly believe that hunters make a huge block in the organization. I been a member for the 25 plus years and life member for about 15 years, incidentally I became a life member about the same time stopped rifle hunting and started only bowhunting. I felt then and now that supporting the NRA Equated to supporting hunting also. When my son was born 5 years I purchased him a lifetime membership, same with my daughter 2 years ago.
If the NRA doesn't stand with hunters on this issue I will have my name take off their membership roles. The first step to limiting ownership is taking away legitimate uses for arms. Hunters have stood firmly with the NRA in so many fights it's time they stand with us, I can careless it it pisses off their pet political hacks.

 

[Southwind]

The NRA is a sore point for me. I firmly believe that hunters make a huge block in the organization. I been a member for the 25 plus years and life member for about 15 years, incidentally I became a life member about the same time stopped rifle hunting and started only bowhunting. I felt then and now that supporting the NRA Equated to supporting hunting also. When my son was born 5 years I purchased him a lifetime membership, same with my daughter 2 years ago.
If the NRA doesn't stand with hunters on this issue I will have my name take off their membership roles. The first step to limiting ownership is taking away legitimate uses for arms. Hunters have stood firmly with the NRA in so many fights it's time they stand with us, I can careless it it pisses off their pet political hacks.

I understand and agree with you. I shot competitively for a lot of years and the NRA has been the backbone and life blood of a lot of these shooting disciplines. There are a whole lot of ranges and clubs that would not be in existence if not for the NRA.

And on the other hand I have always been a hunter first and like you I believe that a substantial number of the NRA's rank and file are hunters. So, it is incumbent on the members to let their feelings known to the NRA.

Wouldn't it be grand to have a petition started by hunting NRA members showing their opposition to the sale and transfer of Federal lands and requesting the NRA to support them in that opposition?

 

[Elkmagnet]

I am not really sure if its that hinged on location, hence the reason I asked if anyone notices trends or common denominators in sportsmen who are ok with transfers.
,

As a resident of an ag based small town in Idaho I find it mind boggling how hard nosed yet uninformed most people are on this subject.
Also as a member of a bass boat forum that is dominated by people from the south and east I realize how ignorant I was to the level of hatred for the federal government and anything and everything it does. Most of the people who post have absolutely no knowledge of public lands or ranching but every one of them is 100% positive the government took all of this land from the ranchers. I was actually involved in a discussion where I had to prove to a guy that every acre in Oregon had not been homesteaded and the federal government had not seized all public lands from private citizens of Oregon to make the land public. I had a good friend and avid hunter call me irate about the refuge and all those acres of land locked away from hunters and ranchers. He was completely ignorant to the fact that the duck stamp he buys every year funds it and that had he wanted to he could go hunt it for a variety of species. It almost made me reconsider our friendship as I was explaining it to him.

 

[Trial153]

As a resident of an ag based small town in Idaho I find it mind boggling how hard nosed yet uninformed most people are on this subject.
Also as a member of a bass boat forum that is dominated by people from the south and east I realize how ignorant I was to the level of hatred for the federal government and anything and everything it does. Most of the people who post have absolutely no knowledge of public lands or ranching but every one of them is 100% positive the government took all of this land from the ranchers. I was actually involved in a discussion where I had to prove to a guy that every acre in Oregon had not been homesteaded and the federal government had not seized all public lands from private citizens of Oregon to make the land public. I had a good friend and avid hunter call me irate about the refuge and all those acres of land locked away from hunters and ranchers. He was completely ignorant to the fact that the duck stamp he buys every year funds it and that had he wanted to he could go hunt it for a variety of species. It almost made me reconsider our friendship as I was explaining it to him.

I agree ignorance with out a doubt plays a part in it. I also and seeing what most likely amounts to a caluated lobby that seen an opportunity to play on the current anti Fed sediment we experiencing. The money that is behind this movement will have no problem funding pawns to bring this front and center. Ignorannce plays a big role in that