Stillhunterman
Member
If RMEF is really jumping into the fray to vie for the Expo contract, that would be a great change of pace for Utah. However, though they are willing to return 100% of the Expo Convention tag application monies AND willing to move their national convention to Utah, it will be a hard row to hoe without major support from both Utah and non-resident hunters.
SFW has burrowed their way deeply into the state political system and the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources, and it will take a huge effort to unseat them.
Couple of things. The Expo contract is with the Mule Deer Foundation, with SFW as their partner: but I think most know who is really at the helm. The current 5 year contract is through 2016, so the Expo next year will be ran by MDF and SFW. The next contract is for 2017 through 2021, with a wrinkle: The Wildlife Board approved a 5 year extension possibility to the then current contract holder if all criteria is met. That means in 2021 if the extension is granted, the same org will continue for 5 more years without even considering a new bidder....hmmm...
SFW and MDF use the Expo to pimp out many of their hundreds of conservation tags, though they are not officially 'part' of the Expo. The only tags that are part of the contract are the Convention tags. When the Expo was being developed, the Wildlife Board committed UP TO 200 tags to get the Expo going and hopefully prove successful. The contract doesn't say it MUST provide 200 tags, just UP TO that number. They (Wildlife Board) can reduce that number any time they choose to, but to date, have not, even when wildlife numbers were in the tank. That speaks volumes.
All monies collected for those 200 Expo tags was done without over sight, and none of it was ever earmarked for wildlife. The funds were commingled with general organization funds and impossible to audit individually, though no audit was ever done for that purpose. The United Wildlife Cooperative fought at the Wildlife Board meeting, and subsequent private meetings between SFW, MDF and the UDWR to have a large portion of those convention tag monies dedicated to wildlife conservation but was blindsided by the then director of the UDWR and the Wildlife Board during the meeting. As one of the founding board members of the UWC, I was pissed beyond belief at the actions by those involved that day, and the way our President was treated. It was both a sham and a shame. Ultimately, MDF and SFW agreed to a 30 percent amount to go to the wildlife.
Those convention tags earn just short of/or over a million dollars most years, a huge incentive to say the least. I certainly hope RMEF comes out officially soon, announcing their intentions. I'll be the first in line to back them!
SFW has burrowed their way deeply into the state political system and the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources, and it will take a huge effort to unseat them.
Couple of things. The Expo contract is with the Mule Deer Foundation, with SFW as their partner: but I think most know who is really at the helm. The current 5 year contract is through 2016, so the Expo next year will be ran by MDF and SFW. The next contract is for 2017 through 2021, with a wrinkle: The Wildlife Board approved a 5 year extension possibility to the then current contract holder if all criteria is met. That means in 2021 if the extension is granted, the same org will continue for 5 more years without even considering a new bidder....hmmm...
SFW and MDF use the Expo to pimp out many of their hundreds of conservation tags, though they are not officially 'part' of the Expo. The only tags that are part of the contract are the Convention tags. When the Expo was being developed, the Wildlife Board committed UP TO 200 tags to get the Expo going and hopefully prove successful. The contract doesn't say it MUST provide 200 tags, just UP TO that number. They (Wildlife Board) can reduce that number any time they choose to, but to date, have not, even when wildlife numbers were in the tank. That speaks volumes.
All monies collected for those 200 Expo tags was done without over sight, and none of it was ever earmarked for wildlife. The funds were commingled with general organization funds and impossible to audit individually, though no audit was ever done for that purpose. The United Wildlife Cooperative fought at the Wildlife Board meeting, and subsequent private meetings between SFW, MDF and the UDWR to have a large portion of those convention tag monies dedicated to wildlife conservation but was blindsided by the then director of the UDWR and the Wildlife Board during the meeting. As one of the founding board members of the UWC, I was pissed beyond belief at the actions by those involved that day, and the way our President was treated. It was both a sham and a shame. Ultimately, MDF and SFW agreed to a 30 percent amount to go to the wildlife.
Those convention tags earn just short of/or over a million dollars most years, a huge incentive to say the least. I certainly hope RMEF comes out officially soon, announcing their intentions. I'll be the first in line to back them!
