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WYOGA Commissioner License - Why?

Bullshot

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Aren't they an association of for-profit businesses? I though only non-profits that benefit the community at large or conservation organizations were the folks that got these?
 
The one shot is set aside differently from the commissioner licenses. It's Wyoming's venerable (cough cough bs) version of Utah's Expo licenses.

There are all kinds of organizations with questionable benefit to society that get commissioner licenses to sell. Many have no wildlife association at all.
 
Pretty sure they can gift them to any group they want. Many benefit local groups or organizations in the commissioner's home area.
 
I was looking for list of the allocated licenses for the calendar year, anyone know where they are listed ?
 
I found a record from a court case that says WYOGA is a non profit. I'm not sure whether they're a "non profit charitable organization" or not though.
 
Can anybody say with certainty that WYOGA (or any of the other orgs, now or in the past) have always met this standard? It would seem they are member-serving and not community-serving. I don’t know the law on that but it stinks to me, as they advocate for legislation that benefits themselves, does a portion of their work/revenue get shared outside if their own circle? Some “charity” if it doesnt.

“As a condition to issuance of a Commissioner Complimentary license, the Department shall require an authorized officer of the recipient organization to certify under penalty of law that the respective organization is a non-profit, charitable organization as defined in this regulation and eligible to receive the Commissioner Complimentary license authorization.”
 
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Can anybody say with certainty that WYOGA (or any of the other orgs, now or in the past) have always met this standard?

“As a condition to issuance of a Commissioner Complimentary license, the Department shall require an authorized officer of the recipient organization to certify under penalty of law that the respective organization is a non-profit, charitable organization as defined in this regulation and eligible to receive the Commissioner Complimentary license authorization.”

I don't think no one can outside the Game Commissioner's office or maybe the State Auditor. I haven't seen anything that would do that and I work in the state records center.
 
Here's the statute:

Title 23:

(g) In addition to complimentary licenses under subsection (a) of this section, each appointed commissioner may cause to be issued at cost not more than a total of eight (8) elk, deer or antelope designated licenses per year. All licenses issued under this subsection shall be designated to nonprofit charitable organizations. As a condition of accepting the license, the organization shall agree to auction or otherwise bid the license to the highest bidder or to raffle the license to members of the public.

Further defined in regulation, chapter 44:

(ll) “Nonprofit Charitable Organization” means an organization which engages in activities providing the general public with benefits designed to aid in educational, moral, physical, conservation, or social improvement and which is not established for profit.

The issuance of these tags to county predator boards is leaving me with some questions...
 
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Can anybody say with certainty that WYOGA (or any of the other orgs, now or in the past) have always met this standard? It would seem they are member-serving and not community-serving. I don’t know the law on that but it stinks to me, as they advocate for legislation that benefits themselves, does a portion of their work/revenue get shared outside if their own circle? Some “charity” if it doesnt.

“As a condition to issuance of a Commissioner Complimentary license, the Department shall require an authorized officer of the recipient organization to certify under penalty of law that the respective organization is a non-profit, charitable organization as defined in this regulation and eligible to receive the Commissioner Complimentary license authorization.”

Those are fair questions...
 
I don’t know the law on that but it stinks to me, as they advocate for legislation that benefits themselves...

That certainly seems to be their primary function. I think them getting a commissioner's tag is questionable, not only on the basis of their mission but also in regards to how it reflects on their relationship with the commission.
 
I can’t claim to be local or too deeply informed on the Wyoming traditions here, but would love to hear if any better informed rabble rousers make some calls and what those answers are.

On a side note, with all the oppotunity for corruption and antagonistic practices inherent in these licence skim schemes, I would really prefer if states would get back to managing licences and hunters in the traditional manner and abandon most if these auctions/raffles/giveaways unless they are 1)minimized as a statistical component of overall licences, and 2) result only in direct benefit to game management, childhood illness or wounded veterans.
 
I can’t claim to be local or too deeply informed on the Wyoming traditions here, but would love to hear if any better informed rabble rousers make some calls and what those answers are.

On a side note, with all the oppotunity for corruption and antagonistic practices inherent in these licence skim schemes, I would really prefer if states would get back to managing licences and hunters in the traditional manner and abandon most if these auctions/raffles/giveaways unless they are 1)minimized as a statistical component of overall licences, and 2) result only in direct benefit to game management, childhood illness or wounded veterans.

Its funny how these issues come up...I received an email about 10 days ago from a confidential source about the commission tags, a reliable source. Essentially asking the same questions you are here.

So, at a recent round table meeting, I asked some questions and set up a meeting here in a couple weeks with the GF Deputy Director to talk about this very issue. I think this is one of those issues that has to be handled sort of delicately, for the reason you mention, Wyoming traditions die hard.

There are other issues with the commission and governors tags that also are starting to interfere with over-all opportunity and even biology related decision making. I wont go into too many details on that, but those tags are influencing quota's, seasons, and opportunity for all of us.

Oh, we're going to talk about it...be sure of that.
 
I wish it was a raffle instead of auction, so I could get one $10 raffle ticket and go hunt DIY on the tag gifted to WYOGA
 

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