BuzzH
Well-known member
OK, going to clear this thing up once and for all.
The average sportsmen in this country, both R and NR are hosed. Read that twice...its that important.
Secondly, that hosing is going to continue, until even the dimmest of bulbs realize they're being hosed. As Oak has said countless times, hunter apathy is THE biggest problem we face. (read that twice for good measure as well).
Even though we continually get kicked under the bus, very, very, very few people stand up to do a single thing about any of it....unless.
Unless its an issue thats personal to them, then the chit hits the fan. Talk about taking away a .5% chance at a tag, and many (yes YOU floppy), will support the devil, sell their kids future out, and even support a group that has routinely and systematically created a system to break it off in the a$$ of the average guy, every time, with a proven track record of same, without exception...
So, lets "unite" hunters, or more precisely, the handful that are willing to take time to do more than buy a tag.
That all sounds good. Lets maybe even start an alliance of groups to help joesixpack.
Great, we're on to something.
Well, the chit part is, the GF budget is the #1 priority for many of the groups here in Wyoming. To the point, that no %^%$ing matter, how much "good" the bill will do for joe sixpack, they wont support it if it costs the GF budget a penny.
Case in point with HB104, a bill that creates a system to postpone a deer, elk, or pronghorn tag to the following season if the hunter that draws the tag breaks his legs, has to have open heart surgery, any medical reason. Makes sense, good bill, that would allow a hunter (either R or NR), that drew say a 128 mule deer tag and broke his leg before the season to hunt the following year.
Ten hours before the bill is to be heard, 2 sportsmens groups in Wyoming are going to kill it because the fiscal note on the bill is $157,000 loss to the Department. I start sending emails (have them here) saying, "hey, this bill makes sense lets see what we can do for joesixpack". Email back, "I disagree, it will reduce the GF budget by 157K".
So, I sleep like chit all night trying to figure out how to get this passed, as it makes sense. About 2 in the morning, it all clicks. I jump in my truck at O dark Thirty and head to Cheyenne to testify. I testify and ask for an amendment to the bill stating that if the applicant gets a medical postponement, they have to forfeit their license fee for the tag.
The bill still has a long way to go, but it had no chance without the amendment, because sportsmens groups here wont support bills that chip away at the GF budget. A couple sportsmens groups were within hours of killing a bill that helps joe sixpack in committee, all over some $$$. Never bothered to look for a solution either.
Further, since I helped them out on this one, to save the Department 160K, how about WE lift this 90/10 bill and help bring parity to the joesixpack Resident hunters of Wyoming. The best I got was, "we'll not take a position". Yeah, right up until testimony time, then its, "we don't have a position, but we're concerned about the funding"...yeah, no position.
That all leads to the 60/40 split. Beings how joesixpack is going to get very little in the way of help from the Sportsmens groups in Wyoming until we bring back all the programs and funding that were "cut" from the GF, don't be expecting much resistance by them to stop anything that increases GF revenue. Conversely don't be expecting much support for joesixpack if a bill costs the Department a single red cent, no matter how much sense or good the bill would otherwise do joesixpack.
So, after much thought, here is what I've come up with.
1. I cant fight, against other Sportsmens groups that are only concerned with funding the GF. I also cant get any support from them to help joesixpack, unless I (that would be ME) come up with a way to make every bill revenue neutral (never mind if it may help joesixpack).
2. Bottom line is, there is not going to be a unified sportsmens voice in Cheyenne for joesixpack until the GF funding is fixed. Its that frickin' simple. Without a unified voice, you don't stop WYOGA and the legislation they bring.
Complicating the whole issue is that stupid SOB"s like flopgun and Kyle Meintzer supported and/or funded the beast that is WYOGA, all over 78 tags. WYOGA then turns around and brings this 60/40 chit and I'm now supposed to "save the day" and "look out for the average guy" and "stop hunting from becoming a rich mans sport".
So you tell me, do I oppose a bill (hb149), that raises nearly a half million for the budget, which is likely not going to be met with much resistance? Or, do I support the bill, to get the funding shackles off me so I can then roll up my sleeves and go to work for joesixpack?
Shouldn't have had to explain this, its been going on for a long, long time. Hunter apathy is what has gotten us into this mess and continues to get worse.
I'm hoping there is a level somewhere in the drain we're (average R and NR hunters) circling that people wake up and start doing the right thing, before we get the checkered flag on our race to the bottom.
Theres a double scoop of reality.
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