ORIGINAL: Elkcrazy8
I give MY time and effort to the state and its animals. I have worked check stations, done radio collaring projects with the biologists, fed the hungry elk and deer on the burned out winter ranges, packed endless bags of garbage out of the hills, Used MY resources to get alot of this done. I was born way out of state and this is where I chose to live as others can do the same if they want. I left home with a duffle bag 2400 miles from here and understood that the mountains were to be home for me. Why should I not get a break on the lisc. fees. My question is why should someone who does not do any of that get the same breaks as me?
So are you saying that wildlife service should be mandatory of all resident hunters? Or that residents that do wildlife service should be given preference?
How about me?
I built guzzlers for sheep in two states.
I built guzzlers for other wildlife in another state.
Should I get preference in those states because I took the time off of work and my busy schedule to help wildlife in those states?
Frankly, I did it because I love the wildlife and want future generations to have plenty of game to hunt... Don't get me wrong, I wrote off the mileage and other expenses because it is considered a charitable donation but I never had any ulterior motives like improved chances for the draw.
I completed my hunter's safety course 25 years ago.
Do you know that I have flown to Phoenix just to take a hunter's safety course to get the extra bonus point that you receive from completing an Arizona Hunter Safety Course?
I have friends don't need a hunter safety course because of their age or have taken it years ago in a different state like me that have done the very same thing?
If you hunt in the west, you have to do everything that you can to hunt somewhere as a non resident...
And I'll have applications submitted in Idaho (sheep, mule deer & elk), Nevada (mule deer, antelope & sheep), Arizona (mule deer, sheep, elk & antelope), Utah (mule deer), Wyoming (mule deer), New Mexico (oryx & elk), Montana (mule deer), Colorado (mule deer & sheep) and Oregon (blacktail, antelope & sheep). Out of all those applications... I MIGHT DRAW ONE TAG! And that will probably be my Montana Mule Deer LandOwner sponsored tag.
SA
PS. Btw, your state doesn't own the water, grazing or mineral rights on federal property (forest, park, blm or military facility), why do they believe they own the wildlife resource? If your state believes that they own the wildlife, they should pay grazing rights for the wildlife on federal lands. Why should more of my hard earned tax dollars goto subsidize the free grazing of wildlife, that your state claims that they own, on federal property? Also since your state is conducting a commerical enterprise, selling the right to hunt wildlife on federal lands, don't you think that they should give the feds a kick back? I guarantee if I opened a business that utilized federal lands, I'd be paying the feds for that opportunity.