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Congress Attacks Hunter's Rights

Dear Fellow Hunter:

Your right to hunt and fish on federal public lands, lands you and I and every other American own, is about to be taken away from us via legislation by our very own Congress.

A Bill introduced in Congress by Nevada Senator Harry Reid (S # 339) and another by Colorado Representative Mark Udall (H.R. #731) will allow the Rocky Mountain States to exclude you from hunting and fishing on National Forests, BLM and other public lands soley because you are a nonresident. In fact, every State could keep you out if this law pases.

This bill will allow states to discriminate against you, to treat you like a second-class citizen, and to deny your right to apply and hunt for elk, mule deer, antelope, sheep and every other specie on public land. States could and would impose strictor nonresident limits than on residents on public fishing areas.

Senator Reid calls it "A bill to reaffirm the authority of States to regulate certain hunting and fishing activities." Its' real purpose is to circumvent recent court decisions that favored nonresidents and allow states to again discriminate against nonresidents in allocating licenses, limits, and setting license fees. In other words, States could restrict nonresidents, like you, from receiving any licenses to hunt or fish on public lands, or allow States to charge you thousands of dollars for the same hunting licenses that residents would pay only a few dollars for.

This isn't make believe. Even though the US Supreme Court has ruled in Hughes vs Oklahoma, that the wildlife belongs to all Americans equally, nonresidents are still subjected to severe discrimination today. Let me give you just a few examples:

Colorado no longer allows nonresidents to apply for the Ranching for Wildlife Areas. Once nonresidents were removed from these high quality elk and deer areas, the State passed a quota on nonresidents to keep them from drawing too many of the few remaining high quality tags left to apply for in the State.

New Mexico's highly prized Valle Calderas National Preserve was bought for $101 million in Federal money just a few short years ago. Now the NM Game and Fish Department has put a strict quota on nonresidents. Last year non residents donated over 65% of the application money for these elk tags, but only received 19% of the tags. New Mexico's sheep license is $3000 for a nonresident and $100 for a resident.

Utah, just in the past few weeks, passed a regulation starting in 2006 that will give 25% of the existing nonresident tags and a paltry 5% of resident tags to a yearly convention in Salt Lake City. The rules allow you to have chance of getting one of these tags only if you travel to Utah in person and apply. They know you won't. In other words, they will transfer these nonresident tags into resident hands. In more discrimination, Utah does not allow any nonresidents to apply for the draw to obtain the high quality Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit tags, only residents.

The Montana process keeps you from drawing the quality tags; they only allow nonresidents "up to 10%" of the sheep, moose and mountain goat tags. When applying for the quality limited elk areas, you have to first apply for the low quality combination tag which is guaranteed to be drawn every two years. Residents get to apply yearly as their combination tags are over the counter. Once you have drawn the combo tag at a cost of $660, then you reapply for the quality limited areas. At one time, if you did not draw the quality tag, you simply sent the poor quality combination tag back to them for a refund. Montana did not want the nonresidents to return these licenses so they passed a regulation that you can only get a 50% refund for the poor quality combination tag. So it costs you $330 for a 1 in 20 chance of drawing a quality tag or you are stuck with the combination tag. Not a tough decision for nonresidents to not apply, so the residents win... again.

In Wyoming, nonresidents apply nearly blind at the quality limited entry tags. Wyoming give up to 20% of the elk tags to nonresidnets, but deducts 2 nonresident tags for each nonresident landowner who qualifies and owns as little as 2000 acres in that unit. But when they calculate the draw odds, they act as if each tag was in the drawing. Trying to get this information on the real numbers is time consuming, usually inaccurate, and often exasperating. For added discrimination, Wyoming uses an outdated true preference point program and quota system for their sheep and moose that gives you virtually no hope of drawing unless you started years ago. Wyoming also forces you to hire or use a resident to hunt wilderness areas.

Arizona and Nevada were highly discriminatory toward nonresidents until the recent Montoya vs. Manning decision by the Ninth Circuit United States Court of Appeals which forces these states to treat all hunters equally. Arizona is no looking for ways to dodge the law and actually advertised for ideas on how to discriminate against nonresidents. They may try to take elk licenses up to an outrageous $3200 each. Nevada already charges $1200 for an elk tag to nonresidents. Nevada is also attempting to defy the court system by only opening up certain units to nonresidents and excluding nonresidents altogether from millions of acres of federal lands.

On top of all this discrimination, nonresidents already pay the majority of the budgets for the Rocky Mountain States' game and fish departments, even though we get only a fraction of the licenses. In addition, Arizona, Nevada, Montana, and Idaho collect millions of dollars from nonresidents each year for general hunting licenses. They basically extort money from the nonresident because the nonresident is forced to purchase a general hunting license in order to either apply and/or obtain a bonus point. This general hunting license rarely gets used so it is free money to the State. Little does the nonresident know that the quota is the main deterrent to his drawing a tag. It is about to get worse if S.339 and HR.731 becomes law. This Bills expressly permit unlimited discrimination on price allocation on all lands and waters.

If these bills pass, it won't be a matter if you have family in one of these western states or own property in the state. It does not matter if you hire a guide or not, does not matter if you are a bow, muzzleloader, or rifle hunter, and does not matter if you have served your country in the armed services. As long as you are residing in another State you will feel the sting of discrimination.

Ranchers and farmer won't be able to sell hunting opportunities to nonresidents. So much for private property rights!

This is bad. Very bad. This is un-American and the greatest threat to the hunting tradition to come along in a very long time.

We must act now, together, to protect our right to hunt, fish and travel in our own country. As American citizens and the bill payers, we have the right not to be discriminated against because of the State we live in. We live in the Untied States of America, remember! This isn't about States rights. This isn't about conservation! This is about selfish and politically influential local hunter wanting to keep everyone else out of our federal public lands in their State, nothing more.

Due to many years of litigation and personal sacrifice, courts are now supporting the nonresident. Now only the politicians, like reid and Udall, can pass legislation to continue the discrimination against us. If residents of the states outside the Rocky Mountains don't speak up against this legislation, you stand to lose your right and your children's right to ever hunt in a quality unit in the Rocky Mountains.

You and your friends must call and mail your States' US Congressional Representatives and US Senators. Tell them to oppose S.339 and HR.731. This is the most important task you must do. Attached is a sample letter. Lift out the paragraphs that you like and send it to your own Representative.

Contact your local and national hunting organizations and tell them the importance of defeating this legislation. Don't let them use any excuse, even if their headquarters is in one of the Rocky Mountain States trying to take your rights away, they are supposed to be representing you, not trying to obtain tags and hunting opportunities for themselves.

Non-taxable donations can be sent to the Conservation Force and label them "Nonresident Legal Fund". For more information, call or e-mail:

Conservation Force
3900 N. Causeway Blvd. Suite 1045
Metairie, LA 70002-1746
504-837-1233
504-837-1145 FAX
[email protected]

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Date _______, 2005
RE: My Rights as a Non-Resident

Dear (Your Senator and Representative),

Senator Reid has introduced a Senate Bill S.339 and Congressman Udall has introduced House Bill H.R. 731 to transfer to states unlimited authority to discriminate against non-resident hunters and anglers. The legislation expressly authorizes states to discriminate against non-residents in both allocation and pricing of licenses. It includes both recreational sportsmen and women and those who commercially ply related trades from state to state.

The legislation would deprive me and my family from equal access and fair license fees on federal lands in the West. This is not truly a states' rights issue as it is being represented. I have no say in Western states' legislatures or before their commissions, so I have to turn to you, me representative to protect my right to equal treatment on federal lands. Please, please protect my rights to hunt and fish on federal lands and waters.

There are 2 million hunters and 12 million fishermen who hunt and/or fish out-of-state each year (National Survery 2001). We should at least be entitles to equality on federal lands and waters.

The resident hoarding and discrimination has been worsening which, in turn, has led to litigation. The litigation was necessary to discourage worsening practices by the Western states. There will be no return to equal treatment on federal lands because the states have refused to treat non-residents fairly and that has been worsening. This legislation would eliminate that last avenue of protection.

It will worsen the reciprocal price warring between the states that is so un-American. We are supposed to be one indivisible nation. In fact, foreigners may have greater rights to equal access on federal lands than me and my family. Aren't we all Americans? Please protect my interest as a citizen of the United States.

This issue is not wildlife management. It does not matter to conservation where a hunter lives. Many of the game species are migratory, particularly waterfowl. They cross state lines, live on federal lands, and cannot be claimed solely for the citizens of one state. Americans should have equal rights to enjoy their federal public lands, and hunting opportunities provided by those lands.

Most sincerely,

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I am glad you put this in here, I am going to call Rep. Udall and say thank you! G. Taulman needs to be stopped! If he is allowed to continue most of us poor hunters will never be able to afford a license anywhere. He is doing a great job to line his own pockets and make it a rich mans game. George's rights VS my rights, George go away!

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Assasin-I will agree that the dollars are the deal with some game departments but I think you need to be careful of who you sleep with

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He also is big time for landowner tags and the only thing you will be hunting for five grand without an outfitter will be raghorns. He understands well that trophy bull tags can bring 15 to 20 thousand dollars and is preaching that to the ranchers. You might get cow tags in the worst part of a ranch for $500.

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As far as the state's right to charge that is clear and Taulman's attorney allready wrote threatening letters on that one and the states flipped him off.

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When NR tuition is mandated to be equal then I might believe that your tag costs will go down. Not likely

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I think if we really believe in the heritage of hunting and understand that the resource is limited we need to keep it possible for lower income hunters to continue in the sport.

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Assasin-The tag prices will not come down either way

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If you think George is in it to lower your hunting costs then go for it

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Assasin-the deal on federal funding for building the wildlife is bogus. You show me where the feds ever spent a dollar on game management or enforcement. You really think the feds want to take over the cost of game management? The states would just fold the game departments to save the cost. Not too realistic.

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ORIGINAL: gleninAZ

Assasin-The tag prices will not come down either way! Taulman has given states the excuse to raise them and they have run the increases by the AG's office. Now that they are going up I see no way they will come down. Now if you ever hunted the reservation you know that a trophy bull can get $20000 and if Taulman gets his way you will have to pay that on our state lease land as well or settle for low grade animals. If you think George is in it to lower your hunting costs then go for it. I don't buy that one for a minute.

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ORIGINAL: gleninAZ

Assasin-the deal on federal funding for building the wildlife is bogus. You show me where the feds ever spent a dollar on game management or enforcement. You really think the feds want to take over the cost of game management? The states would just fold the game departments to save the cost. Not too realistic.

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I will let you all squabble on and will just do what I can to stop you from getting your way.

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Using Spyros analogy, then the waterfowl refuges should open up also. Same fees and same access to everyone!

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No, the only stupid people are the ones that are fighting to keep NRs out for their own personal motives and then calling NRs greedy and stupid for looking out for their own rights. Kind of hypocritical ain't it It's great tha you all are happy hunting in your own states but for those of us that like to travel and hunt different states then why exactly should we not fight for our right to do so with out mortaging our home to pay for a tag that a resident can buy for $20

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ORIGINAL: kshunter

I The article above is very deceiving if you're unfamiliar with the topic. :eek:

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Elk is $55 here for resident and $490 for NR. Not out of line at all

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WE are here 365, pay taxes, bills, support the communities. And we are supposed to grant residency to everyone that feels slighted by prices

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Well, for the most part the only reason that prices have gone through the roof for NR's is BECAUSE of Taulman's lawsuit. States have had no option but to increase the fees.

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Maybe that's because a few of my braincells are actually working and understand that the people who live in that state are the people who pay for the majority of the upkeep and managing of their area. The greedy people are the one's who think it belongs to them just as much as the person who is paying out all the moolah. If you don't think that your money should stay there then go ahead and give me your paychecks.... I'll gladly take 'em off your hands so that you don't appear so greedy

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That was a good point. Now if you will just move over to the mirror as you say it and then try and wrap your mind around it, you will be OK

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ORIGINAL: SpyroAndes

silientassassin,

You are arguing with a person that has the handle of "Hick Chic" and you are just now figuring out that they just might not get it?

This is the same person that thinks that nonresident tag prices being so high is because of Taulman's suit.

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I hate to see "the little guy" squeezed out of the sport BUT one positive for increased fees and non-residents is that if it brings more money too the game departments then its better for them as opposed to them being financed by other sources like general funds, canoers and hikers and other "non-hunters" that will then want more time and representation for "their interests".

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On second thought I think you all are right.

All the G & F departments have strictly the games' best interest in mind. It hasn't become all about money and their is no price gouging going on.

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Read up, go to state meetings, parks meetings, etc. Taulmans plan would break hunting in Kansas, regardless of our stance on the issue.

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