SureShot
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 1,353
While some are critical of "how the sausage is being made" (and I agree, it isn't always pretty), I am really grateful to some key people in our legislature, on the wildlife board, and in the DWR that are doing some really great things to improve my hunting and outdoor experience in Utah.
Some special interest groups are upset that their pet hobby has been flagged as being part of the problem, and some people are just flat-out negative and will never be satisfied, but for a huge group of regular guys like me that want to see more and bigger bucks (and bulls) and be able to chase them in a fair and sportsman-like way, I love the effort being made by those in key leadership positions to improve things despite the natural and manmade obstacles conspiring against our herds.
Here are some of the specific things they have done over the past several years that are having a positive impact:
- Splitting the state into smaller regions to better manage herds and hunting pressure and provide a balance between those who want more opportunity and those who want more quality
- Reducing tags when necessary (even more than recommended by biologists in some cases to provide better quality)
- Pushing for higher buck:doe ratios
- Getting more aggressive in predator management: bears, cougars and coyotes (and standing up to special interests who tried to get some of their decisions overturned)
- Putting a solid wolf management plan in place for if/when they are removed from the endangered species list
- Prohibiting baiting
- Prohibiting shed antler gathering when the animals are most vulnerable
- Prohibiting trail cameras (and standing up to special interests who tried to get it overturned)
- Allocating $1M per year to acquire land and water that will benefit wildlife
- Overhauling the LOA program (and standing up to special interests who tried to get it overturned)
- Funding and supporting much more aggressive and helpful research
- Moving back the application period to give hunters a better picture of what will be available before submitting applications
- Coming soon: Dialing back on technology advances in modern weapons
That's a pretty impressive list. Is it solving all of the problems? No. But, it's definitely helping and we're heading in the right direction. Have there been some misses? Yes. The handling of the hunt expo and distribution of conservation tag revenues come to mind. But, overall, we are very lucky to have these people trying to do what's best for our herds and I just want to thank them for their efforts. You're doing a great job of representing me and my interests.
Some special interest groups are upset that their pet hobby has been flagged as being part of the problem, and some people are just flat-out negative and will never be satisfied, but for a huge group of regular guys like me that want to see more and bigger bucks (and bulls) and be able to chase them in a fair and sportsman-like way, I love the effort being made by those in key leadership positions to improve things despite the natural and manmade obstacles conspiring against our herds.
Here are some of the specific things they have done over the past several years that are having a positive impact:
- Splitting the state into smaller regions to better manage herds and hunting pressure and provide a balance between those who want more opportunity and those who want more quality
- Reducing tags when necessary (even more than recommended by biologists in some cases to provide better quality)
- Pushing for higher buck:doe ratios
- Getting more aggressive in predator management: bears, cougars and coyotes (and standing up to special interests who tried to get some of their decisions overturned)
- Putting a solid wolf management plan in place for if/when they are removed from the endangered species list
- Prohibiting baiting
- Prohibiting shed antler gathering when the animals are most vulnerable
- Prohibiting trail cameras (and standing up to special interests who tried to get it overturned)
- Allocating $1M per year to acquire land and water that will benefit wildlife
- Overhauling the LOA program (and standing up to special interests who tried to get it overturned)
- Funding and supporting much more aggressive and helpful research
- Moving back the application period to give hunters a better picture of what will be available before submitting applications
- Coming soon: Dialing back on technology advances in modern weapons
That's a pretty impressive list. Is it solving all of the problems? No. But, it's definitely helping and we're heading in the right direction. Have there been some misses? Yes. The handling of the hunt expo and distribution of conservation tag revenues come to mind. But, overall, we are very lucky to have these people trying to do what's best for our herds and I just want to thank them for their efforts. You're doing a great job of representing me and my interests.