Smokestick wrote -
BigFin,
You know nothing about WY SFW.
It took that many posts because that was not the topic or purpose of this thread.
It is not about the fee increase, it is about the cost of the fee increase. Too many are willing to the "average hunter" under the bus. WY SFW, the evil organization which caters to the wealthy appears to be the only organization that is willing to ask the hard questions and protect our hunting heritage.
You might be able to fool some in your attempts to "act" as though you are concerned about the "average hunter" but you are unwilling to stand in their defense. Being an actor on your own television show really has allowed you to do some good things; however, your attitude smacks of arogance as you are profitting from the wildlife you exploit in your show.
Of course you are willing to see license fees increase as it will lower your competition as fewer applicants will be applying for hunts.
What are the long term consequences as we begin to price the "average hunters" you profess to care so much about? Your hatred for all things SFW is clouding your judgement.
Well, Smokestick, I happen to know enough about UT-SFW, WY-SFW, MT-SFW, AK-SFW, AZ-SFW, NM-SFW, to know that when SFW wants to be in charge of a program that deals with tags, it is not good for the average hunter. You seriously expect people are going to stand by silently when you state as you did in that post, that your goal was to find a way for landowners to have a tag program involving WY-SFW?
As to your comment about throwing the average guy under the bus, your organization has written the book on that one. Makes me laugh to read where you imply otherwise. Hell, the average guy has so many SFW bus tire tracks on his back, it will take generations for them to go away.
What you know of me, my show, my motivations is pretty limited, in fact would be ZERO. State what you think. I can promise you, it would reflect that your head is somewhere that the air is not fresh, as it relates to me and my motivations.
Your comment shows once again just how ignorant the SFW crowd is on most anything where people might actually be concerned about the average guy having a voice and might be willing to invest their own time and money to give a little bit back to the cause. Lots of the average guys give back, Smokestick, whether with their time, money, labor, or whatever. Maybe the paid staff of SFW struggles to understand the volunteerism of those who want to make things a little better for all hunters.
I am pretty sure that the hundreds and hundreds of emails I answer each year answering people who ask where we hunted, how they could do the same thing, maybe even some tips of where to go, provides a lot of competition for tags in areas I hunt. I hope in doing so, it helps a lot of average guys who want to go hunting and need a little information to help them get started. Glad to help where I can, even if it means I will be competing with them for tags.
Most the SFW efforts in every state where I have followed them or had a spat with them would be counter to that notion. Just a proven fact, repeated time and again by the actions of SFW leaders.
Spare me the BS about my hatred for SFW. There are a lot of good people who have worked to try make things better under the SFW banner. Unfortunately, these good people and their efforts have been screwed over by some poor leadership in every state SFW organization.
If my pointing out that fact, and using my platform to show some of the BS that SFW tries to pull off is viewed as hatred by the SFW leadership, then so be it. Truth is a hell of a thing to try run away from. If you don't like that folks have succeeded in show people just what SFW has been up to, then maybe you should do something to start changing that tide.
I really could care less what Wyoming does with fees. Wildlife is a state issue, so the decision is up to them. I will deal with whatever they do. If they keep fees where they are, fine. If they raise fees, they have a track record that they will put the money to good use, hopefully allowing them to continue a very good job of managing wildlife. That is fine, also.
If Wyoming allows SFW to enter into some special program as you mentioned in the post I replied to, then I do care, as history shows it will probably screw over the average guy, both resident or non-resident.
Feel free to say or think what you want about me and our show/website. I will gladly let people decide for themselves on that one. I will let our efforts speak for us. Glad to let the SFW efforts speak for your organization's motives.
Why is it that when someone with a platform is willing to speak up and tries to give a voice to the average guy, the SFW leaders get so worked up? We all know why, and you help prove it again here.
So long as SFW leaders are on the landscape doing all they can to use money obtained from public resources to screw over the average guy, folks will be there to fight it. Many will be there for the fight. I will be just one of the many who are willing to speak up. The fact that I have built an effective platform, makes it all that more important that I speak up when I think it can be helpful to the average guy.
Now that I look at your reply, you have followed in lockstep with the SFW mantra. When questioned about your comment of working to establish a landowner program that includes WY-SFW, you try to attack the guy who points out the potential for problems, rather than address the issue at hand. Right from the SFW playbook.
Carry on .......
"Hunt when you can - You're gonna' run out of health before you run out of money!"