Hawkeye
Long Time Member
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Utah Wildlife Board to Consider the UWC's Proposed Rule Amendment on August 16th - This is Our Opportunity
For the last several years, there have been questions, dialogue and debate regarding the 200 Convention Permits that the Utah DWR issues to MDF and SFW to give away at the Expo. The key facts relating to the Convention Permits are as follows: (1) the administrative rule that created the Convention Permits expressly states that one of the purposes of the permits is to "generate revenue for wildlife conservation activities;" (2) the state took 200 premium hunting permits out of the public draw and entrusted them to the groups participating in the Expo; (3) these participating groups have been raising several hundred thousand to nearly a million dollars a year from the $5 application fees; (4) there is no requirement whatsoever in the statute that the participating groups spend any of those funds on actual conservation projects; (5) the DWR does not audit how much money is raised from the 200 permits or how the groups spend that money; (6) the participating organizations have refused to provide any information or accounting as to how the revenues generated from the 200 permits have been spent; (7) the DWR, the Wildlife Board and the participating organizations all fail to see any problem with this situation. In a nutshell, Convention Permits are public assets and monies generated from those permits should be carefully accounted for and spent in an open and transparent manner.
There is a proposal from the Utah Wildlife Cooperative (?UWC?) on the table that will remedy this longstanding problem and mandate accountability and transparency. The proposal circulated by the UWC will not jeopardize the Hunting and Conservation Expo. Rather, it would improve what is already a wonderful event and ensure that the money generated from the Convention Permits is spent in such a way as to fulfill the very purpose for which those permits were created. The proposed amendment imposes the same basic requirements that already apply to Conservation Permits to Convention Permits. In other words, 90% of the revenue generated from the $5 application fees would have to be spent on actual conservation projects and the groups would have to account for those funds. These proposed changes are fair and equitable, and are frankly long overdue.
There is widespread support among the general public for the UWC?s proposed amendment. Over 1,000 sportsmen have signed a petition in support of the UWC?s proposed amendment. The proposed amendment is also consistent with the RMEF?s recent call for transparency with regard to special game permits. See http://www.rmef.org/NewsandMedia/NewsReleases/2012/biggampermits.htm. Not surprisingly, the two conservation groups involved with the Expo, SFW and MDF, do not support the proposed amendment. SFW has stated that it stands behind the current version of the rule that imposes no accountability or transparency requirements. MDF has not responded to multiple inquiries regarding its official position.
This brings me to the purpose for this post. The Utah Wildlife Board has placed the UWC?s proposed rule amendment on the agenda for the Board Meeting scheduled for Thursday August 16th. It is my understanding that the Board is not placing the amendment on the RAC agendas as an action item. Rather, it has simply placed it on the agenda for the Wildlife Board meeting so that the public has an opportunity to comment on this important issue. This is a very positive development.
If you are one of the many sportsmen that have expressed frustration on this issue over the past few years or one of the 1,000+ sportsmen that signed the online petition, this is your chance to share your thoughts with the Wildlife Board and help fix this problem. Please mark August 16th on your calendars and make time to attend the Board Meeting in SLC, Utah. Please spread the word to your friends and family members. It is absolutely critical that we rally the troops and have a massive showing of support at this meeting. In the past, we as sportsmen have had a tendency to complain on the internet but then fail to show up at important meetings where the actual decisions are made. As a result, the DWR and the Wildlife Board have listened to conservation groups and their agendas. If we want the Wildlife Board to take us seriously then we need to show up in masses and demand accountability and transparency. There have been a number of developments over the last few years that have helped build momentum on this issue. Let's take advantage of this opportunity and fix this problem once and for all.
If you are willing to attend the Wildlife Board meeting on Thursday August 16th to express support for the UWC?s proposed rule amendment, please post a message on this thread. Your comments at the meeting don't need to be lengthy or eloquent. Just tell the Board who you are and why you are concerned about this issue. If you live out of state and cannot make it to the meeting, please take the time to email the Wildlife Board Members. If you are concerned about this issue and would like to get involved but need more information on this issue, please feel free to PM or email me or Tye Boulter, President of the UWC.
In conclusion, this issue has been festering for a long time. While we still have an uphill battle ahead of us, we have an opportunity to August 16th to show the Wildlife Board that we are not happy with the current situation. I believe that the conservation groups involved, and possible even the DWR, doubt that the average sportsmen have the determination and organization to push this amendment through. Let's prove them wrong and show them that we can do more than complain on the internet. Together we can fix this problem.
Who will join on us on August 16th?
Hawkeye
Browning A-Bolt 300 Win Mag
Winchester Apex .50 Cal
Mathews Drenalin LD
For the last several years, there have been questions, dialogue and debate regarding the 200 Convention Permits that the Utah DWR issues to MDF and SFW to give away at the Expo. The key facts relating to the Convention Permits are as follows: (1) the administrative rule that created the Convention Permits expressly states that one of the purposes of the permits is to "generate revenue for wildlife conservation activities;" (2) the state took 200 premium hunting permits out of the public draw and entrusted them to the groups participating in the Expo; (3) these participating groups have been raising several hundred thousand to nearly a million dollars a year from the $5 application fees; (4) there is no requirement whatsoever in the statute that the participating groups spend any of those funds on actual conservation projects; (5) the DWR does not audit how much money is raised from the 200 permits or how the groups spend that money; (6) the participating organizations have refused to provide any information or accounting as to how the revenues generated from the 200 permits have been spent; (7) the DWR, the Wildlife Board and the participating organizations all fail to see any problem with this situation. In a nutshell, Convention Permits are public assets and monies generated from those permits should be carefully accounted for and spent in an open and transparent manner.
There is a proposal from the Utah Wildlife Cooperative (?UWC?) on the table that will remedy this longstanding problem and mandate accountability and transparency. The proposal circulated by the UWC will not jeopardize the Hunting and Conservation Expo. Rather, it would improve what is already a wonderful event and ensure that the money generated from the Convention Permits is spent in such a way as to fulfill the very purpose for which those permits were created. The proposed amendment imposes the same basic requirements that already apply to Conservation Permits to Convention Permits. In other words, 90% of the revenue generated from the $5 application fees would have to be spent on actual conservation projects and the groups would have to account for those funds. These proposed changes are fair and equitable, and are frankly long overdue.
There is widespread support among the general public for the UWC?s proposed amendment. Over 1,000 sportsmen have signed a petition in support of the UWC?s proposed amendment. The proposed amendment is also consistent with the RMEF?s recent call for transparency with regard to special game permits. See http://www.rmef.org/NewsandMedia/NewsReleases/2012/biggampermits.htm. Not surprisingly, the two conservation groups involved with the Expo, SFW and MDF, do not support the proposed amendment. SFW has stated that it stands behind the current version of the rule that imposes no accountability or transparency requirements. MDF has not responded to multiple inquiries regarding its official position.
This brings me to the purpose for this post. The Utah Wildlife Board has placed the UWC?s proposed rule amendment on the agenda for the Board Meeting scheduled for Thursday August 16th. It is my understanding that the Board is not placing the amendment on the RAC agendas as an action item. Rather, it has simply placed it on the agenda for the Wildlife Board meeting so that the public has an opportunity to comment on this important issue. This is a very positive development.
If you are one of the many sportsmen that have expressed frustration on this issue over the past few years or one of the 1,000+ sportsmen that signed the online petition, this is your chance to share your thoughts with the Wildlife Board and help fix this problem. Please mark August 16th on your calendars and make time to attend the Board Meeting in SLC, Utah. Please spread the word to your friends and family members. It is absolutely critical that we rally the troops and have a massive showing of support at this meeting. In the past, we as sportsmen have had a tendency to complain on the internet but then fail to show up at important meetings where the actual decisions are made. As a result, the DWR and the Wildlife Board have listened to conservation groups and their agendas. If we want the Wildlife Board to take us seriously then we need to show up in masses and demand accountability and transparency. There have been a number of developments over the last few years that have helped build momentum on this issue. Let's take advantage of this opportunity and fix this problem once and for all.
If you are willing to attend the Wildlife Board meeting on Thursday August 16th to express support for the UWC?s proposed rule amendment, please post a message on this thread. Your comments at the meeting don't need to be lengthy or eloquent. Just tell the Board who you are and why you are concerned about this issue. If you live out of state and cannot make it to the meeting, please take the time to email the Wildlife Board Members. If you are concerned about this issue and would like to get involved but need more information on this issue, please feel free to PM or email me or Tye Boulter, President of the UWC.
In conclusion, this issue has been festering for a long time. While we still have an uphill battle ahead of us, we have an opportunity to August 16th to show the Wildlife Board that we are not happy with the current situation. I believe that the conservation groups involved, and possible even the DWR, doubt that the average sportsmen have the determination and organization to push this amendment through. Let's prove them wrong and show them that we can do more than complain on the internet. Together we can fix this problem.
Who will join on us on August 16th?
Hawkeye
Browning A-Bolt 300 Win Mag
Winchester Apex .50 Cal
Mathews Drenalin LD