Channeling my inner Big Fin

[VAspeedgoat]

I guess I didn't realize just how jeopardized our public lands were until the subject came up on a local sportsmens forum. I won't divulge the name as I think it's agains the rules. It started out to discuss the Bundys and of course has taken in the Hammonds and public land debates. It has had many views but has not received that many comments. Thise that have commented have ranged from sympathetic to the Bundys to apathetic at best. I was shocked by it at first but then realized that most in the east have no comprehention of the issues. Comments like," why does the government even need to own land?", has been brought up. Holy Chit this is serious. With a majority of voters and representation being in the east, this is an information crisis.

I was curious if anyone else from an eastern or mid western state has run into this. I'm doing my best to represent the facts but I don't think it's doing the job. I wish I was as good at writing or expressing the seriousness of this like Big Fin. Good luck everybody that is trying, I hope you are doing better than me.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Education on the issue is the key to us retaining our public lands. Once people that realize they are share holders of public lands a sense of ownership and concern begins to grow. Keep it up!

 

[Chucknduck]

People don't realize that the public own these lands and the government is the manager of these lands.

 

[James Riley]

I think things like the Student Conservation Association and Youth Conservation Corps can get some of those urban types out here on public lands doing good work and building good memories. The point being, their personal interest won't vest until they get their dog in the fight.

 

[Frenchy]

The uninformed do not lie solely in the east. I overhead two talking at work right hear in Bozeman, MT, and while I did not interject myself in their conversation, nor did I hear it in its entirety. The one phrase that caught my attention was....."they are angry over the BLM stealing land from the locals".

I can only assume the topic was about the Bundy Standoff, as it was the day the last one surrendered and Cliven was arrested. Its a small office of 6, so I've got time to hopefully inform them of the dangers in thinking of the federal government as the "enemy" when it pertains to public lands (NFS/BLM etc).

 

[pabearhunter]

The sad part is most of the young people today have been given every thing they wanted and did not have to work for anything. Now they expect it and have no idea of what State or Federal land means to their future. Most of the people from the east have never been west and for that matters have never been out of the state they live in. I now live in Pa and I don't believe I have ever heard a comment on the news about what is about to happen to OUR LAND.

 

[hank4elk]

I deal with this constantly even in NM and I'm surrounded by BLM,State & FS lands besides lots of private.

1st time I was in town 10 yrs ago and gas guy asked what I did,besides hunt.I told him I was a Park Ranger & was looking to move here,...........he said,"well we don't have no Park Rangers here!"
I laughed and said that's because you don't have any PARKS HERE.
Then a FS LEO & BLM Ranger pulled into station to gas up......lol.

I am constantly amazed at folks from anywhere that visit Yosemite,GC,Yellowstone or drive thru the west at all on vacation enjoying the public lands and still have a total disconnect with Public Lands,Monuments,parks,museums.
Most are just used to the toll booth I guess.......

 

[teej89]

I never realized how ignorant I was to this topic until I started listening to randy's podcast then following threads on here. I'm from PA and currently live in OH and I know guys in both states that go out west and hunt every year that are oblivious to this topic, it's sad and sad I never knew of it prior to the podcasts and this forum.

 

[fap1800]

East coast native here. I've done my best to educate my friends and family on the importance of our public lands. It's a birthright that every American can enjoy regardless of their background. Simply put, there's no other country in the world that does what we do. I post on FB quite a bit, most recently Ted Cruz's promise to give federal land back to the States, to get the word out. I've also made it quite clear that I'm a one issue voter this year, which leaves me with just three choices, none of which are exceptional on the other issues, and one of which I may need to be intoxicated to actually pull the lever for.

 

[James Riley]

I know it's not cool to turn to the Federal Government all the damn time, but a little history (I think, you can check me if I'm wrong) will show that, back in the early 1960s as part of the Interstate Highway program (which many people fought like crazy as a boondoggle that no one would ever use, LOL), there was a large amount of funding devoted to getting Americans out and on the road, to see America, specifically camping. There were even financial incentives for tourism and camping related businesses. It was a huge, overwhelming success, resulting in returns on investment that made it more than worth while. Many states even adjusted school schedules to ensure families could take summer camping vacations. Remember, if you are working, you ain't camping.

My point being: There may be room for OUR government to get off IT'S ass and start promoting OUR use of OUR land (subject to compliance with rules and regulations protecting our land, of course).

If that ever happened, we would have to deal with the bad that comes with the good. Hopefully any such effort would be combined with educational efforts for proper land use etiquette and respect for hunters.

If "we" don't like this idea, then it is up to us, in the private sector, to develop that constituency ourselves. It sounds like we have been failing thus far. Maybe we'll get it together.

 

[hank4elk]

I am still a big supporter of the CCC's!!

 

[Big Fin]

I think what you guys are doing is where success will be found. As Gerald said, it is a process of education. A process made very difficult by how busy the average American is, working OT, raising kids, being part of the community, etc. They don't have time to research these issues, so when the land thieves get on the airwaves and simplify it down to a "smaller government" argument, that is all these busy people have time to hear and they now have taken the position that it is probably a good idea.

These public lands will stay in public hands if the growth of information continues as it has the last two years. Hunters who are vocal advocates are usually well-informed and well-connected. As hunters learn more about what this represents in its finer details, the more they realize what a huge risk it is to the future of hunting.

And to me, there are two good side benefits of this discussion.

First, it forces hunters to drop the petty stuff that we tend to fight over and focus our energy on a much bigger issue. When you step back and look at where you would prefer to invest your energy, would it be arguing about lighted nocks or fighting to keep 350 million acres of public land open to hunting. Pretty easy choice.

Second, it will force those of us in the west to realize how dependent we are on the political voice of non-resident hunters. We cannot continue to treat non-residents like a bunch of step-children and then ask them to come and help us fight these battles. I sincerely hope that hunters in the west realize the long-term impacts it has when we rely so heavily on non-resident fees and give them so little hunting opportunity (CO and WY excluded) at very high cost. Maybe that is a pipe dream to think this issue will cause westerners to look at some of these policies. I do think the history of how western states have come to view non-residents as the cash cow does make it harder to convince non-resident hunters that they have a lot at risk. My personal interactions tell me that is the case.

Anyhow, thanks to all of you for your hard work on the education and messaging process. I have been expanding my discussions of it to make it more relevant to those east of the Rockies. We do have a very well funded and highly organized campaign of professionals on the other side. Our best asset is our grassroots numbers and the fact that when pushed, hunters will eventually put any part allegiance lower on the priority list than their concern about the future of hunting.

 

[James Riley]

I am still a big supporter of the CCC's!!

After dropping out of High School and living on the street I went to Job Corps, got a GED and trade as a welder. We built those bullet proof padlock covers and gates you see the USFS using to block roads. The CCC ended after WWII but Job Corps kind of took it's place. Good program. Beats the street and jail all to hell.

 

[JDH]

In Indiana the state leases some land from mining companies and also from the military. Peabody decided not to renew a lease for an area. In 1985 the area was 12000 acres. I don't know how or when the land was lost but in 2013 it was down to around 6000 acres. They then closed another 1050 acres that winter. April 1, 2016 they will end the lease permanently. There was a thread on my local forum about the area closing and I made a comment about the federal govt giving the rest of their land to the state to control and not a single comment was made about my post.
I realize I was slightly hijacking the thread but I expected someone would at least say something about it.

 

[BrokenWing]

I live and hunt in the Southeast.

Same experience here. Most hunt private land. There are some public land hunters but the typical experience with public land is when the rare individual heads west for a once or twice in a lifetime hunt.

Comments I've heard,
"There isn't a thing that states run worse than the feds."
"The states should own that land and all access."
"[paraphrase] Are you more interested in one elk hunt than bankrupting the average American family?"

I could go on and on.

My most convincing argument (but still is scoffed at) is that we cannot let great national treasures slip into private hands.

I know I'm fighting a losing battle when my argument is met with, "sell it to the highest bidder." I can just walk away then.

 

[Gerald Martin]

"[paraphrase] Are you more interested in one elk hunt than bankrupting the average American family?"

Considering that less than 1% of the budget goes to managing public lands............

 

[MiStickSlinger]

A lot of people here out east are pretty ignorant on the issue, I was one of those people until I started lurking around sites like this. I'm pretty big into quality deer management type stuff and it amazes me how many of my facebook friends that I have because of qdma involvement are such big bundy sympathizers

 

[Frenchy]

I never realized how ignorant I was to this topic until I started listening to randy's podcast then following threads on here. I'm from PA and currently live in OH and I know guys in both states that go out west and hunt every year that are oblivious to this topic, it's sad and sad I never knew of it prior to the podcasts and this forum.

Please share those podcasts with said friends. It may not resonate with them, but its a start at getting the information out there.

I've recently started listening to the podcasts at work, and they are great!

 

[stephenk22]

I will echo what most of the easterners have already said. I had no idea that these issues where even going on until I started listening to Randy's podcasts and Steven Rinella's. I have been working hard to bring in new hunters so they can start to get an appreciation for this issue. I share with them my struggles finding public lands close to home and start to open there eyes to the bigger issues (western states). I started hunting 5 years ago and couldn't have cared less about these issues, so I can sympathize.

With that being said, if we (non-residents) can't afford to experience your lands due to license costs, confusing regulations etc. It makes it a lot harder to get people to care about those issues.

 

[Gerald Martin]

With that being said, if we (non-residents) can't afford to experience our lands due to license costs, confusing regulations etc. It makes it a lot harder to get people to care about those issues.

Fixed it for you. Other than that you have a very valid point.