DOI Sec. Sally Jewell at MSU debate

[katqanna]

In case any of y'all are interested. Tickets are going fast.

Wheeler Center Lecture: Interior Secretary Sally Jewell & Sen. Jon Tester

"Please join us for this unique opportunity to hear Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell and Montana Senator Jon Tester engage in a moderated discussion of public lands, natural resources, Native American and other issues important to Montanans.

The event is free, but tickets are required.

For additional information, please contact the Wheeler Center office at (406)994-0336."

 

[Big Fin]

I'm here at this event. An interesting mix of people, but not unexpected for Bozeman.

I suspect the percentage of attendees who have purchased a hunting license in the last year would be in the single digits. If you wanted to start a Subaru owners group, this would be fertile ground to farm.

Very nice that the Secretary and Senator would take time tomorrow to meet with a small handful of hunting leaders to discuss public land access. I suspect the attendees tomorrow will have a much higher rate of hunting participation.

 

[jryoung]

Anxious to hear a summary of the conversation. Over under on wolf lover comments during the questions portion of the event?

 

[kansasdad]

I'm here at this event. An interesting mix of people, but not unexpected for Bozeman.

I suspect the percentage of attendees who have purchased a hunting license in the last year would be in the single digits. If you wanted to start a Subaru owners group, this would be fertile ground to farm.

In our family we refer to the "granola" and "Ching-Ching" (as if making a little bell or finger cymbals sound) people.

 

[Big Fin]

Anxious to hear a summary of the conversation. Over under on wolf lover comments during the questions portion of the event?

Amazingly, not a single question about wolves.

The discussion was a lot about public lands and the economic value they provide. Also, about energy issues and tribal issues (DOI oversees BIA).

Some of the questions were about some supposed water theft idea to give Las Vegas the water from the Missouri River. I had never heard of that one and neither had the Secretary or the Senator.

Another question was how could DOI stop the Tribes from developing their coal resources, as it creates more train traffic and more coal dust in Bozeman.

Really? Someone thinks the tribes should continue to sit on billions of tons of coal and not be able to participate in the coal industry, because some dude in Bozeman is concerned about the miniscule amount of coal the tribes will add to the huge coal market. Obviously, he has never lived near a reservation and seen how starved they are for any sort of economic development. But, so long as his Prius is not exposed to any coal dust, tribes be damned. Where is Soupy Sales and his Gong when you need him?

Another question was about allowing boat traffic in National Parks.

A person from the Montana Association of Conservation Districts wanted to know if Montana would be the place for any new National Monuments in the foreseeable future. The person was assured that at this time none are being considered and none would be considered without support from the Montana Congressional Delegation.

Secretary Jewel comes across as very intelligent and very informed. Considering the Department of Interior has the BLM, USFWS, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and who know has many other divisions, it was interesting to see how much she understood about the issues facing all of those Governmental units.

It will be helpful for the Secretary to hear from hunters and their concerns about public access, tomorrow. This will be a very small group with face-to-face discussions on the topic. I suspect her staff will have a long list of things to think about after that meeting.

 

[JDH]

Probably part of the Missouri river reuse project. With the drought, it sounds like everyone is rehashing all the old ideas that are considered unfeasible.

 

[BullMooseGazette]

Spoke to Sec Jewell after meeting

I approached Sec Jewell after the Wheeler program. I identified myself as a PLWA member and asked her to elevate public access to public lands as an administrative priority within the BLM. She gave the same boilerplate response I've heard from a series of Secretaries, BLM directors and state directors over the past 25 years. That is: they have no money for access acquisition unless we fully fund LWCF, or gain some other incremental addition to their budget.
My response was that a lot could be done with funds and staff already on hand that isn't being done apparently because the boss hasn't told the staff to do the work - such as signing access points. Also that collaboration with state agencies and NGOs that do have money is a no-brainer that seems never to happen.
She wasn't impressed and neither was I.
Good luck in Missoula tomorrow, Fin.

 

[katqanna]

I counted 11 people there I know that hunt, but saw a number of various conservation groups that I dont know if they hunt or not.

When Jewell spoke about 3 big trends that she saw, the first being we no longer can do "more with less", we are going to have to do less with less, then spoke about less finances to go around for everything that needs tending to, I would love to have heard her response to the disparity of BLM lease fees compared to other lease fees and why they have remained so low for so long. She brought up Climate Change as the 3rd trend and briefly mentioned the concerns of the western states on Sage Grouse.

On her 2nd trend, it was concerning the 3 different generations (Boomers, Gen X and Millennials), pointing out that statistically the younger generations are more removed from nature and if these are the people that are going to be sitting on boards and commissions, deciding where the funds are going to be applied, it is less likely they will put the shrinking financial resources towards something they dont relate to like wilderness. Rather, they will vote to apply those dollars to education and health care, for example.

This generational concern shows up in hunting statistics. I hear it at various meetings around Montana, which joke about the older age brackets represented, with few of the Gen X and less of the Millennials. If this were to be compared to elk herd recruitment, just as a point of reference, the replacements are not occurring to sustain the future.

 

[BigRack]

This generational concern shows up in hunting statistics. I hear it at various meetings around Montana, which joke about the older age brackets represented, with few of the Gen X and less of the Millennials. If this were to be compared to elk herd recruitment, just as a point of reference, the replacements are not occurring to sustain the future.

One of the problems I see is what the kids are taught in school. When kids don't know where food comes from, we have a problem.

A long time ago every parent taught there kids about hunting. That is not the case anymore.

 

[mtmiller]

One of the problems I see is what the kids are taught in school. When kids don't know where food comes from, we have a problem.

What course was that. I don't remember taking one, but of course my education was in South Dakota.

A long time ago every parent taught there kids about hunting. That is not the case anymore.

Since you are a SD resident, what is the hunting/fishing participation trend in South Dakota. Maybe the parents are doing fine with "there" kids in South Dakota from what I have seen. Grammar....maybe not so much.

 

[BigRack]

What course was that. I don't remember taking one, but of course my education was in South Dakota.

Do I need to provide video proof of people saying food comes from grocery stores and have no idea it comes from animals?

Yes, I used the wrong "their". Sue me.

Are you ever going to answer the question in the other thread?

 

[warmer]

BR, what part of our fine state is home?

 

[mtmiller]

Don't worry about the video. Obviously there are plenty of ignorant people in this world....same as there was twenty years ago. Heck, some even show up on this board.

Am I going to answer your question on the other thread? Naw.

 

[BigRack]

BR, what part of our fine state is home?

The part where you don't have to lock your doors at night.

 

[mtmiller]

BR, what part of our fine state is home?

Please be east river, please be east river.

 

[BigRack]

Am I going to answer your question on the other thread? Naw.

Why not?

I take it you are not a landowner.

 

[warmer]

That doesn't eliminate much of the state.

 

[mtmiller]

Why not?

I take it you are not a landowner.

Partly becuase I think it pisses you off and from what I have seen if you don't get the answer you assume, you just ask another assinine question.

The only land I personally own is my home and small yard. Does that matter since you don''t know my opinion on bison/private property anyway? What if I told you my family owns about 15k acres in Meade County and I plan to return there when I retire? Now where are we?

 

[warmer]

mtmiller, I don't know where you and BR are, but I would be interested in some archery mule deer hunting!

 

[BigRack]

Partly becuase I think it pisses you off and from what I have seen if you don't get the answer you assume, you just ask another assinine question.

The only land I personally own is my home and small yard. Does that matter since you don''t know my opinion on bison/private property anyway? What if I told you my family owns about 15k acres in Meade County and I plan to return there when I retire? Now where are we?

I don't assume answers. That's why I ask the questions.

How does your family feel about people saying bison can come graze on their land anytime the bison want?