Elk and bison - Bad news in Helena

[bushwcker]

Randy do you dare use your status as a media Icon to touch on this?

As a side note Redfield was my Ag teacher in high school. So it does not suprise me that he will use the power he has to wipe out whats left of the elk herd in that area...I remember good times hunting Paradise Valley, and the Tom Miner Basin, Rock Creek, back when it was the place to go in the 80's & 90's. Keep fighting the good fight....

 

[BuzzH]

Here you go Buzz... check it out.

http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2013/billhtml/HB0198.htm

Good grief...what a joke.

I was going to ask if you had room for a Senator from Wyoming in the Montana legislature....that way I could concentrate my writing efforts in one state instead of two.

This crap is getting old...

 

[Big Fin]

Randy do you dare use your status as a media Icon to touch on this?

Not sure I would use the term "media icon" to describe some average guy who happens to have a big mouth and a passion for wildlife.

I will use my show, my platform, my contacts, and anything else at my disposal to inform people of what is happening in Helena and try to educate them on the topics so they can make their own decisions. That is part of the value Hunt Talk can provide, not just in MT, but in AZ, WY, UT, and other states where guys have used this platform to make a difference in legislation that was going to hurt hunters.

The reality is that almost all hunters have jobs where their days are occupied. When these hearings are going on, the hunters are working and the lobbyists (yes, every group up there has a paid lobbyist) are meeting with legislators, testifying on bills, and steam rolling the hunter while he is at work, trying to earn a living, pay his taxes, and have a little extra to buy the kids a DQ this weekend.

The lobbyists and the legislators know that fact, so they pretty much have their way, unless some of us use our platforms to throw a little interference in their way. This lack of resistance makes them bolder. Their increasing boldness results in stranger and stranger bills, such as these.

I get some heat for doing being as vocal as I am on these issues. Most guys in the TV world have no use for the politics, are too busy, or cannot take the financial risk of possibly offending someone. I own the operation, so what are they going to do, fire me, so I have to quit making monthly payments on this operation?

I don't do this show or this website for the money, so I really don't worry about ramifications my involvement might have on the revenue side. Hell, it has cost me more effort and money than any business I have ever started. I do this for the love of it. I do it because someday I hope to have grandchildren that might want to chase elk in the backcountry or shoot a free-range bison. I do it because I had some amazing people in my little hometown who went out of their way to make sure I was a hunter and that I would experience all the wonderful things that would come from having a hunting lifestyle.

Point being, some of us have been given great blessings where we have time to do this stuff. I am one of those lucky ones. I feel it is my responsibility to do what I can to give a little back to the activity that has given me so much - hunting and conservation.

Long answer to your short question. Sorry. This kind of stupidity has my energy level ramped up right now.

 

[jryoung]

Hunt Talk, Inc. 501(c)(3)....I can see it now! Where do I donate my unused DQ gift cards.

 

[bushwcker]

Not sure I would use the term "media icon" to describe some average guy who happens to have a big mouth and a passion for wildlife.

I will use my show, my platform, my contacts, and anything else at my disposal to inform people of what is happening in Helena and try to educate them on the topics so they can make their own decisions. That is part of the value Hunt Talk can provide, not just in MT, but in AZ, WY, UT, and other states where guys have used this platform to make a difference in legislation that was going to hurt hunters.

The reality is that almost all hunters have jobs where their days are occupied. When these hearings are going on, the hunters are working and the lobbyists (yes, every group up there has a paid lobbyist) are meeting with legislators, testifying on bills, and steam rolling the hunter while he is at work, trying to earn a living, pay his taxes, and have a little extra to buy the kids a DQ this weekend.

The lobbyists and the legislators know that fact, so they pretty much have their way, unless some of us use our platforms to throw a little interference in their way. This lack of resistance makes them bolder. Their increasing boldness results in stranger and stranger bills, such as these.

I get some heat for doing being as vocal as I am on these issues. Most guys in the TV world have no use for the politics, are too busy, or cannot take the financial risk of possibly offending someone. I own the operation, so what are they going to do, fire me, so I have to quit making monthly payments on this operation?

I don't do this show or this website for the money, so I really don't worry about ramifications my involvement might have on the revenue side. Hell, it has cost me more effort and money than any business I have ever started. I do this for the love of it. I do it because someday I hope to have grandchildren that might want to chase elk in the backcountry or shoot a free-range bison. I do it because I had some amazing people in my little hometown who went out of their way to make sure I was a hunter and that I would experience all the wonderful things that would come from having a hunting lifestyle.

Point being, some of us have been given great blessings where we have time to do this stuff. I am one of those lucky ones. I feel it is my responsibility to do what I can to give a little back to the activity that has given me so much - hunting and conservation.

Long answer to your short question. Sorry. This kind of stupidity has my energy level ramped up right now.

Its all good my friend. You are very passionate & dedicated, which is in part why you earned the award man...I just hope those same feelings are contagious by other hunters in my home state, and I hope you fill your pickup for the trip to the Capitol. We have to keep on fighting for every little right we have left. Because if you stop and look around anything that involves shooting, hunting and our natural resources is under attack and things are happening faster and faster....I will send Mr. Redfield a email from one of his old students and explain my thoughts, and I hope and pray it helps....but not feeling positive about it..sadly...The quest for power does bad things to once good folks.

 

[shoots-straight]

I'm curious where our landowners and outfitters stand on the this Bison bill.

Together!

 

[webejmn]

Messages sent.

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

I feel for you guys living out there, regardless of the the great hunting ops, you guys put up with a ton of BS from the higher ups. . .do they get anything else done except introduce bills about wildlife? Wow. . . all I can say. Good luck, I think you are all doing the right thing in fighting it.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I feel for you guys living out there, regardless of the the great hunting ops, you guys put up with a ton of BS from the higher ups. . .do they get anything else done except introduce bills about wildlife? Wow. . . all I can say. Good luck, I think you are all doing the right thing in fighting it.

They try to make it easier to buy their votes:
http://helenair.com/news/legislatur...cle_62e33748-6974-11e2-90f1-001a4bcf887a.html

Seriously, these guys have taken crazy to a whole new level.

 

[cowboy]

What...is....going...on....???!!! Emails sent, hoping schedule allows for a trip to the "asylum".

There I fixed your statement for you

 

[----]

This is seriously just a giant mockery of Fish and Game, I can't believe these asshats are sitting around getting paid to come up with this bullshit.

 

[ginkgo72]

Another example of how party politics is a broken system. Why not have Bin Fin run for office?

 

[----]

5. Do you think the Legislature needs to intervene in the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department’s wildlife management activity? If so, what would you propose?

It is not the Legislature’s job to micromanage departments. We are to oversee the departments and make changes when appropriate and necessary. In FWP, some changes need to be made, especially when it comes to wolves. I have not hunted in HD 100 for several years now because of the devastation the wolves have caused there. In discussions with FWP, they have said that they need some laws changed in order to get more aggressive and I am willing to work with FWP to draft legislation that will accomplish that.

http://missoulian.com/elections_201...cle_655bcfc4-90a5-11e1-841b-001a4bcf887a.html

Better get back in the pile Champ!

 

[JLS]

Toby Bridges found a friend in Representative Champ Edmunds.

I guess if you throw enough crap on the wall, some will stick. Toby has been beating this drum for many years.

I'll be sending comments off that if this is the way Montana regards its wildlife, I will gladly never spend another dollar on licenses there again.

 

[MontanaSlim]

Messages sent to the Agriculture committee. What a couple of stupid ideas. It scares me to think of what they will come up with next in Helena.

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

They try to make it easier to buy their votes:
http://helenair.com/news/legislatur...cle_62e33748-6974-11e2-90f1-001a4bcf887a.html

Seriously, these guys have taken crazy to a whole new level.

it always has to come back around to the money. . .and lining their pockets. It makes me sick that idiots like this are controlling anything to do with the hunting community. It makes me feel a little lucky that here it isn't that bad at all. . .however, we don't rely on NR tag sales and the money the NR's bring in to the state and I think that your higher ups know they can make a fortune, because of your abundance of wildlife ops out there. Too bad we all have to feel the pain. Good luck guys.

 

[Spitz]

Messages sent to the House and Senate committees. Wyoming and Montana both have some really stupid ideas coming forward lately. It's so great we have a forum to share the information on so that we can at least send emails voicing our opinions. My thanks to both Randy and Buzz for keeping us in the loop on these issues helping me play a small role by voicing my concerns to elected officials.

 

[smarandr]

What the hell is going on in Montana? It seems like every couple of days there's a new crazy bill being introduced. So far Idaho only has four wildlife-centric bills that have been introduced and for the most part they are just administrative housekeeping type stuff.

I don't know what the Montana legislature looks like, but the Idaho one is made up of tea party repubs, "moderate" repubs, and a democrat or two, so you'd figure on seeing a fair amount of anti public land & anti wildlife action. Is there some kind of fundamental difference in the way wildlife is managed between the two states or are we just without some kind of nefarious lobbying organization here? Or worse yet, are the crazy bills still to come?

 

[noharleyyet]

How vocal are the $upporters?

 

[ridge-runner]

There I fixed your statement for you

Thank you---that's more like it!