UT - More non-profit welfare

[Big Fin]

In Montana, we are the brunt of legislative humor, and deservedly so, thanks to legislators worried about Yoga Pants, hem lines, and other pressing issues needed to save western civilization. Yet, I think Montana takes a back seat to the political pork spending and cronyism that occurs in Utah. Check out this link.

http://www.sltrib.com/home/2298978-155/utah-sends-500k-more-to-unexplained

So, even though the wolf bill is already introduced (was introduced a couple months ago) and was carried by a Wisconsin Representative, a Utah legislator wants to make sure his friend's "gubment trough" stays full, so he is giving the Peay-Benson Franchise another $500,000 to make sure the wolf bill in Congress keeps wolves out of Utah. Really, this it not a joke.

P-B have to do none of the heavy lifting. The work has already been done by the groups who have done all the heavy lifting on state wolf management. All they have to do is make sure the taxpayer money is in their bank account and then take credit for the work of others, tasks they seem to excel at.

I've lost track of how many millions Utah legislators have funneled to their pals over at SFW/BGF. Evidently all that tag money is not enough to keep the lights on over at HQ.

I would probably have no concern over the Peay-Benson Utah welfare franchise, except they are now in Montana trying to start chapters of BGF. Their SFW model has been a cash drain and a huge failure in Montana; most would say a laughing stock. Being re-capitalized by the taxpayers of Utah, they are making another run at things here in Montana. Watch you wallet and watch your backs.

 

[utah400elk]

I have had a rough couple of years (health wise) but I did learn one thing: Cancer always grows! It needs to be cut out early and you need to be aggressive in your treatment. Like cancer, SFW/BGF will grow unless you cut it out and treat it aggressively.

 

[LopeHunter]

I think UT knows exactly what it is doing. Slush-funding public money into private hands so the State can, by proxy, take actions and lobby in ways not allowed to be done with public money by law.

How leaky is the bucket that holds the slush funds? Debatable but presumably the overhead and management choices reduce what is left to spend and what is achieved.

 

[BiggWimm]

I argue with others here all the time about not supporting the SFW/BGF, but most of the time it is like arguing with a brick wall. No matter how logical of an argument you can put forth, it falls upon deaf ears. It is maddening!

 

[Matt Foley]

This is another reason that I am happy to be out of the Utah hunting game. I love my home state and its people but the state legislature and the and the wildlife board have sold the average hunter down the river.

The biggest problem there is that SFW and other organizations have convinced many of the people in Utah that they are entitled to a 350+bull at least once in their life. You can't convince most these people that they are giving up a lifetime of hunting opportunity for something that is probably never going to happen, while the fatcats at SFW not only profit from all of this but their wealthy members can have their hunting opportunities by buying auction tags every year. Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too, you just have to have enough $$$$$$, which is what rules in the Utah game management system.

The sad thing is that I see many of thing starting to occur here in Colorado. RFW and increased landowner permits are thing us common man, Colorado hunters need to band together against. Once you get to far down the pay for play road, it is very hard to go back.