Utah expo and RMEF???

[BuzzH]

I'm not sure of the details, but I've been hearing that SFW may not be hosting the expo this year and perhaps the RMEF will be?

I guess the five year bid for the Expo came up for renewal last month. Rumor is the RMEF submitted a proposal and has offered 100% of the raffle ticket sales back to the state of Utah.

Anyone else hear anything?

 

[jryoung]

Interesting, I wonder how the auction and raffle tags are set up and could the host of the show provide them back to the state? Or is it mandated that they must go through the show?

 

[Oak]

Ha, I posted the same topic over on MM before seeing this.

Interesting, I wonder how the auction and raffle tags are set up and could the host of the show provide them back to the state? Or is it mandated that they must go through the show?

I don't think there are any auction tags tied to the expo. Those are either tags issued to SFW or MDF, or come from contracts those groups have with other conservation organizations, I believe.

 

[HighDesertSage]

What is MM?

 

[idahofishnhunt]

Ha, I posted the same topic over on MM before seeing this.

You posted on Monster Mouths before Hunt Talk? For shame.

 

[Oak]

What is MM?

You should truly feel blessed that you have to ask that question.

With apologies to the boss here, it's a website called Monstermuleys.

 

[BuzzH]

Wow, if the RMEF gave 100% of the money from the $5 application fees back to the UDWR, that would be a huge win for wildlife and sportsmen in Utah.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Wow, if the RMEF gave 100% of the money from the $5 application fees back to the UDWR, that would be a huge win for wildlife and sportsmen in Utah.

Yes it would.

I wonder if the bids are a matter of public record? Anybody know if we can find out? Given the UT political system, I would worry that this simply get "disappeared" in favor of their no-bid buddies.

Good for RMEF if the rumor proves true.

 

[Oak]

Someone just posted the following on my thread on MM:

It is not a rumor. RMEF's proposal was hand delivered to the UDWR yesterday. RMEF is proposing to bring their national convention to Utah and to contract for the current expo tags. RMEF's proposal is to return 100% of the $5.00 application fee for the expo tags to the UDWR, no strings attached. Their convention would dwarf the current SFW/MDF convention. It would be a great thing for Utah and truly have the national attendance.

 

[Oak]

I wonder if the bids are a matter of public record? Anybody know if we can find out?

I have successfully filed GRAMA requests in UT before, which is their state equivalent of FOIA. I would guess that stuff is available.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Just when I was thinking I was going to skip the Expo next year....................

 

[Oneye]

Let me be the first to say this is amazing. SFW and the Mule Deer foundation just got pushed out of the way by a much bigger, better, and respectable conservation machine. Utah has been under the thumb of SFW for too long and its time that this contract changes to an organization as respectable as the RMEF. Currently SFW/MDF only return 30% of the $5 fees, 100% of those fees would be amazing for wildlife in Utah, and with the membership and much bigger organization that RMEF is, it would be much better for the state of Utah, and the states wildlife. I don't care if SFW/MDF offer the same thing, I want the RMEF to get this.

Here's the blocking card, on the Utah wildlife board their are several former SFW members sitting at the yea, and nea table, that will have to approve this change. So I would say that even anyone who doesn't live in the state, contact the members of the Utah wildlife board and support the change to the RMEF, it would give so much better influence than the two groups sitting at the helm now. They haven't posted the new wildlife board members but I'll post a link to their emails once they've updated it. I didn't plan on attending the expo this year if SFW was still running the operation, if RMEF is running it and they are agreeing to return 100% of the proceeds to wildlife in the state, looks like I'll be spending a lot more money.

I do have a question though, will this be for the 2016 expo? or would they be taking over for the 2017 expo?

 

[bmack]

This would be fantastic!

 

[WapitiBob]

If it's just a proposal, I wouldn't get too excited. It is Utah and SFW after all.

 

[jryoung]

So I would say that even anyone who doesn't live in the state, contact the members of the Utah wildlife board and support the change to the RMEF, it would give so much better influence than the two groups sitting at the helm now. They haven't posted the new wildlife board members but I'll post a link to their emails once they've updated it.

This

Hopefully Oak can get some concrete details and some factual discussion points can be formed as to why this is a great idea. If the public steps up in favor, communicates the benefits, and tells the board they be willing to travel to the expo then it would be a hard proposal to ignore.

If the RMEF could come out and say what they are up to and their constituents took to the internet/phone it would make it all that more convincing.

 

[Oneye]

If it's just a proposal, I wouldn't get too excited. It is Utah and SFW after all.

It is not exactly a proposal, it is more like a bid for any other state contract, if they found a way to get around a proposal this strong, it would surprise me. If pressure is applied by emails to the wildlife board, and the DWR director by the giant audience of the RMEF members and Utah hunters, I doubt they'll be able to ignore that RMEF is a national audience that would bring far better attendance and conservation to our state. RMEF hand delivered it to the DWR, and proposed to bring their national convention to Utah. It would be great and they would have to find a sleazy way to not do this.

 

[BuzzH]

If it's just a proposal, I wouldn't get too excited. It is Utah and SFW after all.

There will be some serious questions to answer if the RMEF proposal is ignored, by a lot of people.

May be the final blow to SFW regarding the alleged corruption that's gone on in the past. IMO, there are already a lot of sportsmen in Utah that are really on the fence regarding the BS that SFW has pulled.

Its well past time that SFW loses their influence over wildlife in Utah.

 

[Oak]

Hopefully Oak can get some concrete details and some factual discussion points can be formed as to why this is a great idea.

I have not filed a GRAMA request on this issue. But I wonder how quickly they would fulfill such a request to provide all proposals received? I'm guessing not until after the selection process is complete.

 

[elkantlers]

Awesome. I really hope this happens. The one problem is the wildlife board is made up of SFW puppets. The new chairman is a SFW coolaid drinker and is controlled by peayday. Hopefully enough people can push thus through.

 

[Moosie]

SFW = Sportsmen For Wealthy ?

MM=Monster Mouth. I actually laughed on that one !!