Why being organized matters

[Big Fin]

This crap is happening everywhere.

I just found this today...

Double the "wealth tags" in Alaska and up the profit to the "non-profit" from 10 to 25%!

http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=HB0161A&session=28

Proposing to sell 40 permits. When will this shit end!?!?

Alaska's game department is NOT hurting for money, nor are there any special projects that need to be done. They can't spend all the money they get now! There is absolutely no need for these extra tags... well unless you're SFW and get half of them.

What a joke. I bet half of them get sold at the SFW welfare Expo dinner next year.

I wonder how AK G&F is going to enforce that the selling group cannot use any proceeds for lobby, supporting politicians, etc. when the SFW crowd spends as much as they do greasing the palms of politicians or paying their "consultants" to do the same.

Evidently the Utah franchise operation is going to take hold in Alaska.

Thanks for the heads up on this, Bambi. Sorry to see the pox infecting a wider landscape.

 

[Bambistew]

Can't imagine why they would delete the last part... Its not only the cost of the "auction" but gravey at the end. IIRC the total number of permits was doubled about 4 years ago... by none other than the SFW skuzz who was running the F&G.

[Deletion]
Insertion

If the auction or raffle is conducted by a qualified organization, the organization may retain an amount from the gross proceeds of the auction or raffle equal to the administrative cost of the auction or raffle plus an amount not to exceed 25 [10] percent of the net proceeds. The percent of the proceeds from the auction or raffle of a big game harvest permit retained by the organization may be used only to support conservation projects and conservation education programs approved by the department [NOT BE USED TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO ANY CANDIDATE FOR POLITICAL OFFICE OR TO ANY ORGANIZATION SUPPORTING OR OPPOSING BALLOT PROPOSITIONS OR TO PAY EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH LOBBYING THE LEGISLATURE OR ADMINISTRATION].

 

[Oak]

That is disturbing, Bambi. Another example of why you need to be organized. The opposition is, and hunters are paying him to lobby against them! I went over to AOD and was surprised that there isn't a 6 page thread about this bill.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Something else to remember: Groups that work at the state level, lobby the state house, work on season setting, etc generally get less revenue than groups who work exclusively on public land issues at the federal level. Grant funding usually doesn't over these kinds of expenses, so it's even more difficult to raise the funding necessary to hire a lobbyist.

Just an example of what a full time lobbyist costs in the West (not sure what the going rates are elsewhere):

Cheap: $10K a month
Mid-Level: $15K a month
Top tier: $20K a month.

That's a lot of raffle tickets, individual memberships and small donations.

 

[JohnCushman]

Joined BHA today...feel pretty cool now

 

[Ben Lamb]

John, you're always the coolest kid in the class.

 

[Jwill]

The article in this month's Bugle by Madson was an excellent read and somewhat on topic for this discussion. We need to be organized and vigilant to keep the bums out of our wildlife management.

Here in VA we've got a bill headed to the Governor to legalize hunting on Sunday. It has been pretty cool to see a bunch of different groups come together and fight for this and get it through the legislature. Organization is the key.

Hope the boys in Utah are successful on the stream bill. We had a right to float bill shot down this session.

 

[Bambistew]

That is disturbing, Bambi. Another example of why you need to be organized. The opposition is, and hunters are paying him to lobby against them! I went over to AOD and was surprised that there isn't a 6 page thread about this bill.

Haha... AOD is amateur hour on all topics related to game management. They're more worried about their sidearm having enough "power" to stop a charging griz, or how much money they can make off a guided NR hunt.

I will say this... expect chit to change in a BIG way when it comes to sheep hunting in Alaska, especially if you're a non-resident. I suggest you book your sheep hunt sooner rather than later. The fire has been lit, and we're about to put it out.