Hunter Unity?
West Virginia
John McCoy: Lack of unity hampers W.Va. hunters, anglers West Virginia’s hunters and anglers need a voice.For too many years, the state’s estimated 300,000 sportsmen and sportswomen have cowered in the shadows, fearing the next blow they might suffer at the hands of elected and appointed officials.And because the sporting public has done little but whimper, the blows are coming more frequently now. A heavy blow landed a few weeks ago, when the Legislature took away the Division of Natural Resources’ regulation of deer farms and handed it to the Department of Agriculture.The DNR, fearful that chronic wasting disease might be transmitted to even more of the state’s wild deer, had kept a tight rein on the farmers’ ability to import potentially diseased animals into their facilities. If history is any indication, the Ag Department’s reins will be much looser.Deer farmers were able to push the bill through the Legislature for two reasons: They put up a united front, and they hired lobbyists to exert pressure on lawmakers.Sportsmen didn’t do that. A few volunteers showed up at the Legislature from time to time, but clearly they had little influence on the outcome.Contrast that to 1995, when a unified, motivated coalition of hunters and anglers forced the Legislature to do something it absolutely didn’t want to do — amend the state’s constitution to prevent the lawmakers themselves from diverting the DNR’s hunting- and fishing-license revenue for use by other state agencies.It was one of only a handful of times, at least in my experience, that the state’s sporting community brought the full weight of its influence to bear.I frankly don’t believe hunters and anglers realize how much political muscle they could have if they spoke with a unified voice.They don’t, though. They’re so wrapped up in parochial interests they can’t see the big picture. At the Natural Resources Commission’s most recent meeting, bear hunters and bowhunters spent what seemed like half the meeting taking verbal swipes at one another. If they’d devote even one-third as much energy into sitting down with one another and figuring out how to work together for hunters as a whole, it’s hard to tell what they might accomplish.The same goes for anglers. Heck, trout anglers don’t even have to criticize bass or muskie anglers because they’re too busy fighting among themselves. The stocked-trout faction gripes that not enough trout are being raised in hatcheries, while the native-trout faction warns that the stocking of brown and rainbow trout will someday trigger the demise of Civilization as We Know It.Every bit of this petty bickering plays into the hands of elected officials, political appointees and governmental bureaucrats. They love it that the sporting public doesn’t band together, because a divided public is easier to control.That’s right, control. Given a chance, the very people who are supposed to follow the will of the people instead impose their will on the very people they’re supposed to serve.Sadly, the sporting community is playing into their hands. In the span of just 20 years, the state’s hunters and anglers have devolved from the political juggernaut they were in 1995 to the kiddie car they are today.They need a strong, unified voice, and they need it now. It’s high time that the leaders of the state’s many sporting groups band together and form one large, unified statewide organization that speaks for the sporting public at large.With the muscle of such an organization, sportsmen and sportswomen not only would be able to ward off any blows aimed at them, they might also be able to strike a few blows of their own.What a concept… - See more at: http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20150314/GZ07/150319431/1118#sthash.Lb7ULZdc.Bc4c4xNd.dpuf
It would be a great idea if all the sportsman's organization would get together, but I don't ever see that happening. Because we have certain groups that think they are better than others and think they are the only ones who knows what is going on.
Yeah, some people are like that too
We are being taken over by our own government while we watch. Not just involving hunting but in our everday lives. If we can't take back our country then we can never take back the DNR. I'm at the point where I'm too old to do much about it but the younger generation will have to deal with it., I just hope I'm gone when the Muslims take over. They outnumber us big time. Think I am kidding? Do the research. They are here voting and are poised to take over.
On the bear hunters and bow hunters taking verbal swipes at each other: I was not at that meeting but from what I heard it all has to do with baiting for deer. Bear hunters say that more bears are killed during low mast years by bow hunters due to using bait.
I have seen bait piles while bear hunting in West Virginia. Mostly during the December season. Most were close to access roads on old coal mine land. I saw a group of dog hunters and ask them if they had seen the bait piles. One of them said yes, we put them there so our dogs can pick the trail easier as they drive the roads.
I have not hunter that area since then.
It's illegal to bait bears so why would Bowhunters be doing it?
We need to unite in an organization that represents hunting and fishing. I also think the bickering needs to be set aside within the support of this organization, to ensure that they jealously represent the interest of the outdoor sports in the legislature and in the community. By design, we already have that group. It is called the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources. What makes WV outdoor sports so great is the fact that we don't have lobby money running our resource management at this point. Hunting and Fishing loses when lobbing gets involved.
For that reason, any and all special interest hunting and fishing groups that require paid membership, will step on the fellow hunter to push their intended agenda. So, they will never get my support. We see it in fishing, through hunting. We have our share of agenda pushing right now. We don't need more. What we are lacking on is sportsmen that realize what our DNR is doing to preserve our interests. Most want to tell you how they are failing at it.
We all want what we want. And a lot of times, that just doesn't suit the betterment of hunting and fishing in WV. If we would figure out a way to additionally fund the DNR, and quit funding special interest groups that lobby that freedom away from all hunter's and fishermen by passing over the DNR and their input, we would be united. God Bless
It really is ok to disagree with each other at times if you do it in a respectable way and you use facts and knowledge in your argument and try to do the best you can to keep emotions under control.
I totally disagree with you if you think the DNR or Department of Education or which ever state run group cannot make mistakes at times - that we as private individuals or private groups cannot speak out against them when those mistakes are made - again I am sorry we will have to disagree.
I am not saying that the DNR is terrible or cannot be trusted - but sometimes there are mistakes made and they need to be held accountable for them. Overall - I think they do a great job - but the people have a right to a voice also.
Wonder what would have happen if our founding fathers would have been accused of bickering and were told to let the government run agency handle the show and they need all of our funds going towards them.
Root of all evil in government - is funding. Money does not fix everything! Funny thing is ideas really don't cost a darn thing....
well each group will always bicker with the other group. That will not ever stop.
Jay D, I never said they were perfect or never made mistakes. I am certain they are doing the best good for the masses. Special interest groups can't claim that. They are funded by membership fee's that ensures that they lobby for an agenda. That isn;t representation for the masses.
The DNR isn't legislature. It is a state agency that does not gets it's funding from special interest groups. It is a group of people that agency state wildlife management. While I agree that government is a disease, Our DNR isn't the government in that sense. It's role is to facilitate communication from the sportsmen to the legislature and, manage our wildlife resource. They do that based on scientific input, our input, and other variables. They are the uniting force of sportsmen and law. And they don't bend to social pressure. That's unbiased, fair representation. What else could we dream of?
Don;t trust the legislature. I agree. Don't trust the DNR? I think that is incorrect to suggest the men and women that have chosen this low paying profession, has ulterior motives other than doing the best job they could possibly do.
Be aware of people or groups that want something based on desire. That isn't our DNR. God Bless
Who said anything about not trusting the dnr? I said at time mistakes are made. Wasn't that long ago it was believed by some biologist that spikes were inferior animals.
Some times people need to form groups to put some weight behind what they believe and there is nothing wrong with that.
The DNR just needs money.
The problem with groups of people formed to oppose or right the DNR is, that most don't or can't distinguish right from wrong based on the facts and science of the situation. Not all but, most. Special interest isn't concerned with the reality, only that results that produce their agenda.
Agree with the assessment that the DNR is the uniting force or not, it doesn't change that reality that Special Interest groups base their views on the results they seek, not the reality's of the situation. God Bless
