Then yesterday a friend of mine from HS posts a note that everyone here should be on edge about. He noted that DCR is looking at stopping hunting and increasing access restrictions (so they are more like on reservation rules) on about 10,000 (yes, 10K) acres of land around quabbin which are DCR watershed properties, but not inside the Quabbin Reservation boundaries. Deer hunting would be allowed, though he was not sure if that would include archery, or only firearms following the "Quabbin" hunt. This would dramatically impact fishing and hunting (not to mention other activities (Xc ski anyone?) through out the Quabbin area.
For me, probably 80% of the land I hunt and fish would be impacted. You want to turkey hunt, bear, yotes? Nope - not on a huge volume of land in that area. Want to XC ski a trail that has been there for 30+ years, nope, not any more (if this passes).
I'm absolutely an environmental nerd. I'm very pro environment. This stuff though, is bogus.
So, I reach out to my bowsite family. Dont freak yet - even if I am a little - but keep your antennae up. If you hear anything on this, post up a link or what not so we can all learn more about what is going on.
I'm going to do some research today. My hope, is that it's an oversight that people who just were not thinking big picture missed. Or, that it's totally Bull Shitake... Because changing a rule that has been in place since the reservoir was filled in the late 30's, seems completely ridiculous.
GRRRR.
I hope this is incorrect,.. if it is not,.. boy I can see a ground swell of anger about that!
Tekoa
As you may guess , I made a very loud and scathing defense , especially driven by the sneaky underhanded way they went about it. They promised to take a "paper vote of interest" before it was even moved forward to planning. There was only 2 or 3 people in favor ( those who started this , with insider favors for themselves) and there was about 60 others that were against it. They didn't count the vote and went directly to shoving it up our well pipes.
I had a public nutty and demanded the votes be counted ... or else ! Time to stop that kind of control and abuse by bringing a very loud and clear public showing. It is our common land and resources ... Not theirs to take away ! Get loud and do it Now.
Something found on this :
President Donald J. Trump Stands with Local Communities Against Government Overreach on Land Management
The Antiquities Act does not give the Federal Government unlimited power to lock up millions of acres of land and water, and it’s time we ended this abusive practice.
RESPONSIBLE LAND MANAGEMENT: President Donald J. Trump is modifying two national monuments to continue to protect objects of significance while prioritizing public use and access.
ENDING OVERREACH ON PUBLIC LAND: President Trump is ending past overreach and abuse of the monument review process under the Antiquities Act that has closed off land to the public while continuing to protect objects of significance.
A NEW POLICY FOR LAND MANAGEMENT: President Trump and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke will work to put in place new land management policies to protect objects while prioritizing public access, facilitating infrastructure development, and allowing traditional uses of the land.
A TRANSPARENT REVIEW PROCESS: President Trump and his Administration are being open and transparent in the review of monuments...
Now compare this to the other side of the political disposition. Those stinking progressives that think they own us, thought police, word police, gender police, God-hating destroyers of our good country ... Take it back and bury that dead (political) body.
Ahhh , that felt good.
Tekoa, here's a great example, the "Fells" watershed in the boston area has a great trail network which is heavily mountain biked and has been for decades. In the DCR's OWN RESEARCH they note the mountain biking has not caused more trail breakdown than other uses and has not damaged the watershed... But in Rutland SF, they go wild on that use (Handing out 50 dollar fines, using trail cams and literally going into bike shops with pic's of people riding asking for info on who they are etc to fine them) and wont acknowledge their own research in the Fells, nor the increasing water quality in RSF.
Head exploding over here... Grrr...
Just think about that, for close to 80 years one set of rules has been great on nearly 10K acres and suddenly, it's not?
Nope, screw these guys. Get on their facebook, get in the local paper, and for Pete sake call your local selectmen!!! They are closing a natural resource for the area based on nothing! Go to public meetings and name the DCR person doing this. If you can call out the individual in all of this, it creates a clear line for the state “oh, this asshole is the problem, not us!!” Then they get rid of said asshole and are then hesitant to repeat the actions that had that person removed.
Finally, who is the state representative for your region? You need to email their office and call until you get a response. Let them know that the DCR, led by such and such individual is a problem, and layout what they’re doing. Frame it as a land grab from the citizens. Let them know that the decision is was not based on any study. Then, the next time tour rep is in the area, go see them and talk to them. Ryan Farman just held one in Milford.
You gotta play hard on this shit and yes, you have to play their game.
Cops, DCR, DFW...these people are not your friends. It is in their best interest to have you behaving as poorly as possible. Don’t let the little bitches get away with it.
Belchertown Bowman's Link
This latest blow underscores the administration’s continuing anti-conservation agenda and its strong preference for drilling, mining and logging over recreation, wildlife and conservation values.""
These folks who resigned are not progressives,.. radicals,.. liberals,.. or republicans,.. They are a bipartisan group of experts in the field serving/who served for years with honor for our national parks,.. and they all resigned,...
Trump basically has opened up large swaths of public lands for oil and coal development,.. I guess if you like that,.. he is doing a heck of a job!
Please read exactly what has been done so far,.. this article pretty much lists it all. This link not the above one
http://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/369821-americas-parks-and-public-lands-suffer-another-loss-under-trump
Belchertown Bowman's Link
I get your frustration but stay on the DCR target.
You should see all the land the DCR (ummm us the public) owns in the Town of Boylston. Literally pockets of land everywhere throughout our neighborhoods. No access. It is ridiculous.
On the flip side, people in general are pigs and literally trash everything. I am amazed at the difference between how we treat recreational land and how those in Wyoming, Montana, etc treat. The respect I see out there is truly genuine. Bring it in and take it out. Play hard but do not ruin it. Here in Mass, well I am not sure how to describe it. That is why we have no access to anything. It is much easier for the DCR and other agencies just to say, no access. That way it stays clean and does not get ruined. Not everyone is a pig, but there are enough pigs out there to ruin it for the rest of us. I used to participate in the Canal Cleanup day. The amount of shit that people leave behind is staggering.
A bit off topic, and not the reason why Rutland is having issues, but it made me feel better to say my peace. I am really disgusted with how many in this state treat our outdoors. It all goes back to strong family units, caring for each other and the environment, and taking advantage of what the great outdoors has to offer all of us.
Pi, I'm assuming you won that battle? I sure hope so! And in regards to your commentary about Trump and Zinke, I agree with you to an extent. The antiquities act has been used in a way it was never intended to be used in recent years, but the public is able to use all those lands for whatever recreation they so desire: hunting, fishing, mountain biking, hiking, etc. And I also agree with Zinkes' statement to increase public access, if he means more access we currently have, as mentioned above, but I do not think that their intentions are pure.
I listened to an interview with Rob Bishop recently, the House Natural Resources Committee Chairman. Lets remember he is from Utah, the state that demanded all federal lands within their state be handed over to the State of Utah to be used as they please. He was asked very pointed questions on multiple occasions about what increased public access meant to him and he did a terrific job dancing around the questions. The answer he did give multiple times was something along the lines of, "using our public lands for the publics best interest". Red flags go up immediately when I hear such a vague answer that hints at the fact that he thinks our public lands are not being used well right now. If you dive into Mr. Bishops campaign funding you'll find that resource extraction companies funded at least 8%.
Sosso, it may be a cash grab, but I dont think so - I mean, if you fine 100 mountain bikers 50 bucks each, what do you have? A PR nightmare and 5k to pay a seasonal employee. Meanwhile, they log acres of land annually which would provide likely many times more than that in income... So I dont think it's a cash grab in this case. My sense, on the Quabbin land thing (and my research has turned up VERY little on this, so I'm hoping upon home that it's BS) is that they just figured: "it will be simple if we just use one set of rules in and off reservation" and no one thought about it... Because regrettably, that's how people operate today - rarely do we (myself included, I get caught up and have brake to think slowly, IE better) think on systems levels.
I'm really hopeful this info was wrong... But my "OH HELL NO" antennae are pretty sharply up at the moment. I mean, again, think of that... 10 THOUSAND ACRES of huntable land - poof. Even Harvard University lets us hunt on their land in that area - no permits needed or anything! This would stink if it's true.
I want my public land to stay that way,.. not to be shrunk, drilled on, mountain top removed, or uranium mined like they are trying to do in the grand canyon.
I don't think anyones motives are pure either. It is used simply to shine the light on the difference of philosophical attitude. The last administration had infiltrated the constitutional boundries of our functioning of govenment , it trickled down and is still prevelent in the holdovers of that attitude... right down to the town level. My part of Ma and I would think the Amherst area is apt to follow in the footsteps of the Big Daddy thinking of that mentality. It is a mindset that invades and controls the people at every twist and turn. ( don't listen to the slick toungue of those snakes ) We don't need their new world opinion on our rights .
Trump is not a saint but Obama/Clinton may be working for The Other Side. Under their watch/ mentality, Government became abusive to the people that they should be serving. They set the tone from the top and it is just becoming apparent to the public now. ( I could see it all along) Corruption and abuse from the top down. I won't stand for it !
If Trump tries it , he will get his too ! But I believe his core principles/philosophical outlook are doing us good , for the greater part and that's all I can hope for. Not perfection .
Those "bipartisan" quitters were likely being overpaid and scheduled for the chopping block. They are hand puppets of the last administration. Slow down, buddy. Natural resources are a public commodity and using them is for our greater good. Responsibly of course! But your last EPA lackeys said there was no issue with a pipeline and still it wasn't allowed by your preferred King Mr. O'whatever. They restricted drilling in the far reaches of Alaska where no one even goes That was put back, as it should be... Resources are needed and held in common for our common good. Much like the deer we hunt . They belong to us all and the anti's have no say in using them. It is protected and thank God our founding fathers were as wise as they were. Otherwise its back to England and the stone ages of Kings and lords...
Be grateful we let the solar and wind people rape our land and clutter the skies with their low functioning gadgets... its a compromise. Youll have your turn again in about 7 years if you play nice.
Love ya Pi,.. be well and let this Easter be a time of celebration with your family and loved friends. May it be a renewel of our faith in god and hope for humanity.
As far as raping people with solar? I dont really know how to reply to that one?
Burn more coal,.. i guess. :/
I hope we do not lose more public lands. Thats all.
2.5 Pi... 2.5... or perhaps 7 months to a stalemate :).
That said, I'm a reformed libertarian who has an oddly conservative fiscal side for a guy who's major policy decisions would be governed via humanism. I'm a riddle, wrapped in an enigma I guess.
Because of that, I do hope Pres Trump can do some good things. For example, I'd love to see legit and solid infrastructure development, the likes of which the stimulus should have helped but was pork barreled to death. Ugh.
But as we PM'd about a long time ago now... The style of leadership he has, thus far, displayed is not one which generally works very well. There's zero servant leader going on there. Thus, if you don't like things President Bush or President Obama did, you like what President Trump is doing. And vice versa. But overall, the leadership has only flamed dissent and divisiveness. (yes, the extremes on both side are drivers there, I'm solely referencing President Trump).
I honestly do hope I look back in 2.5 years and think: "Wholly smokes, this was actually flat out amazing what he did. I didn't like how he did it. I didn't like that I'd be embarrassed if my kids communicated with or acted towards another human being as the guy does/has. I was sure there was going to be wide reaching environmental challenges which worsened solidly, and they didn't manifest. I didn't like the optics, but dang, some really good things were accomplished."
It's not hyperbole, I REALLY want to be wrong, and want to have those thoughts on that November day a few years from now (hopefully they are closely surrounded by thoughts of the deer I just shot too :), I mean, ITS NOVEMBER!)
To this point, I just expect and want more, out of the leader of the world (roughly speaking), if he is to get my vote.
Perhaps our words do speak volumes but our comprehension of those volumes are often subjective .
I just had to wiggle the lure a bit over the environmental / energy issue. I really shouldn't have ... sorry. And, If you re-read it, you will see that I wrote " raping land", not people. Just for clarity.
I too hope we don't lose ( have taken away by whomever) our current public land. However, I am not too worried about a few drill sights or some digging at the grand canyon area. We should use the natural fuels and we may need the Uranium ... Scary as that may be. ( the uranium part ) .
Best regards at Easter.
I understand your concern for the character flaws or whatever we want to call it, of our current POTUS. I had the same from the start but it is also a matter of the left side media always magnifying such things. Everyone has flaws. How would JFK stand up to that scrutiny if he was our top dog today? Of course, he would get a pass because he is not from the horrible Republican monsters right? How did people overlook the blatant sexual misconduct of Slick Willy Clinton and the hypocrisy of his wife? Or the privilege of being above prosecution? That one stumps me. Why do average folks down in the trenches give the power Elite that kind of worship? That must be a new religion.
I have a strong fiscal backbone myself. Not at the expense of hurting people or killing the environment but it is not that simple ... Well, the M.S. Media would have us think it is. They are a plague.
Trump is generating some financial empowerment and I like his intention and action there. Illegals ... Well, the good ones should not be tossed but shouldn't get special treatment either. The bad ones should be locked up or deported. Maybe they should pick up trash first... Can't argue with a border wall any more than with the front door we lock every night.
I don't need to be our presidents best bud. I need him to keep the USA safe and the engine running strong. For the sake of my grand-kids, I wouldn't let them listen to the crap that passes for most TV news stations. ( Fox excluded ) And I am not too worried about them being offended by a few off remarks, they hear much worse from everywhere else in their lives.
What concerns me more than the verbal mistakes and off colored remarks is the hypocrisy and phony life being played out as normal by some past leaders. That Clinton behavior had a slime to it that stuck. Pun intended. The racial issues are the trash left from the Obama years. He made it much worse. The folks need work and family values . Not a hate cops and White people chant.
Trump will win a second term because the economy will be strong and people will be sick of hearing about what he said 20 years ago when he was a pop figure. They and maybe you will get to "like him" for his accomplishments when you can forgive the overblown rhetoric that is pounded at us day after day. When this ridiculous Russia probe is finally laid to rest and when folks realize just what a huge machine he is up against, or is up against him, I should say. They may be picking up trash too.
I expect more out of the American people. If they gain a sense of themselves again and return to a more solid reality, they will take the best features of our past and also promote a dignified personality. Until then they got what they created.
Pray for our leaders. Hope for our future. Hold people accountable. Stop hating. Get to work. Cut down a windmill or two ... Kidding. Peace o' Pi
Times evolve and change. If Bill Clinton was running today, the blow back on his behavior would be epic. Heck, it was epic back then, hence impeachment. Kennedy, likely would suffer a similarly toxic environment... As would Nixon who odd as it may sound had some pretty darn progressive and sound environmental policy strategies he wanted to pass. It doesnt matter what party - if we are looking at "moral" indiscretions, shouldn't we all be equally hard on both parties and not, essentially, split down "party lines" as things appear nationally? Because Bill Clinton behaved like a Jerk, regardless of how anyone viewed it, we shouldnt pass him, but we shouldnt use him as a "rationalization" to pass others for the same transgressions.
Where are the lines we all can be happy with and compromise on is what it comes down to eh? Take the drilling. Sure, one or two more drills may be fine... But the odds that that is all it will be is slim to none. What business today starts to make more money and says: "Hey, we are good, the share holders will be satisfied, we can stop now". Maybe they exist, but it's the exception. It will be two more, then two more, then another, then "whats 10 more" then whats another 2 then "if we did it here"... If there was at least a ceiling in place, cool. No ceiling = no protections. That gets concerning. Because the resources we as a people "own" are not just those which yield financial reward. Wild places are a value beyond money which we all own as well.
Uranium, given we currently have enough nuclear weapons to end life on earth, why do we need more? Nuclear power perhaps? But beyond that how much do we need, what's the plan?
Why was an initial move environmentally, within weeks of starting, rolling back coal mine effluent laws such that cold water streams and headwaters could now be filled with effluent (not the intent of the rule, but the reason it was there, and what it protected against). Those streams flow into rivers and or reservoirs.
An apparent lack of seeking out voices of dissent to help lead President Trump to well rounded opinions would be nice. I dont know about you, but I literally take personal/professional development time every week and devote it to reading ideas I disagree with or taking classes/seminars in the same vein. Heck, that's why I've enjoyed and will continue to enjoy our "discussions" here, obviously we have different opinions on things, and it's helpful to me to see other angles! It's a hugely beneficial tool to understand the greater context of issues and how they relate both to history and the future in a variety of situations (Mostly I do this in my field, but I've learned it applies everywhere in life so apply it all over now less formally). It feels hard, but it's good and sometimes even changes my mind on issues. If feels like the President is doing everything possible to avoid that - I may be wrong... Mostly I go of APNews so things are relatively unbiased one way or the other, maybe what I've learned over the last few years is inaccurate? That's a key though, we are at our most creative, ingenious, thoughtful, when cognitive dissonance is a factor. We should seek it (cognitive dissonance) out, not build frame works to avoid it. It's that very factor which keeps us off D & K's "Peak of Inflated Expectations" AKA the Peak of Mt Stupid as it's noted in semi-pop sources like the Harvard Business Review.
Those are not liberal talking points. Those are legitimate questions. Like I noted in the other post, if you didnt like President Bush (either of them really), and you didnt like President Clinton or President Obama, then you probably like President Trump and vice versa.
Happy hunting and fishing brother. On this one - I'm going to hope I'm wrong, and you can pick on me in several years and remind me of how wrong I was. I really do!
Hey - happy Easter too! Enjoy the weekend with your family and friends! Should be a good one here, we get to see my Nephew for the first time since Xmas (he's at college) so that's going to be awesome.
Will
Yeah - tons of birds round. Good to hear they are there - you on em this year or off fishing... If the latter, Ill check in on em time to time hoping to invite one to dinner :)
Have you heard anything on this DCR thing? That triangle south of your place would be off limits - both sides of the road... As would that land where you nicked the giant a few years ago (at least off limits for turkey, bear, coyotes, squirrels, etc). Deer, sound's like we would still get to do our thing... Heck of a loss of ground if it happens!
Sosso's Link
We may be divided on politics, etc. but we all agree that this is a land grab that should be stopped.
Just curious, from what party/belief system, is the turd that wants to infringe on our public land use representing? What the hell is that person or group of people thinking?
Xi - not totally sure, though I know Anne Gobi is a Hunter/fisherman/outdoors lover helper in a big way, and her district includes some of the questioned lands. A quick look suggested Stan Rosenburg (rep) would be one and I'm pretty sure Susannah whipps (positive actually) would be a rep as well. But I'm not sure of how things look Ware/Belchertown/Shutesbury...
I did post my concert to Boston Bowhunter on Facebook. Not much was said in response, but, a guy from Wendell (little town, west side of the reservoir for those of you who dont know that area well) said he heard it was a false alarm. Fingers crossed that's true. Wish to heck I could get to the meeting tonight! Hope to hear more tomorrow...
REALLY hoping this is a false alarm!
Some very strong beliefs in both directions as I recall. I hope it is just a hoax but if so whoever started it should get an earful .
Today I am burning the piles of brush from clearing my land. Snow is gently falling and the marsh is a long white field . The other side of the bay is lost in a fog.
A peculiar little bird has hung around all day and played around my burning piles . I can't help think about my grandfather who claimed this space and passed it on. His nickname, when a boy was " little bird."
Peace of Pi.
Everyone should have such a place but you just never know when it could slip away.
