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Federal Mgt vs State - Alaska

I have been a little surprised at the number of Bowsiters who seem dead set against states taking title to chunks of federal land. A time or two I have pointed out the problems we are stuck with on federal land in Alaska, where the feds took over management of wildlife (and fish) on federal lands because the State of Alaska wouldn't amend their state constitution and allow discrimination in use of wildlife based solely on your Zipcode (per the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, 1980.) The latest in this battle is detailed at the link. The Federal Subsistence Board is preparing to limit caribou hunting in GMU 26, which includes the Dalton Highway (Haul Road.) So my question for those of you who are dead set against transfer of federal holdings to states and so deliriously happy with federal management: "Are you OK with being aced out of caribou hunting opportunities on millions of acres of federal land?" Or may be you don't think it will happen in YOUR area, so you don't care what happens way up North?

Pete

That is because people are spooked about "Big Oil"

Pete, Alaska state government has a long and cherished history of blowing money on pipe dreams and super projects that didn't do anyone any good except those extracting the money.

They can't balance their budget now and adding more land surely wouldn't make them any better.

I think you need to separate the hunting and game management issues from the idea that the state will do a good job managing federal land. Sure no record to shoe they would.

What difference would it make if the state sold off lands that were transferred from the feds vs native corporations lobbying and blocking off entire GMUs that are comprised mostly of federal land plus all the road and river corridors blocked off by natives? Either way the opportunity to hunt is lost on land that we all own. If the state controlled the land at least we would have the opportunity to hunt and use the resource until it is hypothetically sold off as opposed to being legislated out by special interest groups.

Alaska and the lower 48 are two different animals (and there's a lot of reasons for this, one huge reason being that Alaska's hunting tradition runs far deeper than most places in the lower 48 and that 1/2 the Alaskan population is native). And people don't want Federal management of animals in the lower 48, they just want Federal lands to stay in Federal ownership with the states managing the animals so that states don't end up selling the land to private owners, which is the history of state-owned lands in the lower 48 - there's precedent for this.

Alaska's recent Federal game intervention has nothing to do with anything other than native populations putting pressure on the Feds and the Feds bowing to that pressure. Half of Alaska's population are natives and they hold huge sway in Washington DC because no politician wants to be seen as anti-native.

And it's not just 26. There's a bill from Dean Westlake to make the bou in 22, 23, and parts of the north slope require a guide.

"... people don't want Federal management of animals in the lower 48, they just want Federal lands to stay in Federal ownership with the states managing the animals so that states don't end up selling the land to private owners, which is the history of state-owned lands in the lower 48 - there's precedent for this. "

^^^this^^^ Absolutely do not want fed managing animals....AK or lower 48.

Pete, we are facing loss of local control up here in Northern NH with the feds taking over over 8 million acres of homes and timberlands. They are using purchase so far but have used emminent domain. As they buy up timberlands they destroy our main industry. They are also working to ban all motorized recreation and have taken away turkey hunting. Bear hunting is limited with a total ban planned. We are a property tax state. The feds pay no taxes so any land they take is gone from our tax base. They pay a PILT payment but that is funded at only 23% and is based on current use values, 5-10% of what it used to be as they burn down all structures on the property. I have fought these communists for 14 years to no avail as they have taken almost half of our town. The good news is that they are now going after large tracts of land down along the Connecticutt River and Southern NH owned by rich libs and they are waking up. Probably too late for us along the border. Looks like I will be taxed out of my land or lose it to emminent domain and have to eventually retire to our land in Northern Newfy.

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