SL Tribune trashes the DWR's RAC process

Petersen said:

I read an interesting article in the Tribune from Tom Wharton at http://sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_6809767

Here's the first paragraph: "Utah ought to get away from the sham that the public owns wildlife and is a part of its management. If truth in advertising were in effect, the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) would be called the Division of Hunting and Angling."

He goes on to describe how a former non-hunting RAC member says the entire thing was rigged to promote hunting and fishing, and then blames special interest groups like Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife.

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Tom Wharton needs to address the bigger issue. It has been hashed over and over about the fact that the DWR caters to the sportsman more than the tree huggers. I heard it brought up by a tree hugger at a rac and the spokesman for the dwr gave a great reply. He said "Ok, you feel that we do more for the hunters than the viewers? Let me explain why. The hunters pay out x amount of dollars every year that pays our wages, helps us in rehabitation, and in all aspects of our job, we rely on the sportsmans dollars. We have not figured out a way for the photographers, and viewers to help out in this work. They take from it and expect there to be animals to view but in no way contribute to the work. We need the sportsmans dollars to survive."

What in the heck are we talking about????????????????????????????????????/

wyoming2utah said:

wileywapati said:

Less than 10% of society hunt.

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This is why I am adamantly against the elimination of general season hunting (if it is biologically not going to hurt herds/game populations) and am a proponent of youth hunting tags...as hunters we need to do what we can to recruit new hunters who will keep the hunting tradition alive. If we don't keep recruiting new hunters, our hunting priveleges will slowly fade away!

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+1

I know this isn't helping with the argument about Utah and the Racs and all but If we wan't to give kids success then put in for Wyoming Antelope. Don't put in close to Utah as that is too hard to draw but plan on a 7 hour drive from the wasatch area and take those kids to hunt some big game. It is a blast and relatively cheap. The trophy difference of bucks age differences aren't as big as say mule deer so they don't feel bad about shooting a spike or something but most all Pronghorn are respectable size and you will have them hooked on Big game hunting.

Ok, I am off from my hi-jacking soap box and we can get back to the thread of Dwr Rac's.

wapiti67 said:

This thread hasnt been talked about in awhile...

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Good reminder and I love your signature. Although the bull that I am looking for is the size of the chapter and verse.