HB 2072 Sale of big game tags

[DesertBull]

What is this a COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET bill from Rep Wierds

 

If he has done so much for the sport then maybe he's been around to long and its time for the pasture, or he has been bought or its mid-life crisis anyway you see it his days are over!!!!!!!!

 

I agree that the bill was handled very poorly from both the Rep and AZSFW but we've all made poor decisions in both our work and personal lives. I think the good he has done far outweighs this one mistake and should not be a death sentence to his career. He pulled the bill immediately so that should have some consideration too. We don't know what kind of BS line he was fed from the originators of the idea either.

 

We certainly need to be careful because he could be replaced by someone in the Sierra Club or PETA.

[DesertBull]

So taking only (1) unit 9 early bull tag for auction when there are only 25 tags, um that's 4% of the tags for that hunt.

 

(1) archery bull tag in a unit with only 50 tags is 2% of the tags, I could go on...

 

but hey it is only .02% of the available tags right?

 

Exactly.

 

As a famous politician once said....".that's fuzzy math"

[SirRoyal]

What is this a COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET bill from Rep Wierds

 

If he has done so much for the sport then maybe he's been around to long and its time for the pasture, or he has been bought or its mid-life crisis anyway you see it his days are over!!!!!!!!

 

I agree that the bill was handled very poorly from both the Rep and AZSFW but we've all made poor decisions in both our work and personal lives. I think the good he has done far outweighs this one mistake and should not be a death sentence to his career. He pulled the bill immediately so that should have some consideration too. We don't know what kind of BS line he was fed from the originators of the idea either.

 

We certainly need to be careful because he could be replaced by someone in the Sierra Club or PETA.

 

 

 

 

 

Poor decisions that effect OTHERS in a negative way are based on a irresponsible selfish mind-set that has only one goal and that is to satisfy ones own selfish interest. He was bought thats my final conclusion! Its kinda like the always honest bank teller and his cohorts who helped him devise a scheme to steal the money at the bank. So the teller steals it and then gets remorse and returns it hopefully before anybody finds out! IS HE STILL GUILTY?

[DesertBull]

yes, he's still guilty of a CRIME.

 

If the Rep committed a crime, then he should face the penalty. No question.

[TLH]

my only comment after reading thru this mess is. If this was such an honorable deal why didn't BPJ or TLH or any one else for that matter come on this forum and say something beforehand. Like hey were looking at proposing this deal, this is why and what do you all think....My thinking is that when something is snuck in thru the back door, it most likely didn't belong inside in the first place.

 

 

Running bird---i own and operate www.thearizonahunter.com and that is where we posted it. I do not agree with this bill at all and i am not sure if you have read my posts or not but you will see i challenged John on many posts. My thing is i do not agree with booting Weiers out of office i think it would be a huge mistake to do so.

 

I found out about this bill when Chris posted it and when Gary posted it on my website. As soon as i found out i started to research the bill and i called many people who i trust and none of them agreed with the bill at all. I watched the commission meeting from start to finish and was elated that the commissioners voted 5 to 0 on this. It was a very badly written bill that was ramrodded and pushed through to get it past all of us and that pisses me off.

 

I do not want any of the critter groups or the SFW to make decisions for me and i will not let them if i can find out fast enough to get it out to the public.

 

So, the reason i didn't come out and tell you about this is because i was just like the rest of you and found out about it when it was posted on my website.

 

I will always post things on my site that will inform my group and i will always fight for what i think is right---and this bill was not right at all.

[runningbird]

My mistake TLH, I misread two different post. Thanks for the clarification.

I have also edited my post.

[elkaholic]

---- I'd really like to see - where anything has been written or posted on the legislature agenda that the bill is officially been pulled or dead - i can still only see where the meeting was cancelled

 

http://www.azleg.gov/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=hb2072&Session_Id=107

 

http://www.azleg.gov/SearchResults.asp?SearchedFrom=%2FBills.asp&Scope=%2Flegtext%2F50leg%2F2R&SearchPhrase=big+game+tags&x=15&y=10

 

 

i see nothing official this bill has been killed! it still list weiers as sponor!

 

Can anyone find out - I've had no reply from any legislator - contact your rep for confirmation

 

I'm probably just being parinoid -these things take time - but better safe than sorry .

[ThomC]

If Mr. Weiers really wants to help sportsmen and sportswomen then he needs to pass a bill absolutely giving the power to run the Game & Fish Department to the commission. No bill should ever go to the legislature without the approval of the commission.

[coueshunter]

I am just baffled by the fact that between all of the conservation groups and AZSFW that no forewarning emails to members could be sent on upcoming legislation like this bill. I remember when AZSFW was first proposed for our state and I recall "Assurances" from various people that it wouldnt be like Utah SFW. I guess the simple question to all the conservation groups, AZSFW, NRA etc... is just this. If me, and "average joe" is just not bright enough or involved enough to handle complicated lobbying duties, COULD YOU PLEASE AT LEAST SEND OUT EMAIL ANNOUNCEMENTS when you are "Acting on my behalf" or better yet, at least let me have some input into topics that I feel passionate about. I have kept up with this issue since it first came to light and am very very concerned that the group I "need to trust" to handle the lobbying duties is precisely the group that created this document. I read where Jay said to get informed before making decisions, and I for one have been informed on this issue. I was informed on the USO issue and went to commission meetings and did grass roots lobbying to thwart that fiasco. There are alot of "average joe's" out there that can help out without expecting accolades or renumeration, all the conservation groups have to do is COMMUNICATE PRIOR TO ACTING. Now many groups are going to spend time on "cleaning up"............Allen Taylor..........

[krp]

The reason I wanted the info is there is a perception based on this tread that Weiers and AZSFW are fused at the hip. John's response is about what I figured. Weiers is very much involved in sportsmen issues and AZSFW not so much. The mistake I see is Weiers listening to special interest groups that lobby without at least some input from the majority of sportsmen. Understandable and something that can easily be rectified, Amanda's and Terry's sites are a powerful avenue for a politician to soundboard off on issues from the very people they want support from at the voting polls or contacting politicians. This should be the lesson and good that comes from this debacle.

 

Weiers shouldn't be thrown under the bus... but also should be enlightened to the fact he can advance his agendas better than he has in the past by at least some conversation and input from those of us who are a majority but not involved in special interest groups or lobbying. Our voice is fairly loud as proven this last week. Amanda and Terry I'm sure would accommodate him with forums he can utilize.

 

As far as AZSFW... I'll just throw some general responses out in no particular order...

 

Why would I recognize as my leader politically an organization that has SFW in it's title?

 

SFW does not have a respectable name in the west, the only reason that would be in an organizations name is from ties to the same sources somehow.

 

As long as SFW was fundraising through it's private sources I have no say in how it runs it business, same as PETA, Sierra Club ect, once it tries to move into the public sector for funding, then expect heads to turn and look.

 

Somehow being on SFW's email list for most of us is well down the list of all the national and state issues destroying our American way of life. Doesn't mean we can't take a few days and squash a real threat handily if it presents itself.

 

I'm guilty of relaxing on the commission issue after Jan Brewer proved she can make the right choices. I was very outspoken on how the commission was not answerable to a voting constituency during Nappy's reign... now it seems we have two unanswerable groups.

 

Lastly, John seems like a good guy, unfortunately the closer you are to these situation the harder it is to see outside.

 

Kent

[TLH]

My mistake TLH, I misread two different post. Thanks for the clarification.

I have also edited my post.

 

No problem at all--thanks for editing the post.

[40-year-AZ-hunter]

 

I have emailed Ms Gilstrap (AzSFW's contact person) and asked "If I am not a member of a sponsoring organization, a business partner, or a $1000 donor, how do I get to be a Board member of AzSFW?"

 

IF.... I get a reply I will be sure to post it.

 

 

 

 

Here is the response I received...

 

"Bruce, Individuals are not eligible to sit on the Board of Directors. Thanks for the inquiry. Suzanne"

 

So it appears the control of the AzSFW is VERY tightly controlled. I'd still love to see their Bylaws but they don't seem to be available to us either.

[TOBY]

I am only going to make 1 post on this subject and that is it.

 

It is really sad that sportsmen are so obsessed with losing 1 tag from a hunt that would go to raffle or auction in order to help prolong the sport of hunting in this great state. For example if we take 1 tag out of unit 10 for the early archery hunt there would be 199 tags available for draw instead of 200. Now we auction that tag off and bring in $5000 for the tag, all that money is going right back to keep hunting alive and opening up more land for us to hunt.

 

We need groups like the AZSFW to not only fight legislation that goes through that most sportsmen will never hear about, but to also keep the sport alive. This bill was not only going to help out the sport in the long run, it was also in place to help open up more private property for the average joe hunter who cannot afford to go up to the high dollar ranches in some of the best antelope units and now some of the best elk units. These changes may not have been scene in the first 5 years, but as everybody preaches on here we need to think about the future for the kids. This bill was going to be one of the best things that could have happened for the future generations in this state.

 

There has also been talk about how this will be the first step to having landowner tags. How is it possible that will happen when it is stated that the proceeds of these tag sales will go fourth to help open up for private land for public access.

 

I know that BPJ has taken a beating from just about everybody who has posted on here and he has done nothing but responded to all of the questions and criticism. BPJ I hope you know there are people out there that do care about this state and support a lot of your opinions. Keep up the great work

None of my business,but dont you work for one of the outfitters who guides most of the money tags? Of course you would support this bill it supports your bosses.

[elkaholic]

Toby - are you new here -

 

guess you don't know azcouesandelk

 

I'm sure he is an excellent outfitter/ guide! just my .02

 

He can guide for me anytime if he'll settle for less than the money a high dollar client pays.--lol

 

I'd go hunting with him anyday!

[azslim]

It's not that I was against this so much as I wanted to know how the money would be spent, all we had was "it will be used to improve hunter access". How? What exact plans are in place? Are you just going to go knocking on doors and say "here is some money, let us hunt your ranch" or are you going to say "we would like to allow the public on your ground, to get this access we will improve your fence in the north 40, pay for x number of tender loads of water to fill your tanks, bring out people to clean up all the trash, run Cats through this area to knock back some of the juniper encroaching on the grasslands."

 

SFW in Az has been painted with the same brush as the Utah and Alaska groups. To my knowledge they haven't pulled the dirty tricks the other groups have. I listened to the intentions of this group when it was first organized and I liked them and supported the group. But with the crap pulled in the other states our group doesn't have a chance of succeeding in garnering the support of the majority of the sportsmen in Az.

 

My suggestion to them, if you want our support then provide detailed plans, open meetings, open records and a few Joe Averages on the board.

 

They might want to think about changing their name too, anything with SFW as the last characters gets about as much support as Obama at hunting camps.