This is from The paper in Dickinson.Of course it is heavily favored towards the guides and outfitters.
Board hears bird worries
By ALAN REED, The Dickinson Press March 06, 2002
Proponents of a proposed early opening date for the 2002 pheasant season far outnumbered opponents as the North Dakota Game & Fish held its second statewide advisory board meeting on the matter at the Dickinson KC Club Tuesday evening.
Just over 100 people from the heart of the state's pheasant country braved treacherous road conditions to debate the merits of opening the pheasant season one week earlier on Oct. 5. A total of 16 people formally testified in favor of the early opener, while only four individuals came forward Tuesday to speak in favor of keeping the traditional Oct. 12 opening date.
It was recently discovered that Gov. John Hoeven supported a Game & Fish recommendation to open this fall's season one week early. Resident hunters, however, have since said they weren't consulted on the matter and oppose the idea.
Hoeven has slated a series of advisory board meetings across the state over the next two weeks to gather resident comment on the issue.
Supporters of the early opener rallied around the economic development benefits of the idea. They also say there are plenty of pheasants to be hunted in the state.
Opponents to the earlier opener point to problems with game management, using a natural resource as an economic development tool and access to prime hunting land.
North Dakota Guide and Outfitters representative Jim Nagel of Bismarck opened Tuesday's testimony in favor of the earlier date by saying his group is willing to meet with opposing sporting groups to clear the air regarding the pheasant opener.
"Let's clear the pheasant issue first and create some common ground to go into the next legislative session," Nagel said.
He said access to prime hunting land is the real issue behind the pheasant situation. Nagel also wanted to reinforce the fact that his group supported a legislative bill to keep guides from hunting on land leased for the public.
Rancher Ron Wanner from Golden Valley said it's a shame to see activists involved in the pheasant season debate.
"They are watching out for their own necks," Wanner said.
Dickinson Convention and Visitors Bureau President Diana Knutson said the city's hospitality and lodging tax collections were up in 2001 because of the hunting activity in the area. Knutson said city lodging tax collections increased 9 percent while the hospitality tax collections increased 6 percent.
"We feel the state needs to strike a balance between economic stimulation and cooperation," Knutson added.
Dickinson CVB Executive Director Terri Thiel later said pheasant hunting is a great asset in southwestern North Dakota that needs to be promoted for the dollars it generates in the region.
Thiel also sees pheasant hunting "as one more tool" for area farmers and ranchers to earn an income that allows them to stay on their land.
Gene Harris, a Killdeer rancher who is president of the North Dakota Stockmen's Association, said his group stands behind its earlier action to support Hoeven's decision for the early opener.
"We don't need to go head-to-head with residents of our own state regarding access," Harris said.
Streeter's Wade Schlecht said he has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars stocking pheasants and establishing food plots on his ranch and favors the early opener.
Meanwhile, Ben Olien of Mott spoke on behalf of the Mott Chamber of Commerce and Mott Development Corporation.
"Our Main Street is absolutely dependent on the hunting season," he said.
He said the season should be extended at the beginning of the year because of the nicer weather. At the same time, Olien added a lot of roosters remained at the end of the most recent season that could have been shot.
Bowman-area outfitter John Hanson said there has been very little discussion concerning solutions to issues regarding the pheasant season.
"I think we're focused on the wrong things," Hanson said.
He said Hoeven did a great thing to propose an earlier opening date.
"Great leaders can always be identified by the arrows sticking out of their backs," Hanson said in regards to criticism Hoeven has received.
As for those supporting the traditional opening date, Bismarck's Mike Donahue held up pages of paper with 526 signatures from people who opposed the earlier opener. Donahue spoke on behalf of the North Dakota Wildlife Federation and the United Sportsmen for North Dakota.
"We are upset because we're hanging a dollar on the pheasant to start with," Donahue said. "And then what is next that's going to be managed with a dollar sign?"
Donahue said neither the access issue nor bag limits are driving the pheasant debate.
"Management and how we manage is the issue," he said.
Hettinger's Darcy Aberle said he is against the early pheasant opener because economic development is being attached to the issue.
"I want something to hunt when I'm 50 years old, 60 years old," Aberle said.
Dickinson's Gary Masching said he is concerned about the growing number of hunters who bother landowners the opening weekend of the season to gain permission.
"I think of landowner tolerance, I think of the biology of the birds, and I think of the quality of the hunting," Masching said of supporting the traditional opening date.
Dickinson's Curt Decker drew the loudest round of applause from Tuesday's crowd when he asked those who charge to hunt to offer reasonable rates to resident hunters.
The father of a nine-year-old son, Decker said, "I can't afford $50 to $100 a day to take him hunting."
He told landowners to "bring the non-residents in and fleece them, but don't drive (resident hunters) out."
Mott's Mark Resner also said that the popularity of hunting in southwestern North Dakota is driving up land prices.
He pointed to one purchase by a group whose managing partner is from Eden Prairie, Minn., that resulted in land being bought for $525 an acre.
"That value is not based on ag productivity. Ag production can't support that $525 an acre," Resner said.
As more out-of-state residents pay inflated prices to purchase land for hunting, Resner said, "the ag sector will eventually suffer and the rest of North Dakota with it."
Board hears bird worries
By ALAN REED, The Dickinson Press March 06, 2002
Proponents of a proposed early opening date for the 2002 pheasant season far outnumbered opponents as the North Dakota Game & Fish held its second statewide advisory board meeting on the matter at the Dickinson KC Club Tuesday evening.
Just over 100 people from the heart of the state's pheasant country braved treacherous road conditions to debate the merits of opening the pheasant season one week earlier on Oct. 5. A total of 16 people formally testified in favor of the early opener, while only four individuals came forward Tuesday to speak in favor of keeping the traditional Oct. 12 opening date.
It was recently discovered that Gov. John Hoeven supported a Game & Fish recommendation to open this fall's season one week early. Resident hunters, however, have since said they weren't consulted on the matter and oppose the idea.
Hoeven has slated a series of advisory board meetings across the state over the next two weeks to gather resident comment on the issue.
Supporters of the early opener rallied around the economic development benefits of the idea. They also say there are plenty of pheasants to be hunted in the state.
Opponents to the earlier opener point to problems with game management, using a natural resource as an economic development tool and access to prime hunting land.
North Dakota Guide and Outfitters representative Jim Nagel of Bismarck opened Tuesday's testimony in favor of the earlier date by saying his group is willing to meet with opposing sporting groups to clear the air regarding the pheasant opener.
"Let's clear the pheasant issue first and create some common ground to go into the next legislative session," Nagel said.
He said access to prime hunting land is the real issue behind the pheasant situation. Nagel also wanted to reinforce the fact that his group supported a legislative bill to keep guides from hunting on land leased for the public.
Rancher Ron Wanner from Golden Valley said it's a shame to see activists involved in the pheasant season debate.
"They are watching out for their own necks," Wanner said.
Dickinson Convention and Visitors Bureau President Diana Knutson said the city's hospitality and lodging tax collections were up in 2001 because of the hunting activity in the area. Knutson said city lodging tax collections increased 9 percent while the hospitality tax collections increased 6 percent.
"We feel the state needs to strike a balance between economic stimulation and cooperation," Knutson added.
Dickinson CVB Executive Director Terri Thiel later said pheasant hunting is a great asset in southwestern North Dakota that needs to be promoted for the dollars it generates in the region.
Thiel also sees pheasant hunting "as one more tool" for area farmers and ranchers to earn an income that allows them to stay on their land.
Gene Harris, a Killdeer rancher who is president of the North Dakota Stockmen's Association, said his group stands behind its earlier action to support Hoeven's decision for the early opener.
"We don't need to go head-to-head with residents of our own state regarding access," Harris said.
Streeter's Wade Schlecht said he has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars stocking pheasants and establishing food plots on his ranch and favors the early opener.
Meanwhile, Ben Olien of Mott spoke on behalf of the Mott Chamber of Commerce and Mott Development Corporation.
"Our Main Street is absolutely dependent on the hunting season," he said.
He said the season should be extended at the beginning of the year because of the nicer weather. At the same time, Olien added a lot of roosters remained at the end of the most recent season that could have been shot.
Bowman-area outfitter John Hanson said there has been very little discussion concerning solutions to issues regarding the pheasant season.
"I think we're focused on the wrong things," Hanson said.
He said Hoeven did a great thing to propose an earlier opening date.
"Great leaders can always be identified by the arrows sticking out of their backs," Hanson said in regards to criticism Hoeven has received.
As for those supporting the traditional opening date, Bismarck's Mike Donahue held up pages of paper with 526 signatures from people who opposed the earlier opener. Donahue spoke on behalf of the North Dakota Wildlife Federation and the United Sportsmen for North Dakota.
"We are upset because we're hanging a dollar on the pheasant to start with," Donahue said. "And then what is next that's going to be managed with a dollar sign?"
Donahue said neither the access issue nor bag limits are driving the pheasant debate.
"Management and how we manage is the issue," he said.
Hettinger's Darcy Aberle said he is against the early pheasant opener because economic development is being attached to the issue.
"I want something to hunt when I'm 50 years old, 60 years old," Aberle said.
Dickinson's Gary Masching said he is concerned about the growing number of hunters who bother landowners the opening weekend of the season to gain permission.
"I think of landowner tolerance, I think of the biology of the birds, and I think of the quality of the hunting," Masching said of supporting the traditional opening date.
Dickinson's Curt Decker drew the loudest round of applause from Tuesday's crowd when he asked those who charge to hunt to offer reasonable rates to resident hunters.
The father of a nine-year-old son, Decker said, "I can't afford $50 to $100 a day to take him hunting."
He told landowners to "bring the non-residents in and fleece them, but don't drive (resident hunters) out."
Mott's Mark Resner also said that the popularity of hunting in southwestern North Dakota is driving up land prices.
He pointed to one purchase by a group whose managing partner is from Eden Prairie, Minn., that resulted in land being bought for $525 an acre.
"That value is not based on ag productivity. Ag production can't support that $525 an acre," Resner said.
As more out-of-state residents pay inflated prices to purchase land for hunting, Resner said, "the ag sector will eventually suffer and the rest of North Dakota with it."
