[Fetch]

The way they (NDG&FD) have given out those books (PLOTS) - ??? It has encouraged way too many, to come here.

& they are nice (BOOKS) But I think they put the cart before the horse - I think, way to many think, that PLOTS is the answer to their trip here. I suppose to those that want to race locals, to the ones around their towns, they would be great. I have never hunted a plots parcel & doub't I ever will ??? Now with the 1st week for Residents (yeah thats kinda positive) :huh:

Maybe someday, if they ever get enough (PLOTS Lands) to really stay ahead of Supply & Demand ??? But without a Cap on hunters will that ever happen ??? What it will do is push the birds, on to the neighboring private lands - very qiuckly & as these plots continue to get hammered & the folks that own lands around them, get pestered to death - Folks asking to hunt. What has changed ??? It will be along time before this solves any of the problems in ND - & it will get alot worse before it ever gets better. But the SPIN is Positive :idiot:

I have really not seen any real answers, or strong leadership come out of this (DO NOTHING SESSION of the Legislature) ???

All that has happened is more rules & confusion & the guides Assn. will get their laws to force out the smaller operators (Freelance guides) This has been a Goal of theirs for years.
Most likely ****** off more landowners ??? than we educated
I think we did make big strides in educating & telling our sides to things, in some circles. But will they care, or remember in two years ??? Unless the Govenor keeps the 30,000 Cap ??? I don't see any good from all we went thru ???

This not to say that those that worked so hard failed - (NO they did all they could & then some)

Sorry - I know some will point out, other things will be a start. But really what did we gain, that will really make ND keep the quality it has had ??? & slow down the commercialization of the resources ??? :eyeroll:

Oh yeah!!! :roll: We also Learned, if we all would go out & fight for better Habitat & do things for habitat - habitat should solve all our porblems :roll: GET REAL!!! Nature just got thru giving us a decade of the best Habitat possible. All the money in the world could not buy - or do what Nature did the past 10 years & what did it do for us ??? Bring people from all over, that have lost what they once had & now have to pay for here. :eyeroll: & a few will keep selling what we have, to the highest bidders. Before we really see it & do anything to STOP IT - it will be too late. Thats why I feel were right back where we were & the only hope is the Govenor to do the right thing & keep the 30,000 CAP.

Or else have a initiated Measure to decide all this once & for all.

 

[Fetch]

http://www.refugeforums.com/refuge/show ... did=119310

Now I like the idea of PLOTS Program & I'm glad it is being expanded - maybe after the pheasants get wiped out some winter & the crowds quit coming - they will be nice for those areas & I'm sure a few deer will get shot on some, on opening day ??? But it seems kinda like DU trying to buy wetlands to save the ducks (Oh !!! I don't want to get started on that) :roll:

Or when that is the only thing left - ............. :roll:

But it is not the answer to todays concerns :eyeroll:

 

[Dick Monson]

Fetch, NDGF is not mismanaging the resource. The rank and file in that department is top notch, we're lucky to have them. After this session is over, the governor needs to do a bit of soul searching on the direction he has been steering the NDGF, and ask himself if he should be steering wildlife issues at all. He hires experts, purports to to believe in their ability, then sabatoges their efforts. It's shape up or ship out time for the boss.

Look at the last session: North Dakotans lost 2048, and won 1223, 1358, and 1050. We were robbed of 2048, but got the other three in a usable form. Plus we killed a snakepit full of miserable little self serving bills shoved in by market hunters. Not too shabby for the "radical vocal minority". A "few" malcontents. This is not a battle were we win once and go home. It's a war where we grind them down to dust over time. We're not resting, we're getting stronger. The outfitters are unable to see past their greed and will only alienate more North Dakotans to our benifit.
Bring it on. Support this site with a premium membership, and for gosh sakes, sign up for the etree on the home page!

 

[Fetch]

I agree 100 % about the staff

I just hope all who care about these things - donot fall asleep - Now is the time to be asking the top - Now what ???

We should be Mad as Hell - if - There is no Cap this next Fall & I'm afraid if all is quiet now - why will they think a Cap is nessessary - Even if it was the majorities wishes during regional meetings leading up to 2048.

Those that fought 2048 now deserve to be back where we were last Fall.

We tried to compromise & were Robbed in the final vote.

:******: & plan to stay that way

 

[tmorrie]

I don't think Hoeven has too many options other than keeping the waterfowl cap around 30K. If no cap is set he risks losing the majority of the sportsman vote, which is the last thing he wants.

 

[Slider_01]

I got to wondering, after reading how ND split the small game and waterfowl licenses up for this coming season, how will this affect the total numbers. Last year, for example, the state "sold-out" all non-res licenses, but I am beginning to wonder if that was due to more waterfowlers or upland bird hunters. I think it will be interesting to see the total numbers for both sold this fall. I believe that the state in doing this will be able to get a much better picture of the total scene, then for the 2004 seasons will be able to support proposed limits on licenses with hard evidence.

Just wondering what everyone else thought????

 

[mamohr686]

I think the plots is a teriffic program. If your not hunting them for the first few weeks of the pheasant season then your missing out on some fantastic birdshooting. All year long I see someone hunting these land areas. I think it shows the real problem in ND right now is land access. Most people are just looking for someplace to stretch their legs and get out of the truck. I also start hunting these areas in the very late season around december. It's great to get a huge group of people and try to trap these smart birds that have been hunted hard. I think this program is just an initial step in the state acquiring land because I truthfully believe that within the next five years all land will be considered automatically posted just like SD. Right now ND is a Sea of NO hunting signs, the only benefit of the signs is to be able to find out the right landowner to get permission. I do think many of the ND lands are mismanaged, but with the current goverment system you can only expect the limited amout of people to do so much and the number of people to enforce the laws are even a bigger joke. I did think the real slap in the face to the outdoorsmen was the CRP haying last year. If the landowners got all the extra feed then why were the plot lands that were supposed to be set aside for hunters hayed or had cattle in them???? :eyeroll: Remember the good old days about 10 years ago when there was hardly posting and everyone got along with others in the field? There was never a problem finding a place to hunt and everyone thought the cannonball corp. was a joke because you could hunt anywhere for free. Why is everyone so intolerant of each other these days?

 

[Field Hunter]

Hard to be tollerant when outfitters and guides lease up one good spot after another forcing more and more hunters, resident and NR alike onto the state managed lands. Hard to be tollerant when its opening deer season and the land you posted for the weekend has several hunters on it without permission because some guide is charging 4500.00 to some idiot looking for the trophy of a lifetime. Hard to be tollerant when you're sitting on the highway trying to plan the best way to approach a slough loaded with ducks to put out a quick dozen decoys only to have a couple of car loads of hunters? pull up right behind you, jump out and start blasting away....because "they spent hundreds of $$$ for licenses and they are at least, going to bring their limits home." Hard to be tollerant when you've spent the time to scout an area, spent time getting to know the landowner and securing permission only to have some moron set up down wind of you because you were in his spot, the one he found that morning without asking the landowner if they could hunt. Sorry but after years of unsportsman like actions, just had to respond to "why can't we be more tollerant of each other" To be fair, I see the same thing every walleye opener on our lake in MN. I just can't imagine why it would be fun to fish an area 1/4 the size of a football field with 50 other boats all at the same time....sorry again...wrong topic area.