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Originally Posted by OldBaldGuy
Can we discuss/debate the “angler recruitment” issue with facts?
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Here are some facts and conjecture that everyone who hunts or fishes may want to ponder.
The Dingell-Johnson and Pittman-Robertson funds are on a lot of legislators’ radar. Actually, since 1990, some administrators have used these funds for tenuous activities not related to habitat restoration. There are many who would like to divert these funds to non-game uses; make no mistake the mouths of the very powerful are salivating over these funds.
We, as sportsmen and sportswomen, need to be concerned. I would argue that we need to have a large, engaged population. We should be able to say “our numbers are large and we vote, don’t monkey with these funds on our watch!” To an extent, that is happening. Some of our larger conservation organizations such as Ducks’ Unlimited, Pheasants’ Forever, and Trout Unlimited who are crying foul to congress. Indeed, a sportsmen’s’ and sportswomen’s group, the NRA, cried foul back in the nineties when administrators sought to misuse funds.
Here is some conjecture to ponder.
If our numbers decline, we lose political clout. In theory, one would expect our memberships to conservation organizations to decline. Our conservation organizations are true watchdogs and keep our elected officials in check while keeping us informed. We would also, theoretically, be viewed as a fringe group. With less political clout, I would argue that the likelihood of misusing the P-R and D-J funds would increase.
If our numbers decrease, less money goes into the P-R and D-J funds. In theory, fewer sportsmen and sportswomen mean fewer purchases at the hunting or fishing counters. Fewer purchases mean that less excise tax is collected. If there is less money, there are fewer habitat restoration or improvement programs. Fewer programs means fewer opportunities to hunt and fish.
We, IMHO, stand on the cusp. If our numbers continue, as they have, to decline, we are in serious trouble. If you stop and think, the world, as we knew it, is changing rapidly. There’s a storm brewing over water rights, we have a serious energy crisis and may have passed the point of peak oil, and critical habitat is being destroyed in favor of development. We need a large, engaged population of sportsmen and sportswomen to ensure that hunting and fishing opportunities are available for everybody. Our future is at stake. But more importantly, the future of hunting and fishing for our children, our grandchildren, and our great grandchildren is in jeopardy. I see this as a critical issue and fully support the Game and Parks’ Commission in their efforts.