Novembeer 2008 Updates page 13
28 November
Archery Deer
No note or hunt account, just a happy archery deer hunter. Justifiably so.
Congratulations on a fine archery harvest. We fully understand the hours in stand required to make this happen.
The other Side
No small point here. Court allows wildlife control, HSUS lost.
"A federal judge says the government can proceed with plans to kill up to 85 California sea lions a year at Bonneville Dam, where they gather annually to plunder the spring chinook salmon run."
AP, Portland, Seattle Times, Joseph Frazier, November 26, 2008.
Conservation Fight To Come
With a budget conscious president elect that has already put out "political feelers" towards reducing the federal budget, farm subsidies are part of the early discussions. What is absent from these discussions are hunter supported conservation organizations.
"In the past five years (reported in 2006) alone, the U.S. government has handed out more than $95 billion in agricultural subsidies...since 2001, at least $1.3 billion was paid to landowners who had planted nothing since 2000...For the 2005 corn crop, the federal government spent about $4.8 billion to compensate farmers for low corn prices. That was $3.8 billion more than needed to give them the government-guaranteed price. The program has cost taxpayers $29 billion since 1998....Some ranchers got money because they lived in counties declared disaster areas after debris fell to earth from the space shuttle Columbia. The program was created to help a Republican candidate for the Senate. It included $34 million for catfish farmers..."
No doubt our form of government has been tax dollar spend hungry for decades. The fight is now to be selective to throw out waste while keeping the good. Right now no group is stepping up on the national stage for water quality, soil conservation, wildlife conservation or hunting economic interests.
Washington Post, Harvesting Cash, a yearlong investigation by the washington Post, How to spend an extra $15 Billion.
26 November
Deer Hunt
John,
Decided at the last moment to go deer hunting...Called the MAHA office and made a reservation for the area I wanted, less than a week before the hunt. Did not get to hunt until this morning...Was on stand about an hour and a half when this guy walked across the edge of the field I was hunting. Made a free hand 225 yard shot...There is no doubt in my mind that I could have harvested a much bigger buck but patience is not a virtue that I am blessed..."
Mike
Thanks Mike. We want all to know we offer deer hunting to what ever level that hunter wants to enjoy the hunt he wants. Trophy class whitetail's are always desired, but never should be the only reason to be in the field. You help make that clear to others.
Farm Lobby Threat To Hunting
The farm lobby currently has been and looks to continue to work against conservation practices that support hunter interests. The hunting lobby continues to be silent in main stream media while the farm lobby takes their effort national.
"...Greg Hicks, Farm Bureau's communications director, said Tuesday his organization will be working hard to preserve funding for farmland-friendly programs..."
While the farm lobby has multiple day conventions in various states the itinerary at those conventions is conspicuously absent of any hunting related economic presentations.
Land Conservation Will Head Talk At Convention, Annual Virginia Farm Bureau Meeting Kicks Off Sunday, by Tom Mitchell, DNRonline.com, November 26, 2008, Harrisonburg, VA.
