Attention Michigan Hunters...!

[2-BIG]

Here we go again with our NRC shananigans!   :mad:  


Highlights from Bill Parker's column on page 3 of the August 28 Michigan Outdoor News:

1) The Widlife Division will make a presentation to the NRC at the Sept 10 meeting, covering topics such as timing of the harvest relative to breeding and fawn recruitment, hunting pressure, impact on other seasons, results of hunter opinion surveys, economics, potential opening dates, separate regional opening dates, and considerations for opening other seasons like archery deer and muzzleloader on Saturday.

2) DNR Director Humphries raised concerns that moving the opening day earlier could put it in the peak of the whitetail breeding period. "We really need to look at that" she said.

3) Commissioner Charters countered: "If breeding is an issue, we already allow hunting then, with 400,000 archers. What's good for the goose is good for the gander."

4) Commissioner Wheatlake asked if MI has any scientific data on on whitetail breeding in MI. Humphries assured him that there was 60 years of data from the Cusino and Houghton Lake wildlife research stations. In response, Wheatlake said that "the captive cervid people I've talked to said that breeding has changed. It's earlier now."

5) Wildlife manager Reeves said the DNR would have a draft wildlife conservation order (WCO) ready to present to the commission for information only at the October NRC meeting, and that the commission could take action and vote on a proposal, if necessary, at the November NRC meeting.

6) If the commission decides to change opening day of firearms deer season, it would take effect in 2010. "A lot of people need to apply for vacation time in January, so if we change it for next year, we want them to know by January,", Reeves said.

When will the hunters in Michigan put a stop to this "APPOINTED" commission that answers to no one, has no constituents to answer to, and no fear of reprocussions for their irresponsible actions since they can not be voted in or out?   :confused:  
We (all hunters) need to contact each of the commissioners as well as the DNR and our State Legislators and demand that the NRC listen to the scientific reasoning from the biologists and actually implement their reccomendations!    
A grass roots campaign to overturn proposal G and do away with the NRC and put into place a commission that has a set of checks and balances would be the best thing that the sportsmen of Michigan could do to insure a bright outdoor future for our children.  

[Redeye]

"Wildlife manager Reeves said the DNR would have a draft wildlife conservation order (WCO) ready to present to the commission for information only at the October NRC meeting, and that the commission could take action and vote on a proposal, if necessary, at the November NRC meeting."


Kind of a clue as to who they want at that meeting.  They have the timing down.  Peak hunting time for bowhunters once again and a MAJOR issue that will rob hunting time and opportunity if we wish to express our view before the Commission on those days.

It's a three ring circus to be sure.

[Stringwacker]

Having almost 25 years of political experiance as a legislative liason, I've always said that the crossbow debate was (is) much more about a change in wildlife dynamics (a reinvention of sorts of season structure expectations) than it ever was about the crossbow itself. Crossbow advocates were just 'opportunist' who caught the wave of change created by increasing wildlife population and overall decreasing hunter numbers.

It's a process that will likely never end. Once the ball got rolling with the first changes in archery definition to include a crossbow, seasons will move increasingly to more 'inclusion' to the detriment of any kind of special seasons as biological factors permit.

It's really unfortuante as if bowhunters nationwide could have seen this from the bigger picture (as opposed of thinking about it as soley a crossbow issue) they might have been more passionate about opposing changes to bowhunting's traditions.

[2-BIG]

It's more than crossbows now, it is about the incompetence of our Natural Resource Commission and their own personal adgenda vs biologists reccomendations for the health of the herd.  :mad:

[Brian Krebs]

There is a point where hunters have to stand up for conservation; and game management. If the State will not do it; then make them.

 The anti-hunters; and the hunters that do us harm; both need to be confronted and it need be known that you have issues with what they do.

 The old saying was 'the squeaky wheel gets the grease'. Anti-hunters are really good at getting their point across; and its time bowhunters got their point across.

 Look what silence has gotten you.

[Allegan Archer]

Jim:

Sorry for coming in on this one late.  I have similar concerns as you about the way the NRC does its business without answering to anyone.  

I had a long winded reply, but decided something short and sweet would be bettter.  

Let me know what your plan would be for trashing the NRC and creating a new commission with more accountability.  

Thanks

John

[2-BIG]

John, I think it would take a huge effort by MUCC and other big conservation organizations to lead a grass roots effort to do this on the ballot.
Sportsmen of this state got proposal G on the ballot and created this monster called the NRC. It would take another ballot initiative to overturn this and get things right to where a commission had to answer to the sportsmen and biologists and actually had fear of reprocussions and being voted out.

[tomwatson]

Jim, I just looked at the 2009 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Guide and it just makes me sick. I counted three ads for crossbows and on Michigan DNR ad showing hunters of various backgrounds and not one was even using a Compound Bow. But you can bet the ad showed a Crossgun hunter. If one were to look at it, you would think that Archery doesn't even exist anymore. We can all thank the NRC for this one.

Tom