September

You guys are acting like a bunch of Sierra Club tree-hugging pansies! Just give it time and I am sure Amanda will get it fixed up! It's called technology upgrade!

BLEEDING the Government (tax payer) Have you ever heard of the Equal Access to Justice Act (aka EAJA)? Environmental, also known as Green groups\organizations are BLEEDING the Government, who is also known as the American TAX PAYER dry. The Equal Access to Justice Act aka EAJA is a fund that allows non-profit organizations to get their attorneys fees reimbursed when they sue the government. They can submit for attorney fees in some case up to $650.00 per hour. From 2000 till 2009 the Sierra Club sued the government 983 times, Wild Earth Guardians 241 times, Center for Biological Diversity 574 times and the Natural Resources Defense Council 488 times. It gets better. These groups get grants from the United States of America and then turns around and sue the crap out of the USA. WOW, they sure know how to play the system. This is an example taken from a Fox News report; A few years ago the Center for Biological Diversity sued the CIA because they were not buying enough Hybrid cars, and they won. A report found on the web site for Western Legacy Alliance dated December 14, 2009 has 13 environmental groups that sued the government in 18 states 1159 times and got $29,567,304 paid to them by the Federal Government who is the American TAX PAYER. These groups listed were the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Humane Society, National Wildlife Federation, National Resource Defense Council, Forest (n/k/a WildEarth) Guardians, Colorado Environmental Coalition, Western Watersheds Project, Oregon Natural Desert Association, Oregon Wild (f.k.a.ONRC), Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Alliance for Wild Rockies, and the Wyoming Outdoor Council. There was also a few more dollars that went out to these groups on top of the $29,567,304, plus $4,156,488 paid from private companies under federal fee shifting statutes, plus $555,500 paid to environmental groups as “donations” in settlement agreements for total payment from all sources of $34,279,292. I wish I could tell you that I made this up. I just read it after a friend sent it to me and was floored by what I read. I would ask everyone to please visit the web site and read and watch the news reports. Then ask yourself if you are okay with this? I for one will ask any groups that I belong to if they as a board support or are affiliated with any of these SCAM groups. If they are then I want nothing to do with them and will end my membership with them immediately. Do not forget to click on the September 30, 2009 Memo and you can see for yourself how much the presidents of these organizations make per year. September http://www.westernlegacyalliance.org/eaja-abuse-home-page/ September 30, 2009 Memo http://www.westernlegacyalliance.org/image...eptember_30.pdf

Steve, you made some great points and appreciate you for what you have done and are doing to help support the wildlife and outdoorsmen and women here in Arizona. Along with all the youth projects, habitat projects, water projects and for staying on top of AZGFD and their spending habits the list goes on and on. If you ever join a green group I will quit hunting and fishing. September

I guess the other way to see it is coming into this country illegally and demanding things but I do not want to pay for anything. I think what those who do not support the bills are saying that those who do not what to contribute should have a say with what happens with our wildlife and to the sportsmen and women here in Arizona. If I am not mistaken that is what is going on in our country today. Hispanos Por La Causa, Sierra Club, CBD Etc... Etc... Etc... In my book it’s the same thing, just a different fight. This is how our country has been taken over by a bunch of liberals and those who built this great country have to pay for those who think they are entitled to something they do not contribute to. SB1200 and HR2189 are the first steps in making sure that WE as hunters and anglers will not stand idle and watch the world go by hoping that someone else does the work and then get upset when things do not go as they hoped. This is one of the many reasons why the bills are important to me as a financial supporter of AZGFD and as an American. September

Pete I agree with you 100%. On both the SB1200 and HR2189.

Coming from a business back ground, my job was to take companies out of the red and into the black. It has always worked out as follows. Whoever pays the bills makes the rules. If you are the owner, CEO, CFO or President of a company then you decide how the company is going to conduct business. Your managers are in charge of making as much money as possible by doing the right thing and by following and implementing processes for every employee to follow. If they cannot or get lazy the owners or decision makers will replace those leaders and if it keeps happening then we must visit the process and evaluate it or replace the managers. If the process is not working with current times then the process needs to be rewritten or replaced. If the customers of these companies are upset on the way they are conducting business then they will shop elsewhere. If the previous leader of any company did not do the right thing (whatever that could be) then they have left a ripple effect that could have lasting negative effects on the company. If those ex-leaders\managers did the right thing and did not upset too many customers then business grows. The question I would be asking myself as an ex-commissioner or decision maker is, "Did I make any bad decisions to cause MY CUSTOMER to start demanding changes?' "If it is not broken, then do not fix it" Based on what I have read the process is and has been broken and needs fixing. If it was that great then what would you say to the 95% on this poll vote for this bill? Are you saying that you know more than they do? Are you saying that they have no clue but its okay to fund 72% of the AZGFD income? Are they only important when they have money at hand during the draws or when they want to buy hunting or fishing license? Are you saying that your customers of companies do not control the growth and bottom line? If you run a company this way then you would be out of business soon, very soon. I guess then based on the comments about not fixing the process when 95% of your customers are telling you they want something new. Based on my business back ground then the only thing I can say is that this was broken and has been broken for a few years. The consumer has had enough with having to deal with the only game in town. AZGFD has cornered the market in hunting and fishing here in Arizona. As a consumer of such companies that have abused their power and trust of their customers I would only suggest that they do not shop there for a few years and then you will find out if they would listen. The best way to make any suggestion and be heard is to threaten the pocket books of those in charge by putting their jobs on the line. DO NOT HUNT OR FISH FOR 2 YEARS and then ask the left over employees how much did those anti hunting groups like the Sierra Club, PETA and any groups who are affiliated with them. How much money those groups spend in helping with wildlife conservation and wildlife management? If anyone wants to be heard then do not shop at these location. If we stop hunting and fishing for 2 years we could directly impact the whole state. It would cause lay off’s at AZGFD and panic. We directly affect 21,000 full time jobs here in Arizona mainly in rural Arizona. If you live in rural Arizona I recommend that you call every AZGFD commissioner and ask them to support this bill. I would also recommend that you call every senator and legislator and express your concern. Your voice can be the difference of having a job or not. It is time for all the hunting and fishing organizations here in Arizona including AZGFD to stand together on this. Either you will support this bill as an organization or you will not. Then the Arizona hunting and angling community will know who is in true support. Before you answer this posting please review the standing of the poll based on people who hunt and fish here in our state. Last I check it was 133 votes or 95% in support of this bill and 7 votes or 5% not in support of this bill. If these numbers are not making sense then please do us all a favor, DO NOT EVER state that you represent 369,000 Arizona hunters and anglers who do not belong to any outdoor organization (like an ex-AZGFD Commissioner stated yesterday at a meeting with Senator Nelson) (NOTE: I was not at the meeting but was told by more than one person about this statement). Let me just remind everyone how much Arizona Sportsmen spend here in Arizona. Taken from page 9 of the Arizona 2009-2010 Hunting and Fishing Regulations: Little to no state general fund monies is used for wildlife conservation in Arizona (general taxpayers usually do not pay for Wildlife conservation). The state’s sportsmen, however, do contribute. - Arizona hunters and anglers spend $1.3 BILLION a year. - Their spending directly supports 21,000 jobs and generates $124 MILIION in state and local taxes. This especially benefits rural communities. - Sportsmen support nearly twice as many jobs in Arizona as Raytheon, one of the state’s largest employers (21,000 jobs vs 11,000 jobs). - Annual spending by Arizona SPORTSMEN is nearly three times more than the combined revenues of Go Daddy Group, Sprouts Farmers Market and Cold Stone Creamery, which are some of the state’s fastest growing companies ($1.3 BILLION vs $481 MILLION). - The economic stimulus of hunting and fishing equates to $3.8 MILLION a day pumped into the state’s economy. End of Page 9 If our current commissioners and AZGFD leaders along with any politicians read this then let me give you 1.3 BILLION reasons why you should think long and hard of your actions. I guess the alternative is to have the Sierra Club, PETA, Animal Defense League and any other groups that do not support this bill pay for AZGFD operating expenses. These are the same groups that do not think that ARIZONA hunters and anglers who spend $1.3 BILLION a year should have a bigger voice than those who spend nothing such as Sierra Club, PETA, Animal Defense League and any other group who is against this bill. WHERE DO YOU STAND on SB1200 HR2189? Please reply so that we who support your organizations or for those who might be shopping for an organization know where we should spend our money? Please reply if with a simple Yes or No. A non reply could be considers a NO (not supporting the hunters who pay for wildlife). Arizona Deer Association Arizona Elk Society Arizona Antelope Foundation National Wild Turkey Federation Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Trout Unlimited Quail Unlimited Ducks Unlimited Xtreme Predator Callers Phoenix Varmint Callers Arizona Predator Callers Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society Arizona Bowhunters Association Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Arizona Falconer’s Association Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club Arizona Game and Fish Department The Nature Conservancy Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation Sierra Club Arizona Aoudubon Society PETA Arizona Wildlife Federation Huachuca Mountain Archers and Bowhunters Club Desert Christian Archers Safari Club International Phoenix Rod and Gun Club Arizona Pointing Dog Club Arizona Rifle and Pistol Association Wildlife for Tomorrow I do apologize if I forgot anyone. Thanks for allowing me to express my thoughts and my opinions. September