SNORT

40-Year-AZ This is the very reason why I chose to not respond to you in any fashion, and this will be the last time I will, whether through this blog or a PM, phone call or anything else. Please for all of us be a little more mature. I'm not going to allow you to include me in your infighting when we have a lot bigger problems to tackle. You fail to mention what I felt was the message in that 1st post, which was that we needed to unite. And that has all come true with the National Monument issue. "Join a few organizations, attend meetings, get dirty in the hunting off season, and make an investment in the future of the sport and lifestyle that we enjoy. Become a champion yourself! Not, only for your interests but for those of our children. The Center, Sierra Club, Sandy Barr, HSUS, Jennifer Martin and long list of others are the ones we are up against." But, thats not the way you work. You need to feel better about yourself and tear down the ones that are on your very side. The next time I see you, I will make an exception to dealing with you, I'll make sure I go out of my way to give you a hug and buy you an ice cream. I hope life treats you well.

Steve I believe you are correct, and I stand corrected. I don't think Don is a poor choice by any means. Did I miss anything else that you saw?

I've read this topic and there seems to be some bad information on Don Johnson. Don is already on the commission appointment board. THE STATE OF ARIZONA GAME AND FISH COMMISSION APPOINTMENT RECOMMENDATION BOARD 5000 W. Carefree Highway Phoenix, Arizona 85086-5000 (623) 236-7334 www.azgovernor.gov GOVERNOR Janice K. Brewer BOARD MEMBERS Phillip D. Townsend, Chair Susan E. Chilton W. Hays Gilstrap Donald R. Johnson Leonard G. Stinson October 25, 2011 NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING Arizona Game and Fish Commission Appointment Recommendation Board Meeting Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 Don is not Pete’s best friend. They don’t hunt, do dinner or vacation together. Don is a Past President of the Sheep Society 81’, 82’. Charter Member & Past President of the AZ Antelope Foundation 99’. Don Johnson and Jim Marquardt (deceased) are solely responsible for creating the Commissioners tags in 1982 that fund our HPC projects. This is the short list of the things Don has done for wildlife. He comes from the era of packing a bag of cement on your back, one at a time 3 miles up the mountain to create a drinker for sheep and other wildlife. If you’d like to get to know him personally you can usually find him at a G&F development branch project that the HPC funds. (which he is the only living person that can take credit for, along with the millions of dollars that it has raised for wildlife. And he made sure 100% went to G&F) He’s usually flipping steaks on a Saturday night, that the conservation organization provides to whom ever is in attendance; members, non-members and G&F personal. I don’t believe he has ever been a member of AZSFW past an definitively not present, and his category for appointment would fall under ARS 17-202 A. – 2 (as a 501 © (3). 2. One member designated by the board of directors of an organization that is qualified pursuant to section 501©(3) or 501©(4) of the internal revenue code whose articles of incorporation or bylaws stipulate that the mission or purpose of the organization is to increase, sustain or otherwise conserve wild turkey, deer, elk, pronghorn (antelope), bighorn sheep, ducks, quail or fish and that has been in existence for at least five years. This is the same board that recommended Kurt Davis, which headed the meeting on the 3/22 and put into place many members of the commission that opposed HB2072 with the rest of us. Just some thoughts, background and truths for you to ponder. Allen, if I had a vote, reading your thoughts and ideals, I think you would fit nicely into this recommendation board at the next opening.

Before anyone turns in their Wildlife Plate, you should probably see the good projects that the fees funded. A lot of work shops, clinics, camps, fishing and youth programs. AZSFW did't get the money, we need to keep the program going. Please see the information below, so you can make your own decision. The Wildlife Conservation Council (WCC), previously a separate C-3 organization, merged with AZSFWC in 2010 and is now a standing committee of AZSFWC known as the Wildlife Conservation Council Committee. The WCC serves as an umbrella organization for other wildlife and sportsmen's organizations to communicate and work together collaboratively on important issues. A list of our member organizations is shown below. It is also responsible for managing the WCC license plate program (Wildlife Conservation Habitat Fund). The fund is derived from the sale of wildlife conservation license plates and member organizations as well as non-member organizations are eligible to apply for those funds. Projects Funded by WCC in 2011 $6000 Steve Cheuvront - Kaibab Study $650 AZ Game & Fish Department - Angler Recruitment and Retention Partnership $600 AZ Trappers Association - Seligman Youth Fishing $2000 Mark Quigley - Youth Pheasant Hunt $500 Mohave Sportsman Club - Antelope Eaters Event $1000 Anglers United - Kiwanis Park Youth Fishing Event $5000 AZ Shooting Sports Foundation - Youth Shooting Event $5000 Big Game Forever - Gray Wolf Education Project $5000 O’Haco Ranch - Water Tank Restoration $2762 O’Haco Ranch - Water Tank Restoration $1500 AZ Game & Fish Department - Hunting & Angling Workshop $2,000 AZ Elk Society - Wapiti Weekend $345 AZ Game & Fish Department - Reservation Boundary Fence Jumps $22,270 AZ Wildlife Federation - Woody Ridge Wildlife Corridor Restoration $400 AZ Game & Fish Department - Conservation Workshop $3,250 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation - Water Tank Project $5000 AZ Outdoor Adventures - Replacement of Equipment Lost in Wallow Fire $150 AZ Game & Fish Department - Hunting & Angling Heritage Workgroup $1,250 AZ Desert Bighorn Sheep Society - Sheep Hunter Clinic

Let me clear on my motivation for even participating in your discussions. I've viewed them for a while and agree with some and disagree with others. That's my right, to be a free thinker. When I see comments like you have to get off the fence, that if your for the AZSFW then your the enemy, is not the right course of action. There are many good people that a have not jumped into one camp or the other, and that's OK. There is a tremendous amount of miss information running a muck and facts need to be clarified. I've seen where people are being crucified by association and they wish they would have been informed about the under takings that were being developed. These people are not elected public officials and creating a witch hunt within our own fold I don't feel is right. AZPackhorse - I didn't post to take away focus, it was to stimulate thought on how could others become involved and become a voice and physical participant themselves. Not only for the Blog writers but also the silent viewers. That's what a blog is for right? To express different views and exchange information so we can develop a personal stance on an issue. 40-year-AZ-hunter -I was not there. I have been there many times and spoken on issues. I had to work. I will be there on the 22nd though, sacrificing time from my family. I will send you a PM. Ringer - Thank you for answering a question that was meant to be rhetorical. I applaud you for your hard work on G&F projects and the USO as this is the type of action that I feel we should be undertaking. I don't feel that I am arrogant and if I came across that way, sorry. Once again my intent to encourage those to become involved and give back to what we all love and have a passion for. If I was arrogant, I would give you the laundry list of devotion that I give to wildlife annually, with money being the least of it. The largest problem we have as I see it is: We see those same names over and over, whether it be on the AZSFW/AZSFWC Board or other boards from ADA, AES, ADBSS, AAF etc, etc. I'd just like to see new people with their families getting involved for the future and legacy of sportsmen and conservation. We as sportsmen own this to each other and our future. Pick a species, pick a organization, get involved. The hikers in the Sierra Club do, and they don't like to see your 4x4. For crying out loud, We have to camouflage our Water Catchment tanks so they are not seen from the plane window at 30,000ft. I could think of a few better places to spend the Tag Fund money than on 25 gals of paint a pop.

OK, people these blog posts are getting out of hand. First, you have taken it upon yourself to determine who and what groups have the wildlife and sportsmen’s best interest in mind. You all are self proclaimed champions of the Arizona Sportsmen and their voice. What makes you different than AZSFW? You claim to be the majority voice of sportsmen in the state. Between all 20 or so of you that are active participants in the Political Discussion Blog topic of this site, you represent .0037643% of the membership of Coueswhitetail.com. I’ll let you figure out what that equates to on a statewide level. I would ask you what organizations that are part of or have been part of the AZSFWC (the UN of AZ Conservation Organizations) are you up to date paid members of? How many meetings, banquets, fundraising events, captures, work projects, habitat development, or water catchment projects have been involved with? How much of your hard earned time, money, blood, sweat, stress and family time have you sacrificed for the betterment of wildlife, sportsmen of the state of Arizona and our future generations. The organizations and people that you name are the backbone of what diminishing opportunities we have left as sportsmen. If you have an issue with the true champions of Sportsmen for the State of Arizona then, get out from behind your computer where it is safe. Join a few organizations, attend meetings, get dirty in the hunting off season, and make an investment in the future of the sport and lifestyle that we enjoy. Become a champion yourself! Not, only for your interests but for those of our children. What’s the worst that could happen? Blog’s don’t change policy, being in attendance for the lifestyle we all enjoy will though. And, just for the record I don’t like the way this whole HB 2072 debacle went down. It was handled in a terrible manner. But, wake up to the very real issues that we are facing. These people are not your enemies, The Center, Sierra Club, Sandy Barr, HSUS, Jennifer Martin and long list of others are the ones we are up against. So, my question to you is, what are you going to do about it? Get carpel tunnel or join the ones you are chastising to help preserve our future as sportsmen.