Governor hearing a sales pitch for HB2072 today

[archerycrazy]

I spoke with my cousin who is a reporter for channel 12 news and game him the Cliff Notes version of what's going on and he thought it was a great topic for a story on the news. I know enough about the HB2072 and roughly who are people are behind it to make myself feel like I'm dangerous, but I don't know enough to give him the facts and details. If you've been involved and know details, names, etc.. and would be willing to speak with him, please PM me your information and I'll pass it along to my cousin.

 

Hopefully this could provide the spotlight that we've all been trying to shine on AZSFW and this proposed bill. (sorry for posting on a couple different topics, just didn't want miss someone who has knowledge of the issue because they didn't see the other posts..)

 

Greg

[archerycrazy]

HB 2072 is dead. Yeah right! That's why two of my legislators received three emails in support of it today. Two were from guides/outfitters the other was from a Scottsdale Real Estate developer related to the money guy behind AZSFW. All of the emails looked strikingly similar. PETA/HSUS tactics in play.

 

We all need to draft our own emails and send them to every legislator.

 

George

[Coach]

I know we all thought this was dead, but obviously the big names and big money behind it aren't going to give up without a fight.

 

Time to pull off the kid gloves and tell every "sportsman's group", club and legislator exactly what we think of it. Not one dollar to your club or one vote if you let this P.O.S. legislation see the light of day in Arizona.

 

The people of Arizona know where they stand on this, now it's time to make your voice heard.

[TLH]

It won't be dead until it is buried and in the ground. You can't kill a vampire with out a stake--and we all have a stake in this one. I think we need to continue to send the message.

 

By the way--i was the one that asked if Pete would tell them to pack sand at the ADA meeting if they tried to pull this crap again and he said he would. Pete--i hope you did what you said you would do my friend.

[rthrbhntng]

Guys, AZSFW is still trying to get support and push this bill. Keep the pressure on the legislators. DON'T STOP NOW!.

This bill will never be dead in the legislature until the session is over. There are meetings being held by AZSFW to find support and

find people to write letters in support of the bill.

The new G&F meeting is important to get the ball of cooperation and communication rolling between groups, average sportsmen and the G&F

but don't wait for then to be heard about your opposition to this bill or see what is happening. It is happening right now in backroom

deals. You need to keep the pressure on the legislators. Every time the chat rooms quiet down AZSFW pushes their agenda forward.

Use the AWF position statement in all of your emails and letters. It has some great info.

Steve

[CouesWhitetail]

Steve is correct....AZSFW will be meeting with the critter groups to try and gain support on this bill. In fact Suzanne made a presentation to the ADA board last night and will be moving on to the other critter groups. Suzanne will likely be making the same presentation at the AGFD public meeting on the 22nd. AZSFW believe whole heartedly in the need to solve the problems they outlined in their open letter to the sportsmen. And they believe that HB2072 is the way to solve them. While I agree with the need to raise money to solve the problems, I don't think this is the way to do it. I think this bill has been way too divisive and I think we need to come together as sportsmen to find a way to solve the problems that need to be addressed.

 

Personally, I think the only way to stop it is by extraordinary pressure on the legislature and governor. So far that has not really happened. Unlike Steve, I don't believe that the uproar in the forums or lack there of has anything to do with AZSFW course of action. I think railing against this bill in the forums without contacting your reps is wasting time and energy. I suggest anyone wanting to stop this bill get to work writing their reps and the governor. Personally, I am very concerned about the precedent this bill sets as I think it moves us toward the privatization of wildlife.

[DesertBull]

We need to institute a habitat stamp like

NM has and all of the money going to the G&F with provisions that the money cannot be used for any general fund items. 100% to wildlife. Between that and the current auction tags, baquets, etc it should be enough for time being. It sucks to pay more but if that is what it takes then so be it. Better for everyone to pay a little than to have a handful of big money guys pay and take controll.

[Bugler]

I have mailed this to every member of the Senate so far, the house later today. The attachment that is.

Dear AZ state legislator.doc

[CouesWhitetail]

We need to institute a habitat stamp like

NM has and all of the money going to the G&F with provisions that the money cannot be used for any general fund items. 100% to wildlife. Between that and the current auction tags, baquets, etc it should be enough for time being. It sucks to pay more but if that is what it takes then so be it. Better for everyone to pay a little than to have a handful of big money guys pay and take controll.

 

 

Thank you for sharing your suggestion DB. This is the kind of stuff I would like to see this discussion move toward. If this proposed expo is not the way to raise money, then what is the solution to the problems? Hopefully further discussion here and at the AGFD public meeting on the 22nd will get more ideas to the surface.

[CouesWhitetail]

How much money do you all think needs to be raised to address the issues brought forward by AZSFW? One of the major issues is funding for political campaigns. For instance, lets say one of the anti-groups comes up with legislation that would ban bear hunting and mountain lion hunting. With the amount of money they have to back up a political campaign, how would hunters stop something like that? Personally, I am very worried about that scenario and that type of situation is why I believe it's important to address fundraising for lobbying. I also believe in the need to address declining wildlife populations. Would predator control help with that? I think it would...does AGFD have to be very cautious about how it approaches that? Can they effectively do predator control? I think not due to the political incorrectness of the issue. So how do we effectively control predators to increase wildlife populations? One way is the approach the ADA has taken which is to fund lion hunters and coyote hunts to target specific areas. How many of you would support raising money for predator control?

[DesertBull]

They need to kick ALL lobbiest out of the state. That would diminish the need for a lot of wasted money on all issues. Not just wildlife.

[muskrat]

The problem i see with hunters is that hunters are generally selfish and argumentative towards each other. It is hard to get hunters to agree on two subjects. Makes it hard for hunters to accomplish anything. I talk to hunters who would support a bill to ban mountain lion hunting in the state because they dont think there are enough as it is. They dont see them during the day so they assume they are not there. Some kind of education as to the crippling affects of predators to include lions might be a good way to enlighten these kind of hunters.

 

Hunters need to put aside their small differences for a while and focus towards one goal. Preserving hunting. Who cares if someone baits or not, who cares if someone shoots unethically or not. Right now every hunter in this state needs to wake up and take action. I support evry kind of hunting there is at this point. I have been narrow minded in the past but not anymore.

 

 

Ding Ding Ding We have a winner. Anti-hunters want all hunting, trapping and fishing abolished. Period. Hunters are consumed by compund vs traditional, modern blackpowder versus cap and ball, baiting versus not, hounds versus not; you name it, we can fight about it. We are all fiddling while Rome is burning.

[SpeedGoat]

I couldn't agree more Muskrat. We a have way of majoring in the minors. One thing is for sure right now. We have a clear common enemy and hopefully that means we all have a common goal. If we can all check our egos at the door we can get a lot done.

[Snapshot]

My question is......why would anyone even let Gilstrap in the door to your meetings! Everyone knows the woman is poison.

[videoshot]

Speaking for myself I like the idea of a habitat stamp if we can be sure that the revenue created goes 100% to habitat improvement, whether it be water catchments, wildlife friendly fencing projects and so on. I don't want it to go the general fund either where officials can use it to their discretion. If we as sportsmen put in money for a habitat stamp then by golly we should be able to say where the money goes and where it does not go.

 

I see some very positive things happening since we got wind of HB2072. Sportsmen are coming together and letting their views be heard and are becoming passionate about those views and what happens here in Arizona. Keep this up and we can do some good for our state and the habitat and wildlife that we are so passionate about.