DMN Article.....Thanks Mr. Sasser........
Commission ought to shoot down proposals

08:27 PM CST on Wednesday, March 29, 2006

A week from today, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission will meet in Austin to vote on proposed fish and game laws. The commission is a nine-member group appointed by the governor to six-year terms. All nine current members are Gov. Rick Perry appointees.

There has not been a dissenting vote cast at a commission meeting in nearly five years. It seems that the commission system doesn't work as well when all nine commissioners are beholden to the same governor.

Though the TP&W Commission is designed as a board of directors for the state game and fish agency, current commissioners have taken an active role in creating game laws based on personal philosophies. The history of TP&W is that biologists propose the laws, based on science. Commissioners sometimes oppose those laws for social reasons.

Here are three bad ideas from the current TP&W Commission that are scheduled for a vote on April 6:

Managed Lands Game Bird Permits: This is an extension of the Managed Lands Deer Permits, which are good for deer management on large ranches but bad for most of the 600,000 deer hunters who pay the state agency's bills through hunting license sales.

In essence, MLDP allows fewer and fewer hunters to kill more and more deer. It erases any logical bag limit on a game animal that's considered the property of all Texans. MLGBP would continue that pattern for native game birds.

Ranches with an approved game bird management plan would be awarded a season quota instead of a daily bag limit. The quota would be set based on population estimates from information gathered by ranch employees.

Ranches would follow prescribed management practices for three years before qualifying for an MLGBP. As you may have guessed, there are ranches that have already done the required work. They would undoubtedly be approved at the outset. It would be interesting to see who they are. Fewer than 100 ranches will ever apply for permits.

Quail habitat improvement is most needed on small, fragmented ranches in marginal quail country. MLGBP is meant to reward large ranches in good quail country.

Bowfishing for catfish: At least Dallas Commissioner Phillip Montgomery takes credit for this one. Nobody seems willing to admit sponsorship of MLGBP. In the interest of expanding public opportunity, Montgomery has proposed making catfish legal game for bowfishing.

I'm in favor of expanded public opportunity, but nobody even knows how many bowfishers are in Texas. Most estimates are fewer than 1,000. At present, bowfishers are limited to shooting rough fish like carp, buffalo and gar.

Catfish are the No. 2 freshwater game fish in Texas, second only to largemouth bass. They are protected by minimum size limits. Use hook and line to catch a fish that's half an inch too short and that fish can be released, relatively unharmed. Shoot the same fish with an arrow and it's dead. Catfish are classed as game fish in Texas and deserve the same respect shown other game fish species.

Antler restrictions for white-tailed deer: This proposal, which applies to 40 counties in East and Central Texas, is intended to reduce hunting pressure on immature bucks.

The core of the antler restriction would limit hunters to killing a buck with an inside antler spread of 13 inches or more. That's probably a good idea where the majority of the buck harvest consists of deer younger than 3 years old.

Because spike bucks are considered culls on well-managed ranches, however, TP&W's proposal would make it legal to kill a spike buck in addition to a buck with a 13-inch spread. Particularly in the counties where the antler restriction is proposed, most spikes are yearling deer.

In dry years, most of the yearling bucks in East and Central Texas may be spikes. In counties where antler restrictions are proposed, hunters last season were restricted to one buck. If the proposal passes, next season they can shoot one buck with a 13-inch spread and one spike. Rather than decrease buck harvest, this proposal could have the opposite effect.

E-mail rsasser@dallasnews.com

A father and son were discussing these antler restrictions at ball practice the other day. I happened to be close enough to eavesdrop. His son was complaining that if this passed, that they would not have the good, young, tender meat for Thanksgiving and Christmas next year. The father said, Yea they would. After the boy went back out onto the field, I eased over and bounced the young father out about it. He said that he wouldn’t buy licenses if this passed. He would make sure his son was legal, but that he and his wife would no longer be purchasing the hunting licenses.
“We’ll get the freezer meat and let the youngun get the horns,” he said.
As I walked away I thought of how many other hunters would be “passing” on the tags and turn poachers. It’s bad when good folks become outlaws just because of Trophymania...

I thought doe tags were for freezer meat.

If you happen to be where doe are legal, yes. If not...well...

In a large portion of the counties in the state, does are legal game during all of archery season, and most of general season. However there are some counties where doe are only legal during general season, if they come off a property that is in the Managed Lands program, in the rest of the county does are illegal.

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As I walked away I thought of how many other hunters would be “passing” on the tags and turn poachers.

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The same ones that are doing that now. I seriously doubt that a change in game laws would turn anyone into a poacher who wasn't one already. Yep they are the same ones who keep undersize fish and more than their limit.

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His son was complaining that if this passed, that they would not have the good, young, tender meat for Thanksgiving and Christmas next year.

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Where's my violin? I thought I'd heard it all.

Are you going to make it to the get together in June?? Just wondering when you might get there b/c I would hate to miss all the entertainment!!

With that attitude, I hope you are a good Christian, because if you die and come to Hell, you are gonna be my Bitch.

CHC brings out the hammer. I sure wanted to come see the entertainment at the get together but I have to miss out. It is my first wedding aniversary.

You seem to miss the point...but like the Bias thread - it probably went way over your head. You want to see things your way and want everybody else to, also. Since you're the god of rules and regs and can see all/know all, then you already know that.

It's good to know that we have "hunters" like you that can see hundreds of deer each outing, thumb your nose at them, and pick out "trophies" at will. Some can't do that.


And I got your violin you arrogant, %$^%&^

Oh, I get the point. Let's make up a heartwarming story to see if I can convince people to come over to my side. Kinda like the Democrats. May as well get over the change in regulaltions. It's gonna happen and you will have to live with it. Remember the "golden rule." He who has the gold makes the rules. Fight it all you want but it's a done deal.

No, what your point is that you want to make it personal. It doesn't really matter how young hunters see the world of hunting - you want it to turn out everywhere like it is in your little niche. Typical for a closed mind.

Besides all that you've lost the concept of hunting due to an antler-in-the-eye mentality. Not only has it consumed you, but you are impervious to how it affects the outlook of those that will carry on the tradition.

As I pointed out earlier in numerous posts, I'm not against deer management if the habitat is improved. That's what you want to dance around and why you want to make this personal in my opinion. Why, if you are so concerened about others opinions affecting you, do you march out with your little strawman and then cry foul? Want to disregard ad hominem? Then stop making this personal!

Big Orn,

I don't want to get in the middle of you and M16. I am kind of with the others. This boxing match should be good at the get together.

However - Anyone who becomes a poacher due to "regs changes"...... That just cracks me up. I read these internet bulletin boards and people drop their gloves in an instant when someone has a HINT of a game violation.

Not in this case when you don't agree with it. Seems to me that things work a bit different when we don't see eye to eye with the change.

Just my 2 cents.

Okay gang, before we all get moderated here, this little circular arguement has turned into a whirling dervish.

M16, I shouldn't have made the comment I did, but you are wrapped a little too tight for the world I live in. Just because you view hunting the way you do, that doesn't mean that anybody or everybody agrees with your point of view.

Orn, watch your blood pressure, I am wanting to meet you at the Get-To-Gether, not attend a memorial service cause you stroked out.

Huntalot, take it from someone who was very good at poaching because they liked venison more than they liked following rules, the numbers aren't huge, but you can make book on the fact that everytime a new game law is instituted, that reduces the opportunity to kill something, more game gets killed illegally than was being done before the restrictions were put in place.

I don't completely agree with the MLDP program, the way it is run now, I think it needs to be re-worked. The MLGBP is wrong from the start, game bird populations are too hard to accurately monitor.

I think that this one has ran its course and needs to fade into the sunset, because we are losing sight of how these proposed regulaions(MLGBP) and existing(MLDP)regulation, are really effecting hunting in the state. JMDO

Did I say I agreed with poaching? No. The problem with M16 is that he wants to take whatever anyone says that is in opposition to him and make it a snot-slinging contest.

Well, I've about had it with his smartass, egotistical, BS.

And I really hope you stay out of it, Huntalot. We may disagree and that's fine - that's what these boards are for...for the millionth time, but it don't have to get nasty.

And Randall, I won't blow a gasket, but I will tell it like it is and if M16 don't like I have a PM and an addy posted.

As long as you make it to the party, I don't care what you do on the side.

We may be the only ones there, or we may have to pitch our TiPis off to them selves.

Orn,

Peace Man!!!! I am not in it. I am done. Get everyone together at the "get together" and make 'em wear real names instead of handles and see what happens. Probably find out there is a bunch of nice folks who just have some differences of opinions on a few issues!

Have a great day!!!!

Huntalot (not as much as I would like!)

Okay - I've about worn out my welcome on that issue.

I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to the members of THF for getting all hot around the collar and showing my bad side. Not what I wanted.

It's one thing to argue and another to

Well I was ALMOST able to stay out of this one.
ALMOST!

Hunting regulations by their very existence are
what create poachers. To think that regulating
someone out of an opportunity to kill game won't
increase the instances of poaching is ridiculous.
Almost as bad (maby worse) is the number of hunters
that are on the border of being able to justify the
expense of hunting already that will feel pushed
out of hunting. I know, I know, game ranch owners
don't give a flippin' flop about these commoners.
Game ranch owners seem to yearn for the day when
only the financial elite will be allowed to hunt.
Then there will be no worries of the unwashed masses
taking the game that rightfully belongs to those with
the "gold".
Capitalism is a good way for an economy to prosper.
When it's applied to the property of the state/people,
it has become a feudal system. This states game laws
are headed in that direction if not already there.
Game ranch owners all across the state love it.

PK

Sasser has made his point and I have talked back and forth with him with both of us agreeing on some things and not on others. BUT...he has got to try and come up with something ELSE to write about...how many times are we going to hear this? Hopefully they will hurry up and pass the antler restriction so we can get on with arguing about something new.
JR