SFW and Big Game Forever...your thoughts?

T43

Active Member
Not a fan of their tag grab tactics. There are some bills in the Idaho Senate right now that reek of SFWs "tags for the rich" underhanded fundraiser m.o. There stance against the bill that gave Idaho and Montana control of wolves was almost as bad as the fact that now they are attempting to claim they were instrumental in "greasing the wheels " to get it through.
 

Zim

Very Active Member
Feb 28, 2011
737
61
LaPorte, IN
Well, I guess today marks the high tide mark. Today was the first time in 15 years I decided not to respond to a guy who I could give some good advice to. He posted on this forum that he drew a Book Cliffs elk tag at the SLC Expo. I participated in that hunt the right way. In doing so, he chose to support SFW and no way in hell will I compromise my feelings towards them.
 

ChadH

Active Member
Nov 22, 2011
184
0
Mount Rainier
Well, I guess today marks the high tide mark. Today was the first time in 15 years I decided not to respond to a guy who I could give some good advice to. He posted on this forum that he drew a Book Cliffs elk tag at the SLC Expo. I participated in that hunt the right way. In doing so, he chose to support SFW and no way in hell will I compromise my feelings towards them.
What??? Someone with principles from Chicago? I lived there for quite awhile and I thought "greasing the wheels" was in the DNA! :)

Just kidding (mostly). I have to agree with you Zim. I have a question though, how do you feel about Land Owner Tags sold to those willing to pay big time? Just wondering if it is any different. I can see it both ways I guess. I hate like heck that there is a way to get a tag if you are willing to pay enough for it, but I know landowners in the west often times feed the dang animals all year, have crop damage, fence damage, wolf damage, etc that hardly gets covered in keeping with real expense, so I have a hard time holding it against them. It still stinks because if you are a person of modest means (like me and most of you) then it makes it very difficult to hunt most places in the west (the same as impossible in some places).

On top of that, what about "special" tags (like Wyoming's)? Isn't that close to the same? At least there the money stays in the conservation entity responsible for managing the resource, and some of it has to go to HMA and WIHA access (I hope any way). Not to mention it doesn't assure yo uof a tag.

Complicated issues.
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
8,064
4,287
82
Dolores, Colorado
The thing that has always bothered me about all of these high priced over the top tags auctioned off by various groups is that there is no accountability of how and where they spend the $$$. A Colorado Governors mule deer tag goes for over $100K and the buyer gets the right to hunt anywhere/anytime!!!

Just because someone has lots of bucks shouldn't give them the right to buy this type of hunting access. The only groups that I donate to are the NRA and RMEF. I know their track record (even tho I don't always agree with them) and support what thay try to do. Too many of these other socalled sportsmans groups/organizations are top heavy with people sucking off $$$ that should have gone towards what they promise thay are going to do. Some almost seem like a ponzi scheme. If this keeps up the average guy without megabucks is going to be scrambling for the leftover tags while the best get skimmed off the top.

Nuff said!
 

Zim

Very Active Member
Feb 28, 2011
737
61
LaPorte, IN
What??? Someone with principles from Chicago? I lived there for quite awhile and I thought "greasing the wheels" was in the DNA! :)

Just kidding (mostly). I have to agree with you Zim. I have a question though, how do you feel about Land Owner Tags sold to those willing to pay big time? Just wondering if it is any different. I can see it both ways I guess. I hate like heck that there is a way to get a tag if you are willing to pay enough for it, but I know landowners in the west often times feed the dang animals all year, have crop damage, fence damage, wolf damage, etc that hardly gets covered in keeping with real expense, so I have a hard time holding it against them. It still stinks because if you are a person of modest means (like me and most of you) then it makes it very difficult to hunt most places in the west (the same as impossible in some places).

On top of that, what about "special" tags (like Wyoming's)? Isn't that close to the same? At least there the money stays in the conservation entity responsible for managing the resource, and some of it has to go to HMA and WIHA access (I hope any way). Not to mention it doesn't assure yo uof a tag.

Complicated issues.
There are plenty of crooks everywhere. Ours are on a larger scale. I think Don Peay found a small market much easier to corrupt quicker.

Lots of issues yes. I don't really have an opinion on the landowner tags. I could see both sides. But I sure don't like the way that has gone in New Mexico where they all treat it like welfare and it's out of control.

I am for state's rights but don't like to see the "special" setup in WY. That policy is a miniature of the auction tag runaway. I am not a fan of any auctioned public tags. A few I can toloerate maybe 10 per state. After that they become a target for abuse.

Wyoming has too many commissioner tags and a few other programs I think I totalled 110 or so for auction, but at least they have very good accountability and efficiency in the use of those funds going back on the ground.
 

brooks

Member
Aug 3, 2011
134
0
New Mexico
I don't like what SFW tried to do in AZ with the tag grab for the wealthy !!!! I have been buying points in AZ for many years trying to get a coveted elk tag and SFW could have sold my tag right out from under me and have me waiting and paying who knows how much longer and the wealthy guy would just buy his way to the front of the line. Plus the way it was being done was wrong !! I hope the congressman that SFW supported and was introducing the bill gets voted OUT !
 

HuskyMusky

Veteran member
Nov 29, 2011
1,321
172
IL
Why wouldn't the state handle the auctioning of all tags?
why give them to special groups at all?

also auction tags whether right or wrong should only be valid during open seasons, no rifles during bow seasons, no 365 day seasons.

also 365 day season type tags if a game animal is taken out of the state's scheduled seasons should NOT be valid for B&C record books.

This sounds like just more of the rich ruling the world, making/writing the rules/laws as they go.

Many of these rich types have never applied for a game tag/built points in a state in their lives, they buy tags/hunts, don't have a clue how the system works. When we say you bought my tag I've been building points for, for 20 years they probably have no clue what you're talking about. I mean why would they build/buy/wait to draw a MT bighorn sheep tag when they can just pay $40k for a bighorn hunt this year, or next in canada?
 
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Kevin Root

Very Active Member
Jun 22, 2011
868
0
San Jose, California
web.me.com
I have a hard time knowing these days what organizations are for the preservation of public land hunting and what groups are for making it more like Europe or private hunting. What I see more and more, is sadly more of the latter in results.

Just like with politics it's hard to figure out sometimes who's really doing what they promise or just talking a good talk with a bunch of empty promises. I'm for states managing their game, managing non-resident hunters and even raising money for the betterment of hunting, as long as the money goes towards the betterment of public land hunting preservation.

The endangered species act is used against the betterment of hunting or in hunters used as a game management tool. Super predators are reintroduced on public land destroying years of progress in building up game herds. It makes me wonder where our money contributions, or the taxes generated from the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act are really going towards. It seems more and more these days like a bad winter we can't control.
 

brooks

Member
Aug 3, 2011
134
0
New Mexico
+1 I think these groups are only about the money! As far as AZSFW you can easly find out how much and who donated to the AZ congressman that was trying to get the many great AZ tags all in the name of the average hunter. Come on get real SFW $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$