Ridecamp: Re: [RC] [RC] Hunting Season

At 09:23 AM 11/17/02, Nancy Mitts wrote:
> Count the money. Hunters and fisherpeople contribute a significant 
> quantifiable revenue source. In some, if not most states that's what funds 
> the administration of public lands.

OK, so that means those who pay the most get to use public lands and those 
who apparently pay less don't?  If that's true I wonder what would happen 
if hunting revenues had to support public lands *fully* for the months of 
the year that they use the land.  I doubt hunting revenues bring in that 
much money!

If this situation was reversed would it work (this is a method I use to 
check lots of arguments):  Do public lands get closed down to outside use 
when an endurance ride or a bike race takes place over it?  Fees have been 
paid, after all.  If someone would point out that endurance ride fees for 
public land use are much less than hunting revenues, then I'm thinking that 
if might makes right ("count the money") then we should really count the 
money.  Do hunting revenues bring in more to maintain public lands than 
*other tax dollars*?  If not, how is it fair that other financial 
supporters of public lands cannot use those lands part of the year?  If so, 
should hunters be allowed to monopolize public lands because they pay 
more?  If this should be the case, then I don't want to hear one more peep 
out of one more person ever about Ted Turner's buying up of land and using 
it just the way he wants - after all, he's doing just what the hunters are 
doing.

Personally, if the answer is yes to the above, and I should be content to 
not go into the National Forest or ride over BLM land during hunting 
season, I want a refund of my tax money.  I'm not a hunter and don't see 
why I should pay to support their recreational use of MY land!
       _________________________________________________
           Lif Strand * Quemado NM USA * www.fasterhorses.com
                               ** You speak, I listen, We talk  **


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