We all need to be aware that just this year the U.S. Senate passed a non-binding resolution urging Congress to "sell or transfer to or exchange with a state or local government, any Federal Land that is not within the boundaries of a National Park, National Preserve or National Monument." A majority in the United States Senate put this on the books as being something they approve of! This potentially affects many millions of acres of National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. We had best be aware as well that last year the State Legislatures in 11 western states introduced legislation to change ownership of public lands to state ownership! These states are strapped for cash. Along with ownership of these PUBLIC lands comes the financial burden of funding fencing, extensive road and trail systems, land managers, firefighters and all the associated equipment, wildlife and fisheries biologists, enforcement divisions etc..., etc..., all to be paid for how? These lands will be leased or sold to the highest bidder, be they individuals or timber companies, energy companies or whoever. When access is lost to this PUBLIC land it will be lost by hunters, fishermen, hikers, vacationers and everyone else comprising the public. The financial impact on the local economies dependent on these mentioned will be staggering. We need to be aware of all this.
Thank you for posting this up, we all need to stay vigilant, my biggest fear is that we end up like Europe, where only "kings" get to hunt..
Louisiana just had a WMA closure. My state is blessed to have many WMA. The fees to use them just increased.
The Republican legislature and governor of our state are already selling off state-owned land. 10,000 acres is on the block, with more likely to come.
Long bow seasons mean little if there are fewer and fewer public lands to hunt. So many of us cannot afford to lease lands to hunt. Even out west private lands are being locked up to leases by outfitters and noresident landowners. Montana hunting groups have been fighting both the transfer of Federal lands and the sale of public lands to private holdings. It is a TOUGH fight.
I am not a big fan of the federal government and the constant overreach of their powers. However in this case they are the lesser of 2 evils. I can only speak for what occurs in Idaho......this would be a disaster. 2 weeks ago the state auctioned off 39 prime waterfront lots on Priest Lake due to the states past mismanagement in lease agreements and allowing monstrous vacation homes to be built on them.
Keep public lands public so my son will have a place to bowhunt.
Not good. You should visit Texas sometime. Almost zero public hunting . Zero. Very discouraging.
Join BHA.
I am in Virginia. I was told that our WMAs were purchased with funds from VA sportsmen's licenses. I can't see that the state could sell these lands.
Losing Federal lands due to the young yuppie votes in the House and Senate is a whole 'nother thing. Those lands were set aside for posterity, (us), and to vote them away from us and our descendants is a crime against our future.
They say that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. I say that those who forget history are doomed to lose their legacy. Does the name Theodore Roosevelt ring any bells? He established the National Park System for US! The Federal lands deserve equal respect.
This is a big deal.
Killdeer
I am very worried about this. Want my kids to be able to enjoy the same lands as I have. x2 on staying a member of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (and other similar groups fighting for these lands).
Dan
Florida has a no net loss policy on land. They buy and sell, but they can't go below the current acreage.
The original resolution and the amendment were basically voted straight down party lines. What ever happened to conservative politicians that also believe in public lands like Teddy Roosevelt? Clearly, by these votes, they don't exist in the current Federal government. They will stand up and say they support sportsmen, but then vote to kill off the very places we love. Some support.
I don't know whether or not supporting Amazon is any good or not...but I often do purchase things through there. If you join Amazon Smile, Amazon will send 1/2 % of their profit on your purchase to the non profit of your choice. Mine is set up to go to Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. For what its worth...
Dan
People need to get involved on these issues and at least put up a fight...I contacted my local chapter of BHA to see what I can do.
We're 21 trillion in debt and getting bigger everyday. Do you really think the lands are safe in Federal hands? I'd rather have the state own the lands since the people of the State have a say in what those lands are used for.
I remember a few years ago they wanted to sell small parcels of lands that had no access to because of being landlocked by private all around it and people were freaking out and framed the issue as a disaster.
Mint....I respect your opinion. Here is something worth watching that spells out the dangers of a transfer...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TJCpuj8TjM
also....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRiCnpPRx0k
Puts it in perspective and shows the reality of what happens when we give our lands to state control. Once gone...its gone.
Dan
I'm a very conservative person and generally prefer state control over the biggest of brothers, the Fed. But, and I've worked for 4 great FW Agencies, I have no confidence in the state's ability to prevent privatization of public lands if our national forests and BLM property is turned over to the states.
I will let my representative and both Senators know I want these lands to remain in federal control. They all belong to each of us, not just the state they happen to be located in. Teddy Roosevelt got it right the first time.
Jerry, I certainly do think they are safe in "Federal hands" where many of them have been for over 100 years. They stayed safe during the great depression and every other down cycle in national history. I have no confidence in individual states gaining ownership and then bearing the enormous expense of properly managing them. I have no doubt that the push will be to sell or lease them to the highest bidder to raise revenue.
On the Federal level, it's the Republicans in the Congress and Senate, and the big moneyed interests that own them, (Sorry, Killy, they're not young yuppies.) that are pushing for turning the federal land over to the states. Keep that in mind the next time you vote.
Glad to see this issue getting some traction. After listening to Randy Newburg, Stephen Rinella, and the Gritty Bowmen Podcasts lately I felt compelled to join the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. After finding out that stubblefield and Rinella were members I found my recent email calling them a "green decoy" laughable. Worked out great I took the money that I had earmarked for Ducks Unlimited and gave it to BHA instead after the Don Thomas debacle.
If land that belongs to the people is sold to the private parties, it is theft and sale of public goods in my opinion.
I have seen the management policies of our national forests changing for nearly 30 years. Not for the continued, or improved, health of the land or game but, driven by the financial cost. As our federal deficit grows beyond what is already incomprehensible, we will be lucky to have anything left to mismanage, given time. Social Security is plundered with such regularity it is barely noticed - what hope do have for our national public lands?
Charlie, if Congress passes legislation to transfer ownership to the states and they sell/lease the land for the revenues it generates with public access lost in the process it may be despicable but it will not be a theft. This is why it is so important to spread the word on this issue and to be active in opposition.
Rough Run, the long running process you have observed for 30 years is, has been and always will be driven by "financial cost"! It does cost money to manage public land and keep it open to the public. And it is indeed a lack of funding not mismanagement that has made implementation of programs for "the continued or improved health of the land or game" so difficult. Congress has to supply funding for these projects and when their focus is on granting trillions of dollars in tax cuts, corporate welfare and every other form of political pork never with any spending cuts to pay for them it makes funding everything else including public property extremely difficult.
Agreed, Mr. Wright - my disparaging remarks were not directed at individuals required to make hard decisions due to a lack of options & support. They were directed toward those that are responsible for such a necessity, namely Congress. Mismanagement is mismanagement, regardless of the reason. Cost is a prime motivating factor in many, many things and unless our current approach and practices receive an extensive and rapid overhaul, all that we have known is in serious jeopardy.
Jeff, we are in agreement, thanks for posting.
I attended the Outdoor Writers Association of America conference this past weekend in Billings, MT. This issue was an overarching theme of the conference. As an east coaster this issue isn't in your face every day, so it was an eye opener for me to see the depth of concern expressed by a lot of key figures in the hunting community. I met some folks from BHA and will be joining that organization soon. The GOP has made this part of their platform. They win sportsmens votes by defending their second amendment rights, while driving agendas that will deny us the opportunity to use them for the purpose most of us own them.
Steve, what seemed to be the foremost theorem from among that group to rectify the issue? It seems as if we are coming out on the short end, either way.
Glad to see this getting traction here on TradGang. I am on the board for our newly established Wisconsin Chapter of the Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. Get out there and support your local chapters of BHA and other public land groups. (our chapter is hosting a Full Draw Film Tour stop tonight in Milwaukee, for instance)
BUT! We also need all of you guys to send emails and make phone calls to your Fed/State reps on this issue....let them know that this is a black and white issue for you. "They support this in any way, you don't support them".
Here\\'s and easy way to find their contact info. (http://act.commoncause.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sunlight_advocacy_list_page)
I may be voting some on the D side of my ticket for the first time ever.