i didnt think i would see the day

[mtnman]

Besides a sporting goods store, we also do web sites...have donated sites to our local snowmobile and atv clubs

[jack]

ish...just want to clear up a few things, first of all i do have the priviledge of some great contacts that i have cultivated over the years,i have always subscribed to the theory that people equals power.it is very important to me to have as many resources in my corner as possible. if the sportsmen in this state are truly done talking about this problem and want to take action it is going to take all the resources we can find, and it will be up to each individual to bring as many of them to the table as he or she can. as far as affiliations with hunters rights groups,clubs etc. i do not currently belong to one, im sure that there are some great groups out there, but before i would join one i want to make sure that their agenda is aligned with the values that i have conserning the natural resources. what would really trip my trigger is to see just one giant concern that could put aside egos and personal differences and  confront the DNR,s political driven motives head on.. have a great christmas.......JACK

[Fish]

Here lies the problem, everyone has good points but w/o organization, we are still just a bunch of hunters writing letters.  Strength lies in numbers.  As I see it, we have two options.  Continue at status quo, unorganized and lack the political power to voice our concerns.  Or, organize under a existing group or our own, have strength in numbers and fight.  The least we could do is draw attention to the media regarding our problem.  I, for one, have already spoke to many other hunters about this forum in hope word will travel fast, information will be shared and somehow we'll organize.  I look at all the new member on this forum and how it's growing.  Hunters are searching online for an answer.

I'm good friends with the Prez of WU.  I've talked to him about this subject and they are figuring out what their stand will be.  Their membership is about 1 out of every 20 WI hunter.  Obviously, not strong enough numbers.  But I will not tell run out and join until I know exactly their position and be sure they will do everything in their power to fight this.  I'm talking about stepping on toes, pushing legislators and even to the point of litigation.  I'm not sure they'll do that.  I ask everyone who is part of a group to ask the groups position and how far they will go.  Maybe one of them will go to the extreme.

The problem w/organization is money, everyone is on board with the issue but not everyone what's to spend the money to join.  I have thought about this and there is an answer.  Let use 700,000 hunters in the state.  Even if we would have half of the support, 350,000 voters would be a strong group.  If we had a very simple website or myspace or other free site to link to, we could spread the word, people could sign up w/name and e-mail.  This would act as a petition.  We could communicate via e-mail and forum.

As we would grow, so would our strength.  We could have a simple mission statement and the few of us who is already politically involved, attend CC meeting and DNR meetings could step up to the plate.   We'd be a larger group than WHA and WU, we would not have to get real political with them.  Just the vote numbers we'd have, would scare any politician, to include the gov.  Just imagine,  " Sen. Black, your are up for re-election in Nov, we do not agree with your stance,  you won the last election by 5,000 votes....we have 35,000 voter in your district".  Powerful stuff.

This idea doesn't cost anything.  We bypass the special interest groups and the alliances between parties.  We hit them were it hurts the most, job security.  They'd have to listen.  Only problem I see, is the short term effect....which would be little.  But we would be heard and would make change, eventually.

So how many hunters do you know?  Would they join something for free to have a say in the DNR?   Everyone sends e-mail now, how fast do you think word would spread?  I'm betting the ten people who send me buck pics each year...know another 10 hunters, etc... 

A few of us have political allies with state politicians, I know they'd welcome a huge population support.  Maybe we'd fail but we'd do more than what we're doing right now.

We're a democracy, lets start acting like one.  We, the people, control the government, not the other way around......

[jack]

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