Quote:
Originally Posted by sheephunter
If there really is no problem with population numbers, then by looking at the big picture here, there are basically two sides to this issue that have nothing to do with game management and everything to do with hunter management......those that want to punish the successful and make it easier for them to kill a ram and those that have killed a ram and now want to increase their odds of killing a big ram. Who has more right to have sheep managed for them? Right now, we seem to be managing for both groups. There is still ample opportunity to kill a ram for those willing to put in the time and effort and there is still a good chance of killing a 8-year-old-plus ram for those that put there time in. So which side should we manage for or is what is being done now fair to both groups? Truthfully, I hate seeing wildlife managed for any special interest group as is being suggested by both camps in this issue. It comes across pretty greedy. Yes, I've had the good forture to kill a few rams and I'd love to see more big sheep in the mountains but I'm also pragmatic enough to realize how fortunate I was to have an opportunity to kill my first ram, regardless of size. At that time I'd have shot the first legal sheep I saw and I'm not sure that we should be lobbying to take that right away from others. To me, it seems awfully greedy!
Managing for hunters is always going to be compromize management and to me, the current system seems like a pretty fair compromise. Everyone is afforded ample opportunity to acheive their goals. Is age structure really a problem or are opportunities to kill a first ram really a problem.....or is that just the view from your side of the fence? I'm really not that comfortable with the government managing wildlife/hunters for the purpose of satisfying special interest groups. I'm sure there are other groups out there that would love to see more big sheep on the mountain too and I'm guessing hunting doesn't figure into their solution. Let's manage wildlife for wildlife.
With countless options for increasing hunting opportunity for bighorn sheep, why are people lobbying to reduce it?
|
Very good my thoughts exactly, and I'll add that I'm astounded by the number of "plans" that are being floated around here with out the slightest bit of science behind them. The first piece of science would have been a study that actually defined the condition of our sheep herds rather than just assume we need to do something.
Look at the disaster that is the sheep sanctuary. We allowed the govt to chip away at all the places where sheep were killed when they left the park and slowly though little additions here and there it was no longer any place hunters went. Over population + nothing pushing the sheep off winter range in the summer + lung worm = the current disaster served up to us who thought they knew what was best for the sheep there.
Gee, thought they knew what was best for the sheep,,, that sound familiar to anyone?