Frustration at the legislative session

Frustration at the legislative session

Editor:

I'm frustrated and angered how this legislative session is going. We are avid hunters, anglers and ardent conservationists. Who sent these legislators to Helena to cheapen, trample and make a chicanery of our outdoor traditions?

The hunters and anglers I talk to are equally frustrated and angry. What a long list of special interest legislation.

We've seen efforts to steal our hunting and fishing dollars, several attempts to disembowel the FWP Commission, limit Fish, Wildlife and Parks land purchases and their management, many attempts to statutorially manage wildlife, prohibit anything to do with our wild bison except slaughter and treat them as livestock, spear hunting of big game, allowing silencers on rifles, weakening our stream access (Senate Bill 309) while allowing privatization of river channels, the trailing of domestic sheep through bighorn sheep areas at will (House Bill 541) and the overturn of the citizens initiative I 161 by an outfitter legislator.

The list grows longer with 100-plus bills already, and they're not finished. This is an all-out assault by special interests to privitize wildlife and commercialize hunting, to weaken or wipe out the Public Trust Doctrine, the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and to diminish the rights of every day sporting people. Montana hunters and anglers, stand up, make your voices heard-contact your legislators, tell them they're wrong and are going against what we believe in. Tell them you're frustrated and have had a belly full. Also tell them, "I hunt. I fish. I vote. "

J. W. Westman, Park City

Editor:

I'm frustrated and angered how this legislative session is going. We are avid hunters, anglers and ardent conservationists. Who sent these legislators to Helena to cheapen, trample and make a chicanery of our outdoor traditions?

The hunters and anglers I talk to are equally frustrated and angry. What a long list of special interest legislation.

We've seen efforts to steal our hunting and fishing dollars, several attempts to disembowel the FWP Commission, limit Fish, Wildlife and Parks land purchases and their management, many attempts to statutorially manage wildlife, prohibit anything to do with our wild bison except slaughter and treat them as livestock, spear hunting of big game, allowing silencers on rifles, weakening our stream access (Senate Bill 309) while allowing privatization of river channels, the trailing of domestic sheep through bighorn sheep areas at will (House Bill 541) and the overturn of the citizens initiative I 161 by an outfitter legislator.

The list grows longer with 100-plus bills already, and they're not finished. This is an all-out assault by special interests to privitize wildlife and commercialize hunting, to weaken or wipe out the Public Trust Doctrine, the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and to diminish the rights of every day sporting people. Montana hunters and anglers, stand up, make your voices heard-contact your legislators, tell them they're wrong and are going against what we believe in. Tell them you're frustrated and have had a belly full. Also tell them, "I hunt. I fish. I vote. "

J. W. Westman, Park City