Conservation Organization

[Hoodie]

Hoodie, why did you delete your last post?

I realized I was breaking the rule I mentioned earlier about only engaging in arguments on the internet that were easy to win. What you said wasn't something that could be easily dismissed by posting a few links. I'll ask it the same way though.

How do you feel about oil/gas leases on BLM? Or mining? Or timber harvest on National Forest? Are you anti-development or anti-renewable energy development? Windmills have some drawbacks, for sure.

I posted this link, which is BHA's statement on it:

Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act Benefits Wildlife, Hunters

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is the voice for our wild public lands, waters and wildlife.

www.backcountryhunters.org

I wouldn't call this an aggressively pro windmill position. That's all I have to say about it though. If someone else had a different take, I don't have a problem with that in the same way I have a problem with people saying BHA is surreptitiously funding political campaigns. Or anti-predator hunting. That's apples to oranges.

 

[Gutshotem]

I realized I was breaking the rule I mentioned earlier about only engaging in arguments on the internet that were easy to win. What you said wasn't something that could be easily dismissed by posting a few links. I'll ask it the same way though.

How do you feel about oil/gas leases on BLM? Or mining? Or timber harvest on National Forest?

I posted this link, which is BHA's statement on it:

Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act Benefits Wildlife, Hunters

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is the voice for our wild public lands, waters and wildlife.

www.backcountryhunters.org

These are the quotes I found relevant:

"No development is without impact, and while many of us would prefer that our public lands and waters remain undeveloped, the reality is that our resources are managed under a multiple-use mandate. That does not mean every use in every place, however, so it’s our collective obligation to ensure that we are advocating for responsible development practices and elevating considerations for fish and wildlife and our hunting and fishing traditions."

"Mandating that necessary funds be provided to fish and wildlife and counties and states that bear the burden of development is a critical improvement from current development standards."

"All development has impacts and while no legislative vehicle is perfect, PLREDA will put measures in place that consider fish and wildlife as a priority instead of an afterthought and predesignate priority development areas to prevent avoidable conflict."

They're operating under the (correct) assumption that development is already going on, and will continue. This policy makes explicit provision for wildlife, which is better than the alternative.

I wouldn't call this an aggressively pro windmill position. That's all I have to say about it though. If someone else had a different take, I don't have a problem with that in the same way I have a problem with people saying BHA is anti-predator hunting, or surreptitiously funding political campaigns. That's apples to oranges.

I'm sorry, you must have me mistaken, I didn't make my comment to argue. If someone else wants to do the mental gymnastics of why a bike trail is bad, but a windfarm is kosher, more power to you. You asked if there was anything else, so I provided my answer. The area I grew up in is now scabbed with windmills and it looks like hell. I'm not giving my money to anyone who wants to destroy the landscape or alter animal patterns on that scale. Maybe that's just me, but thats my choice and that's why I added it to your list. Actually, maybe its not just me because I do remember when the Kennedys quashed that windfarm they wanted to put off the coast of their Martha's Vineyard compound.

Further, looking at their employee photos from the CEO down to the interns, I also noticed the absence of diversity, which appears to show an astounding lack of social awareness; however, I'd be very surprised if diversity wasn't something that many of the people in those photos have shown support for on their personal social media pages. This leaves me somewhat confused but personally, I think they can and should do better if they want my money.

For you, I think you should focus your energy elsewhere. White knighting and trying to dispell or disprove everyone's personal reasons isn't a good look. You really come off as an a$$hole talking about " i don't have a problem with this reason like I have a problem with some other reason". You must think really highly of yourself if you believe anyone on here gives a single F about whether or not Hoodie has a problem with their reason for not sending organizations money.

 

[Hoodie]

You must think really highly of yourself if you believe anyone on here gives a single F about whether or not Hoodie has a problem with their reason for not sending organizations money.

It's literally a thread about which conservation organizations you think are worth giving money to and why.

 

[JR Greenhorn]

RMEF and PF. I kill probably 10-12 pheasants every year on PF habitat projects, not to mention the lobbying they do for the farm bill. When I head to SD 95% of the roosters I kill are on CREP land open to public access.

Of course PF lobbies hard for the Farm Bills; they benefit directly. One of theirs got set up in my local NRCS office, and even got a truck with Federal plates (guess who paid for that?) to drive around between meddling in the administration of Federal agricultural programs, which are of course funded by the Farm Bill.

They shamelessly get laws passed that work against the same people that CRP and CREP programs depend on for their private land.

I personally know people who have had to till and replant the same CRP land at least 3 times, each time because PF convinced a government agency that the mix of "native" plants (grown from seeds which must only be purchased from approved vendors) wasn't right for their favorite non-native species.

Their recent stunt to use the power of the State to force use of private land might finally have been a bridge too far, as locals in my area are finally beginning to understand that PF is not your friend. I'm not sure who got paid to put all of those new fence posts in, but you can bet it didn't come from PF's budget. At least they're a constant reminder to those of us who live here of who PF works against.



And now, back to your regularly-scheduled BHA arguing...

 

[Stache Attack]

I think pheasants forever is great in MT so I support them as I see the projects benefitting public access on private and boosting bird pops on both ownership types.
Mule deer foundation: I really want them to do more, extremely low over head organization compared to RMEF, I just haven’t seen the projects, and structures of the org. Develop.
RMEF is a NO for me, can’t stand that they buy leases around the west with raised dollars at banquets and memberships, then hunt them their self no chance a typical member can go shoot a 380-410 bull on there. I think for majority of members RMEF is a status symbol now, ten to 15 years ago they were a great org before they turned into a business.

 

[MattB]

One smaller grass roots org that people might take a look at is SCBS. A conservation non-profit I am involved with works very closely with them and they do fantastic work, largely surrounding providing water for desert bighorns here in CA. They supply countless hours of volunteer labor to build new or fix old drinkers, perform herd counts, etc. My understanding is virtually all of their dollars go to projects/initiatives.

SCBS Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep - Home

The Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep (SCBS) is a California registered, non-profit organization founded in 1964 and dedicated to the conservation a

sheepsociety.com

 

[Crowmangler]

RMEF is a NO for me, can’t stand that they buy leases around the west with raised dollars at banquets and memberships, then hunt them their self no chance a typical member can go shoot a 380-410 bull on there.

Is this really true? Cause if so, that's BS

 

[jtevanMT]

RMEF member.

 

[mgblood59]

RMEF and BHA. See them do good work and get annoyed by some things. Rest of all this is like churches arguing over who is more religous or doing things the right way.

 

[Stache Attack]

Is this really true? Cause if so, that's BS

100% I understand the big dogs in RMEF have some money, but don’t think enough to lease some of the ranches they do. Few land owners I know have been approached by RMEF emails to lease. I’ve also seen plenty of trail cams of bulls I know and asked where they got them. David Allen’s guy was always the answer.

 

[steeleb3]

When it comes to groups like SCI, RMEF, NWTF, BHA, etc., what groups are you apart of and why? Looking at joining a few and curious what and why you've joined the ones you did.

Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited are two others worth looking at. NC permits hunting on a lot of their lands, and if they don't you're still able to access most of them. Trout Unlimited does a lot of restoration work to benefit native fisheries.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

The foundation for wildlife management, if not already mentioned, is a must IMO. They are helping with the wolf issues in ID and MT.

RMEF, MD foundation, muley fanatics, occasionally BHA when they don’t annoy me, although now with their number one goal being LGBTQ++++ friendly, and the wind turbines on public lands, I am out. The organization needs a top down overhaul.

 

[MattB]

100% I understand the big dogs in RMEF have some money, but don’t think enough to lease some of the ranches they do. Few land owners I know have been approached by RMEF emails to lease. I’ve also seen plenty of trail cams of bulls I know and asked where they got them. David Allen’s guy was always the answer.

So, 100% true based on your opinion?

 

[f16jack]

It's great that there are so many organizations that work to provide habitat and hunting opportunities. There's one for you, what ever your passion. But all that habitat and reintroduced species is for naught if we can't own a gun or can't hunt. From that perspective, in addition to other organizations, I support the NRA and SCI. NRA for personal gun ownership, and SCI for laws and regulations at all levels (international, federal, state, local) that permit hunting and transport of sporting firearms.

 

[Stache Attack]

So, 100% true based on your opinion?

I’ve never leased to them myself, know that they have leased lands. You support where you’d like, once they honestly invest in MT and not Kentucky then maybe. It’s a money grab( in my opinion), you spend money where you’d like and I’ll do where I would like.

 

[MattB]

I’ve never leased to them myself, know that they have leased lands. You support where you’d like, once they honestly invest in MT and not Kentucky then maybe. It’s a money grab( in my opinion), you spend money where you’d like and I’ll do where I would like.

It is not about where you or I spend our money. You made an unsubstantiated claim that RMEF uses raised dollars to lease hunting properties that only the “big dogs” are able to hunt. People get sued for making statements like that.

 

[Johnny Tyndall]

Anybody know anything about the Public Land Water Access Association in MT? Seems like they do good work.

 

[Okhotnik]

The foundation for wildlife management, if not already mentioned, is a must IMO. They are helping with the wolf issues in ID and MT.

RMEF, MD foundation, muley fanatics, occasionally BHA when they don’t annoy me, although now with their number one goal being LGBTQ++++ friendly, and the wind turbines on public lands, I am out. The organization needs a top down overhaul.

Another big supporter of foundation for wildlife

 

[theotherdubya]

Seems to be a ton of BHA hate around here, but I am a big fan of how MT BHA keeps members informed of legislative issues at the state level.

 

[sneaky]

I’ve never leased to them myself, know that they have leased lands. You support where you’d like, once they honestly invest in MT and not Kentucky then maybe. It’s a money grab( in my opinion), you spend money where you’d like and I’ll do where I would like.

Interesting take, since they've bought land and turned it over to public use in MT on multiple occasions.

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