As I'm sure you read I said nothing about those two reducing access. As for casting hunting in a negative light, how about Hairston's Instgram kissing the dead sheep or DJTJ with the elephant tail. I don't particularly care if folks want to go to Africa and shoot pen-raised lions, not my bag but if it's legal and ethical, knock yourself out. What I am more concerned about is how non-hunters perceive hunters who are ethical and follow the law. Unfortunately people are going to try and relate backcountry elk hunting with African elephant hunting and we will be worse off. I'm not advocating the end of African hunting, perhaps a bit more humility and education from the folks who participate in all hunting to non-hunters (aka the folks who will decide the future of hunting).
541hunter, thanks for the links. Regarding the first one, most NM's already allow hunting/fishing so for some proclamation about the right to hunt/fish there is giving me something I already have. Didn't know about the Nevada wilderness, appreciate the info. As for the last one, while on it's face seems okay, I've grown cynical enough that anything with Rob Bishop involved smells funny. This administration is weakening so many "burdensome" environmental regulations, ignoring their own scientists and throwing a monkey wrench into other collaborative projects (Sage grouse anyone) that anything they offer seems to me to be more of a distraction while they open up our public lands to extraction above all other uses. Perhaps Montana's storied history of the extraction industry taking the gold and giving us the shaft has soured me on these folks doing the right thing.
So to circle back, good for DJTJ that he hunts and love it perhaps as much as I do. I just haven't seen much from this administration that he is influencing the pres on very many positive changes for wildlife, habitat and public lands. Need the first two to make the third worth a damn.
