Wyoming Passes 90/10: The Worst Article You’ll Read This Year

[robby denning]

Not really - looking past the argument points people are using - wanting to see the larger picture. It connected a few dots for me:

• we have a hunting industry telling people we need to introduce new hunters into an already packed playing field
• trophy hunting is highly promoted - whether it be antlers or the type of hunt (backcountry, float, whatever)
• We have places like Alaska stopping "outsider" (R & NR in this instance) hunting in favor of the indigenous people & subsistence hunters, forget how big an area is being considered
• many of the private places folks have previously hunted are now developed and the animals dispersed
• many areas are leased-up and those private properties are sealed from the public
• states are banning cell-cameras and game cameras
• many states have gone to preference points for resident hunting opportunities because the residents exceed the opportunity - public lands get packed with folks (cue WY next)
• WY is looking at 90/10,
• the various states keep "reintroducing wolves and bears and whatever else" while protecting them and trying to get their numbers back to "where they were" before people existed, those critters eat the game folks hunt
• Coyotes have done a significant number on the small game numbers in many areas
• Bird numbers - quail, pheasants, etc. are low and many areas stock em to provide an opportunity
• if you "just want to kill stuff" you can probably be satisfied shooting whatever is legal and whatever public access you can find
• if you want a peaceful hunt, you either hunt mid-week, join a lease, hire a guide, or try to out distance yourself from others

Appears to be trending towards the European practices - not intentionally or planned, but due to population density and limited number of critters - partially due to overharvest and partially due to environmental circumstances - disease, drought, deep snow, whatever. F&G folks have to play a tough game and haven't been doing as well as they could with politics in the way.

So, what's coming -or- should we say, gonna get worse?

• Increased hunter density
• Increased restrictions on hunters - antler restrictions, shorter seasons, ...
• Increased difficulty getting a tag - tougher draws, limited draws, ...
• Increased hunter competition & folks doing stuff they would not have done in years past (cutting in on a stalk, spooking out the game on another guy to maybe get it tomorrow, etc.)
• Increased bickering among hunters - not that there isn't enough already
• Increased cost
• Increased restrictions on equipment such as game cameras
• Increased restrictions on shed hunting
• Less places to hunt
• More expensive leases
• More competition for leases and private access

Sure sounds like the glass is half empty - just calling it as I seen it over the past 40+ seasons. Never thought we'd get where we are now in my lifetime.

This is not limited to western mountain hunting, it is the same for whitetail deer, bears, waterfowl, birds, whatever.

We're just getting started with the changes. And as such, there is no better time for folks to plan their hunt of a lifetime. Don't wait, do it right now.

I and a couple buddies booked a bucket list hunt for next year - we have some points, but not enough to draw what we want. So with the promise of 90/10, we're paying for a private land hunt to have reduced competition and the ability to hunt how we want as opposed to putting em to bed the day before opener and sleeping on them, shoot em at first light. That's not fun hunting...

Good, we’ll end it with that summary right there.

(Prolly should delete the last 20 pages)


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