Seriously, you can email me, post on Facebook, comment on stories and articles on Wisconsin Outdoor Fun, answer poll questions on my radio show and whine and complain around the water cooler but you can’t show up to one single meeting once a year?!?! You do know there are people looking to take away your ability to hunt and even fish, right? You do know there is people that are very, very good at assembling and ruining your hunting and fishing opportunities?
It is a shame more folks did not attend the WI Conservation Congress Spring Hearings. I know, we say it every year, many of us stand on this soap box and complain about attendance. Is the enitre state that busy? I thought everyone was unemployed? Or are you just taking it for granted? You want this, that and everything when “your” season comes up, but are unwilling to help when it’s the Conservation Congress’ “season”.
I wanted to be on the Conservation Congress to be a young, new voice. I wanted to be someone who had an actual soap box to stand on to voice issues and speak up where others could not. No one is asking you to do the same, all we are asking for is your expressed opinion where it will do some good.
The anti-sportsmen’s group are well organized and well funded, and at this time they are positioning themselves to have a field day with the lack of participation from hunters and fishermen. They have the ability to spread their message quickly through social media and other outlets, just as we do. So how could they win then? It’s simply the passion they have for their cause. What you take for granted, they are passionately working against.
Our job as delegates is to help concerned citizens write resolutions asking for an addition or change in the hunting and fishing rules. We then take the resolutions that pass at a county level to an assigned committee, they meet and decide to ask them on a statewide forum. If the resolution passes at the state level it can then become a DNR proposed rule change. It’s our duty to help the citizens of our county whether we are personally against the resolution or not. If you want to see a change, if you have an idea, we can help the notify the public of it. This system works if used correctly, this system works if you work with it. This system will fail if you stop participating, which is what is happening. With fewer pro-hook & bullet folks and a constant number of anti-hook &bullet folks, the numbers become skewed. Obviously we have far more hunters and fishermen in this state than non, but that is not being represented to the congress, and it’s not our jobs nor our duty to guess what the citizens really want.
I get asked all the time why these hearings and questions cannot be done online, here are just a few reasons, there are many others.
First is discussion, if you have a question, where do you get answers? Who do you trust to get those answers from? During these public meetings the public can assemble and state their opinion or state a clubs position on a proposed question. If we were to ask you the same question online, how would a club define their stance? What if you’re not a snowmobiler and the question pertained to snowmobiles, you may not want to take away an opportunity from someone else but you know nothing about it. Who would answer that? There are many examples each year of groups stating their position so the public may stay informed. That would be more difficult to do online.
Second is voting legitimacy, since internet voting has been created there have been programs created to skew it. They are not hard programs to create either, but tough to combat. The idea has come up many times and the Congress is seriously looking at placing some Advisory Questions not DNR Rule Changes online. The idea that a single program could ruin the votes of many is a serious issue that must be cleared before the Congress takes this step.
Conservation Congress delegate voting online would again be difficult to manage, it would also become extremely impersonal. There is already a feeling of disconnection from the users, all we would do then is post a bio online, and you must take our word that is, one, who we are and two, what we actually stand for? I for one want to look someone in the eye before placing them in any position where they are representing me. At the very least ask questions or know a bit more history than a bio piece.
There are ways around all of these, it is just a matter of figuring out the most cost effective and safe way to secure everyone’s vote, address the concerns about the questions and decide how delegate selections takes place.
I would be happy to address other concerns, and answer other questions to the best of my ability, if I cannot answer them, I will refer you to someone who can.
This isn’t me against you, us against them. I am a citizen, I hunt, I fish, spend my money in this state just as you. I want to help make this work for many future generations, if that means putting it all online, great! If that means having the meetings on different days, awesome! Let’s all work to make it work, it starts with some participation from you.
Email me at hardwaterjeff@gmail.com
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