I didn't drag politics into it. The TWRA wildlife division did. Talk to them.
They told me the proposal was only to make things more fair for people to get an opportunity to have a blind for a day or two. Not one thing to do with improving duck hunting, habitat, or quality of duck hunting. Not one thing, the guy I spoke to at the wildlife division told me that.
I talked to him for over an hour on the phone. The guy I spoke with said he was only concerned with one thing, give people more chances to get in a blind even if only for a day. He said that was all he could base any proposals on. In my mind that means sell licenses, this one may back fire because I believe it will result in less license sales.
When I ask him about law enforcement and funding, building blinds, etc. for the new proposals, he said they have no clue how it will be paid for or enforced (he had one idea, he told me the area managers are actually wardens and they normally do not normally perform warden duties, but they will have to help out with enforcement of the new regs), he said that, remind anyone of the government? Basically no clue how they will implement the proposal but lets go ahead and pass it. He also stated they polled 10 percent of duck hunters and are not even sure that all polled are actually duck hunters. But they base the proposals for 100 percent of duck hunters on that? He said that is the accepted way to come up with any proposal?
Reminds me of the free migratory bird stamp? Any clue how that turned out and will most likely become a 10, 20, 30 dollar or more license? From what I understand it was always supposed to be free, it is $2 now. It is $15 in Kentucky. I am not complaining about the cost, the fact that they introduced it as a free license and now you have to pay for it.
Bring politics into it? Not me, the TWRA and whoever comes up with this crap does that as much as anyone. In my opinion and most every single person I personally know, believe that most of what the TWRA comes up with, is for one reason only, money. They make laws and proposals according to what will sell licenses more than anything else.
Consistent, hill to die one? Really? Yep no different than the democrats will never try to take your guns? If there is any good in the new proposals, I sure don't see it. Does the blind drawings need to be addressed, I think so, but this is the wrong approach and I don't think will stop the selling of anything. Think a guy who wants to buy a blind for a season, won't buy a 3 day permit if they think the ducks will be there? Think they won't figure out a way to do it?
Tell you what, call a game warden and see what they think of the new proposals. All that I have talked to are overworked (I completely agree, not even close to enough wardens in our state) and they are going wake up EARLY in the morning and go for a boat ride to "police" duck blinds? If I was a warden I would avoid these new proposals and only work what I believe were serious game violations other than worry about who was supposed to be in duck blind, or if a blind it "non-jumpable" and I would not be upset at any officer for that approach at all.
On another point, if you saw what I saw on Priest in the last few years, especially last year, you would understand not only being upset, but begging for help from the TWRA and any law enforcement. Tons of violations most everyday of the summer, many SAFETY violations every single day and there are just are not enough officers. MANY boat ramps have become literal circuses and the corps does not have enough people for sure, and those they have do nothing but ride by once a month and say everything looked ok. I have talked, called and emailed the corps, I have never seen a corps officer on the lake or at a boat ramp. I fish Priest a ton. One of the corps people did tell me he was spending all day on weekends at one boat ramp close to Nashville and it is beyond belief. Most of the interactions he has do not speak English or claim they don't, argue that no one can tell them what to do, they do not have to follow the law, etc. I try my best to be nice and educate people but if you saw all that I do, it is impossible and just like what the corps guy said, the majority do not speak English or claim they don't, they literally have no clue about laws or safety, ZERO.
Our officer caught 3 Mexicans "turkey hunting" on Priest WMA in deer season a couple years ago. One had a 22, one had a 308 and one had an AR. Yep, the wardens should be patrolling duck blinds.
