I agree and disagree. There are level(s) within the Dept that try to manage people and politics. There are some still trying to manage the resource.

Sykes has made a huge mistake he can never recover from. His mouth. He had a resource, the GWs, that he could have used as his mouth on pushing anything. For the most part, NOT ALL, but mostly the GWs deal with THE people well. They stop by camps and talk. They interact over morning coffee at the country store. They know the hardcore outlaws that there is no need to waste your breath on. They know the respected individuals that can help you sale the product. At least the old timers where that way. But even with GWs, sometimes the lure of a pack of broadheads at Bass Pro Shop is too great so this wouldn't be across the board.

The HIP thing, like for dove, is a strong thought. The worse thing about it I can see is about a 6 month delay in data. I'm guessing that's not anything major. The best thing is you can report all kills at once in a controlled enviroment.

This is an ignorant statement. Managing people IS the biggest obstacle in wildlife management. You cannot manage the resource properly if the hunters do not get with the program.

I took him to mean people pushing agendas for a few that is not necessarily in the best interest of the group or the wildlife. More of, "I'll use my money and influence to get you into this position of you will do this when you get there." Same % $#- at every level of politics forever.

Thank you. Exactly.

Sounds like he shoulda spent a little more time developing this program before it was implemented. Boo Hoo He's blaming the hunters for his own shortcomings.

Truth. Regardless of the fact that he is in an unwinnable position he created this cluster.

He should have said how the dead deer numbers would help manage the live deer numbers (that we have no idea what that number is). They did their on tour speeches in south Bama about a month after their mind had been made up.

To clarify, I was on a state committee that lobbied to get the mandatory seat belt law passed and it had nothing to do with the idea of saving you from yourself. It was passed to keep the rest of us from having to pay for your long term medical care because you wouldn't wear a seat belt and are stuck in a wheel chair for the rest of your life. I can't recall the $$$ amounts but it is staggering. If it were feasible to pass a law that says if you don't wear your seatbelt, the injuries are on you and the insurance companies and state are not liable for a penny of your medical care, we would have lobbied for that, but alas, that was never going to be an option.

Also, I will be honest and admit that it was tied to receiving federal grant money and the state would have lost a ton of cash if it wasn't passed.

A survey with various options to assess hunters willingness would have helped. But...what if it said 75% are against it? Then if he pushed it anyway he couldn't blame anyone.

Another thought is that a lot of weekend warriors are probably leaving their work and their connectivity behind for the week in an effort to relax. You know get up before daylight, enjoy watching Gods creation wake up, come in for lunch and fellowship with their buddies, back to nature for the afternoon and then spending time around a campfire or grill with a beer in hand. No phone, no computer. Completely disconnected.

Ok

Seems like some kind of survey was done, with a percentage "for" and a percentage "against" and a percentage of "neutral." And the "neutral" was counted with the "for" group with the explanation that if you don't have an opinion then you'd be OK with it.

the Feds threatened to cut off funds if the states didn't pass seat belt laws.

MmmHmmm. And the sanctuary cities and states say the feds can't cut their funds for not cooperating with ICE.

The seat belt law is not the only thing they did this on. The legal drinking age in Alabama was raised from 19 to 21 under a threat to cut off federal money if it wasn't passed.

I used to wear a seat belt, until they made it law.
So I quit.

So I guess now is a bad time for me to tell y'all how many we shoot on depredation permits over crops during the summer?

257 it is a fact that they use to give 400 depredation tags for a 400 acres in Lowndes and the farmer stop growing soybeans 15 years ago because they couldnt kill enough for a profit. Those same fields are 3 feet tall with no deprefation permits. Thats how much the 2 a day does reduced deer population.

Yep . Drinking age used to be 19 in Alabama , 18 in TN. till the Feds stuck their nose in.

Yea I see way more deer here in southern middle tn than north AL now. I mean they are every where. But we have a 2 buck a year limit. And a special doe tag you have to buy. Even have to buy another one to shoot does the last 8 or so days of season. Hunting as an in state hunter in TN is much more money than it is for an in state AL hunter. It's actually pretty annoying. Also you'll get a ticket here for going 2mph over the speed limit. The state makes a ton of money off of these things and is able to pay for more game wardens to make us "comply" and let me tell ya if you do absolutely anything that may be wrong here in Lincoln county, our game warden will bust you. Takes his job soooooo seriously. Only game warden in TN to send turkey blood to a forensic office to bust a guy. Gave many of his Sunday school class tickets for not wearing life jackets in a canoe, including his father. I could go on lol

Tennessee law requires wearing a PFD in a canoe?