Originally posted by jlccoffee:
1) What's wrong with creating another public hunt while at the same time reducing the herd population. It's a known fact that access to hunting land is a problem in our sport.
2) The park for years has not been public hunting land. Now we have an opportunity to open up the park land to public hunting on a limited basis. Once it works in this part it may lead to opening up other parks creating more public hunting opportunities and again, addressing the major problem of access to hunting land.
I never said I had a problem with the competency test so I am not sure where your description of "just anybody" comes from. However, if more hunters qualify than their are spots to hunt, a lottery is the fair way to determine who hunts.
Maybe you should check out our neighbor GA who has been having hunts on their parks for several years. They don't seem to be having a problem including many firearms hunts while others are archery and I believe one may be primative weapons. They have created a great hunting opportunity and opened up a lot of land that had previously been off limits to hunters while at the same time helping to control the deer populations on their parks. [/QB]
1. Check the acres of public land available per hunter. And everywhere I've been stationed, a friendly request and an offer to do some work has found me plenty of hunting opportunities.( I do agree that it is a lot harder to find private opportunities than it used to be and that expensive leases exclude many folks that used to have access to property for free. On the other hand I have no shortage of offers to "help" me with the deer on my land in Ok. I don't really need any "help" killing the deer, I need help putting up stands, trimming lanes, planting food plots, general upkeep, mowing fields etc...only had one person take me up on that offer.....)
2. Right to start, then ....this is in an urban area and the "hunters" should be screened due to the close proximity to suburbia and the high possibility of critical scrutiny by antis/fence sitters (as in most states that have urban bowhunting opportunities).
Then - Why not choose the "best" based on competent reasoning vice a lottery??
Or Qualifying individuals based on shooting skills, committment to the cause and sportsmanship determined by references and an interview - then if too many remain - a random drawing for position on the hunt list.
Maybe Barry would be better off forming a private consulting firm to offer hired "sharpshooters" vice offering an opportunity to any SPORTSMAN who can shoot a bow competently.... He could make a lot of money and suffer a lot less grief!!
