N. Cook
09-22-2005, 10:32 AM
Thanks to David for letting me use his laptop.
The meeting in St. Pete lasted well into the evening. I will do a summary here, but if anyone needs more details, please call me.
UW-F was represented by several members, including Mike Kuhn and Keith Yates, and several associates were present, including ECC representatives, Byron Mahaffrey and Barbara Jean. I was able to meet with all the FWC Commissioners except one, particularly with Com. Rodney Barreto from our area who is obviously a friend of hunters.
The major topics included the current loss of revenues and deficits in the FWC which are causing drastic cuts in service, with more to come. UW-F was invited to participate in the workshops planning how to address the problem and some of our suggestions where in the proposals presented. These were almost universal ideas….ie, eliminating most license exemptions and raising all fees (except alligator) to reflect inflation since the last adjustment in 1987. The need to have at least a token all inclusive fee for over 65 hunters (****!!!) of $20 was just one of the ways these licenses would capture $8 from the federal tax for each one…. A lot of new money! Also, similar new license requirements for shore anglers would be added. All the proposals were reasonable in my opinion.
The loss of 100,000 hunting license sold in the last few years and the recent FUTURE IN HUNTING IN FL convention was covered. UW-F has a position on the Steering Committee of this statewide group. As a member of the Steering Committee and the Public Hunting Panel, I was able to speak to the issues to the Commission. My topic was the need to either eliminate or drastically alter the Quota Hunt system. Nearly all WMA are now limiting access by the public hunter, and WMA permit (and associated license) sales have fallen to the approximate 49,000 available Quota Pemits…..(if you are not a land owner, family or friend, or on a hunting lease, or have been been lucky to get a Quota Permit, why would anyone buy a hunting license in Florida? Where can you hunt?) Most, if not all,public land, should be open without the need for quotas.
On water fowl, all good news, the UW-F proposals have been incorporated in next seasons rules. Mike Kuhns spoke on the need for more hunting opportunites in his area. Important to note, the DU south region representative from Atlanta, Ross Melinchuk, was there to make a presentation for funds from the state. He was interested in UW-F and was impressed by our “mission”, especially when he saw how Mike could stand up as a UW-F Regional Manager and lobby for duck hunters needs.
Duck hunters and airboats go together. A long technical presentation on “noise” was made by an engineer….summarized: big airboats make more noise, engines can be muffled, props are a difficult situation.
There is every reason to believe airboating in public areas is in trouble. Even with the support of the FWC, it seems all airboats will be required to have mufflers. Props could well be designated to expensive “quite” models….and the 90 decibel at 50 feet may become law despite only a few smaller boats can comply today. UW-F has always supported the right to the use of airboats responsibly, especially for access to hunting areas.
A presentation on Lake Okee. by a FWC staff member exposed a suprising lack of information on the lake by the Commissioners, with the exception of Comm. Barreto. I was able to inject in my “public comments” the information that UW-F had a position (David Lithgow) on the Lake Okee. Restoration Committee and outline the CERP situation with the new ACCER8 program, the STAs and forthcoming reservoirs and how they would offer hunting opportunities.
This opened the door to further comment on the reasons for high water in the WCAs and how hunting was canceled and the issues needed to be addressed, especially at the southern end, to move the water out. Comm. Barreto agreed to look into that.
I will be glad to answer your questions in detail. I hope to have a computer soon…..how such a new tool to me…..did without one for over 50 years with no problem…..has become so essential.!!!
The meeting in St. Pete lasted well into the evening. I will do a summary here, but if anyone needs more details, please call me.
UW-F was represented by several members, including Mike Kuhn and Keith Yates, and several associates were present, including ECC representatives, Byron Mahaffrey and Barbara Jean. I was able to meet with all the FWC Commissioners except one, particularly with Com. Rodney Barreto from our area who is obviously a friend of hunters.
The major topics included the current loss of revenues and deficits in the FWC which are causing drastic cuts in service, with more to come. UW-F was invited to participate in the workshops planning how to address the problem and some of our suggestions where in the proposals presented. These were almost universal ideas….ie, eliminating most license exemptions and raising all fees (except alligator) to reflect inflation since the last adjustment in 1987. The need to have at least a token all inclusive fee for over 65 hunters (****!!!) of $20 was just one of the ways these licenses would capture $8 from the federal tax for each one…. A lot of new money! Also, similar new license requirements for shore anglers would be added. All the proposals were reasonable in my opinion.
The loss of 100,000 hunting license sold in the last few years and the recent FUTURE IN HUNTING IN FL convention was covered. UW-F has a position on the Steering Committee of this statewide group. As a member of the Steering Committee and the Public Hunting Panel, I was able to speak to the issues to the Commission. My topic was the need to either eliminate or drastically alter the Quota Hunt system. Nearly all WMA are now limiting access by the public hunter, and WMA permit (and associated license) sales have fallen to the approximate 49,000 available Quota Pemits…..(if you are not a land owner, family or friend, or on a hunting lease, or have been been lucky to get a Quota Permit, why would anyone buy a hunting license in Florida? Where can you hunt?) Most, if not all,public land, should be open without the need for quotas.
On water fowl, all good news, the UW-F proposals have been incorporated in next seasons rules. Mike Kuhns spoke on the need for more hunting opportunites in his area. Important to note, the DU south region representative from Atlanta, Ross Melinchuk, was there to make a presentation for funds from the state. He was interested in UW-F and was impressed by our “mission”, especially when he saw how Mike could stand up as a UW-F Regional Manager and lobby for duck hunters needs.
Duck hunters and airboats go together. A long technical presentation on “noise” was made by an engineer….summarized: big airboats make more noise, engines can be muffled, props are a difficult situation.
There is every reason to believe airboating in public areas is in trouble. Even with the support of the FWC, it seems all airboats will be required to have mufflers. Props could well be designated to expensive “quite” models….and the 90 decibel at 50 feet may become law despite only a few smaller boats can comply today. UW-F has always supported the right to the use of airboats responsibly, especially for access to hunting areas.
A presentation on Lake Okee. by a FWC staff member exposed a suprising lack of information on the lake by the Commissioners, with the exception of Comm. Barreto. I was able to inject in my “public comments” the information that UW-F had a position (David Lithgow) on the Lake Okee. Restoration Committee and outline the CERP situation with the new ACCER8 program, the STAs and forthcoming reservoirs and how they would offer hunting opportunities.
This opened the door to further comment on the reasons for high water in the WCAs and how hunting was canceled and the issues needed to be addressed, especially at the southern end, to move the water out. Comm. Barreto agreed to look into that.
I will be glad to answer your questions in detail. I hope to have a computer soon…..how such a new tool to me…..did without one for over 50 years with no problem…..has become so essential.!!!