N. Cook
10-21-2003, 10:03 PM
Total outline too long for this site. Please call me if you want additional information. Meeting was mostly on access issues and specifically hunting access issues. 77000 acres, about 1/3 of all SFWMD controlled lands are not open to the public or hunting. The vast majority of lands open to hunting are very controlled WMAs, with only a fraction open for the majority of seasons to all hunters. There is a strong bias toward control. As one SFWMD person said..."the public is not safe". The point was made that the SFWMD board made the initial decision on what lands would be open for hunting, then control of those lands was given to the FWC to manage. This procedure has resulted in some very good WMAs, but leaves too much land restricted to the few who make the draws or meet the quotas. Also. a lot of district land is leased back for grazing and farming and these leases invariblely restrict public access and hunting. A new "starting document" is being prepared for the next meeting. It is important to note...their are some members of the group who are open minded, although they do not hunt, a few are hunters, and a group who do not support hunting as well as SFWMD managers who are biased against public access.....but all are good people and spending a lot of time and effort to preserve and improve the land. These meetings are long and tedious, thanks to Jeff Allen, we give UW-F and DELTA a place at the table. It is a real battle to keep the wetlands open for duck hunting and add new areas such as the STA's. We need help.