N. Cook
02-08-2008, 03:42 PM
This could be very long, as Steve will attest, but I will try to condense the info.
There were a lot of items regarding waterfowling on the agenda, mostly in the rule changes. We had put in for expanding migratory bird seasons in a number of WMAs to include the full migratory season schedule. We were successful in several. We spoke in support of there rule changes and the need to continue to expand the program.
See next year's WMA pamphlets for confirmation. One we did get was Mariana Jones/Hungryland....one we did not was Allaphata Flats!
The Big Bend WMA, Hickory Mound Unit will no longer require a daily waterfowl hunting permit.
The canada goose season was extended statewide (not Federal Refuges) as per our request. We spoke on the issue and thanked the Commission for their positive vote.
Motors will be allowed during the Youth Waterfowl days on Lake Iamonia and Carr.
Horsepower was raised to 10 on Lake Miccosukee.
We spoke thanking the staff for the improvement, but expressing strong disagreement about the ban of motors on Iamonia.....and promised a blizzard of mail and emails and public exposure of the politics behind the ban when we resubmitted the rule change request.
Diane Eggeman presented the FWC WATERFOWL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN update. We spoke in support of the content of the plan.
In brief: 1. Conservation and enhancement of resident waterfowl populations and habitats. (the new "invasion" of fulvous included)
2. Leadership in the conservation and enhancement of continental waterfowl populations and habitats.
3. Recreation use and public support
REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE FWC QUOTA HUNT PROGRAM....The waterfowl part of this is routine as is at TMG, the STAs and the few other places with quotas on duck hunting. We spoke in appreciation and support of the general "open to duck hunting" conditions across the state for public lands .
The part of this package that covered deer/turkey was controversial as several spoke on the "transferability" issue. The package calls for "no transferability" for the first phase draw....this should reduce the "gaming" of the system. There is a general move to accept the non-transfer, but those in opposition are very vocal and use the "loss of hunting opportunity" arguement when they cannot "give away" or trade extra permits.
I presented a couple of facts that demonstrate how unfair the current system is and how a few people are dominating the best permits.
There are about 60,000 quota slots available (deer)
56 people got 20 or more permits....total: 1824
298 people got 10 or more.............total: 4866
So....about 350 people from a hunting population of 150,000 licenses sold and about 60,000 WMA permits sold got over 10% of all available deer permits....!
Another figure....4000 households (multiple names, same address) got 10 permits or more...OVER 40,000 of the 60,000 AVAILBLE quotas. The above 254 people are in this calculation.
The current program is obviousiy cutting out a lot of hunters.
As a member of the Committee spoke in support of the Committee's Draft Plan.
An important part of this (and I addressed it during Public Comments) is the move to eliminate hog quota hunts where possible and place hog hunting within the Small Game Seasons on the WMAs. Several WMAs will have this opportunity for SPONTAINOUS big game hunting next season.....The next step is to reduce the trapping of hogs on public land and let hunting do the job.....More hunting opportunity on public land without all the red tape of quotas.
I also spoke in support of the FWC Stakeholder Deer Management Plan, as a member of that Committee. This is a Draft only and much work will need to be done over the next year. Next meeting is Feb. 15th in Gainesville.
Chuck Collins, FWC Director for South Florida, gave a presentation on the Everglades Restoration in the 16 county program starting at Shingle Creek in Orlando. I spoke in support of his suggestion the FWC become more involved as the CERP and DECOMP plans drastically effected wildlife. I mentioned the possible destruction of the number one bass fishery in Florida, the L 67 Canal and the drowning of fur bearers by high water in the WCAs and often cancelation of hunting....
I believe that gives a brief idea of what occurred...Steve chime in if you have more....And again...it was nice to have a local person to help. I might add Bryon Maharrey, also a UW-F member, spoke several times in our behalf.
There were a lot of items regarding waterfowling on the agenda, mostly in the rule changes. We had put in for expanding migratory bird seasons in a number of WMAs to include the full migratory season schedule. We were successful in several. We spoke in support of there rule changes and the need to continue to expand the program.
See next year's WMA pamphlets for confirmation. One we did get was Mariana Jones/Hungryland....one we did not was Allaphata Flats!
The Big Bend WMA, Hickory Mound Unit will no longer require a daily waterfowl hunting permit.
The canada goose season was extended statewide (not Federal Refuges) as per our request. We spoke on the issue and thanked the Commission for their positive vote.
Motors will be allowed during the Youth Waterfowl days on Lake Iamonia and Carr.
Horsepower was raised to 10 on Lake Miccosukee.
We spoke thanking the staff for the improvement, but expressing strong disagreement about the ban of motors on Iamonia.....and promised a blizzard of mail and emails and public exposure of the politics behind the ban when we resubmitted the rule change request.
Diane Eggeman presented the FWC WATERFOWL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN update. We spoke in support of the content of the plan.
In brief: 1. Conservation and enhancement of resident waterfowl populations and habitats. (the new "invasion" of fulvous included)
2. Leadership in the conservation and enhancement of continental waterfowl populations and habitats.
3. Recreation use and public support
REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE FWC QUOTA HUNT PROGRAM....The waterfowl part of this is routine as is at TMG, the STAs and the few other places with quotas on duck hunting. We spoke in appreciation and support of the general "open to duck hunting" conditions across the state for public lands .
The part of this package that covered deer/turkey was controversial as several spoke on the "transferability" issue. The package calls for "no transferability" for the first phase draw....this should reduce the "gaming" of the system. There is a general move to accept the non-transfer, but those in opposition are very vocal and use the "loss of hunting opportunity" arguement when they cannot "give away" or trade extra permits.
I presented a couple of facts that demonstrate how unfair the current system is and how a few people are dominating the best permits.
There are about 60,000 quota slots available (deer)
56 people got 20 or more permits....total: 1824
298 people got 10 or more.............total: 4866
So....about 350 people from a hunting population of 150,000 licenses sold and about 60,000 WMA permits sold got over 10% of all available deer permits....!
Another figure....4000 households (multiple names, same address) got 10 permits or more...OVER 40,000 of the 60,000 AVAILBLE quotas. The above 254 people are in this calculation.
The current program is obviousiy cutting out a lot of hunters.
As a member of the Committee spoke in support of the Committee's Draft Plan.
An important part of this (and I addressed it during Public Comments) is the move to eliminate hog quota hunts where possible and place hog hunting within the Small Game Seasons on the WMAs. Several WMAs will have this opportunity for SPONTAINOUS big game hunting next season.....The next step is to reduce the trapping of hogs on public land and let hunting do the job.....More hunting opportunity on public land without all the red tape of quotas.
I also spoke in support of the FWC Stakeholder Deer Management Plan, as a member of that Committee. This is a Draft only and much work will need to be done over the next year. Next meeting is Feb. 15th in Gainesville.
Chuck Collins, FWC Director for South Florida, gave a presentation on the Everglades Restoration in the 16 county program starting at Shingle Creek in Orlando. I spoke in support of his suggestion the FWC become more involved as the CERP and DECOMP plans drastically effected wildlife. I mentioned the possible destruction of the number one bass fishery in Florida, the L 67 Canal and the drowning of fur bearers by high water in the WCAs and often cancelation of hunting....
I believe that gives a brief idea of what occurred...Steve chime in if you have more....And again...it was nice to have a local person to help. I might add Bryon Maharrey, also a UW-F member, spoke several times in our behalf.