A Change 4 Wildlife Conservation?

[blacktailslayer]

http://www2.allenpress.com/pdf/WILD74_2_203_209.pdf

[chrisssteeven]

I can sympathize with the problem State Wildlife agencies face: increasing costs and demands on services while research and historical data makes it clear harvests need to be reduced IF viable wildlife populations are to be maintained. If you look at the additional hunts that have been instituted by Oregon over the past 8 years, most in direct violation of the current Mule Deer Management Plan adopted in 2003, almost every one of them was generated by upper level staff and management, not as a result of pressure from hunters. Same thing with the relaxation of rules rgarding purchase of tags and licenses, using two fishing poles, etc. All of these changes to policy and seasons were instituted to maximize income potential, to the detriment of he resource, in my view.

As to a broader funding base, if you really think that is possible, you have been smoking too many funny cigarettes. Both the Oregonian and Portland Tribune carried articles this week about the coming giant gap between funding and current program expenses that Oregon faces over the next six years. It is much more likely that year-end balances in the Wildlife fund, Access and Habitat fund etc will be stolen to help fill general fund shortfalls than that we can expect any additional support outside of hunter dollars. I think it is also likely that Pittman-Robertson funds will suffer the same fate from the feds once Social Security and Medicare expenses exceed income, currently scheduled to happen in 2016.

[stevebeilgard]

the ongoing and ages old funding situation has prompted wildlife agencies to sell more licenses. this results in the very situation we have today. as they raise license fees to hunt fewer animals, it will get even worse.