Shop Cabella's ? Better read this...stealing your hunting

[cloverleaf]

Check out this link to Tony Dean outdoors. according to the article Cabella's is using my money to buy up my home state (SD) and limit hunting access to those with the most money. I may be wrong, but what if I'm not? I will be spending my money elsewhere!!

http://www.tonydean.com/issues2.html?sectionid=9218

sorry- I'm ticked!!! tell me if I'm wrong, but the right to hunt should not be controlled buy the corporates with the cash!!

 

[high desert elk]

I agree! But guess what, there are other organizations other than Cabela's doing this...it's happened in my homestate of NM. A ranch was donated to a certain organization, and this organization only allows hunters to hunt on this land if you have a spare $10,000.00 dollar bill in your pocket. If I'm a member (or not a member) of that organinzation, then I should have the right to hunt there if I draw a tag, right?

Needless to say, I am not, nor never will be again, a member of that organization! It has gotten way out of hand with catering to the rich fat cat hunter - basically, if you don't have money, you mean nothing (especially at our local chapter).

 

[cloverleaf]

The organization you refer to dosent matter- hit them in the pocket book. We cant keep the people with the money form spending it where they choose. That is there right, but maybe we can slow the hemoraging. I have a friend who lives in Texas. Dosent hunt anymore cuase as he puts it "all the land in texas is leased for more than I can afford". Another good friend who is planning a hunt in Montana next year with "friends". It will cost him $8000 with plane ticket tags and all. With friends like that ....? Gone are the days when you could ask for permission to hunt, and if you behaved yurself, didnt do somthing stupid or unethical and sent the guy a ham for christmas you'd get invited back next time or next year.

I shouldnt complain, last year I was a guest of "Helluva a Hunt" hunt out of Douglas Wyoming. This is a long standing effort (20+ years) by a couple from the area to get people with disabilities out on an antelope hunt. The only cost to the hunter is transportation to Douglas. The rest, food loging, liscense, processing, all is provided. Guides for the hunters are volunteers and the land to hunt on is "set aside" for the opening weekend by no less than a dozen ranches in the area. (see my other post re "my pronghorn") And yes I sent them a Christmas card etc. They may charge the rest of the season and I dont blame them. A non resident like myself isnt a neighbor, and as dry as things were around Douglas last year the least I guy can do is pray for rain and slip the guy a few bucks. Those wonderful decent people are still out there. Take care of them any way you can cause the the other way is getting way to prevelant. I just dont like the idea of land ownership going to "the King" as it were. We left the "old country" to get away from that. I'll end my ranting on the issue when somebody gives me a better answer.

 

[Guest]

I read and re-read that article, and here's the rub - the property Cabela's is involved in the sale of is, and this is important, private property. Whether or not it has been open to public hunting access in the past is of some concern, but I can assure you that those areas that are private property are always, let me repeat, always subject to closure to public access, for any reason. ALWAYS. It seems to me that Cabela's has an image problem that is very likely small in reality, but appearing to be major in respect to this issue. That's part of the problem with being publicly traded.

With respect to public hunting, it seems to me that the BLM and other government agencies control the majority of land in the west, but I could be wrong. I know that the government leases a lot of land here in the southeast (through Pittman-Robertson funding) to create Wildlife Management Areas (WMA's), and opens access for various types of appropriate hunting in these areas on a somewhat to severely limited basis. If a landowner takes his or her parcel out of the lease at the end of the contract period, there's not much the public can do. It's the same way anywhere else in this country.

Now, before everybody flames me for being anti-access, I can tell you that I hunt public land about 98% of the time, and don't own land (other than the half acre my house sits on in this subdivision). I have not been in a deer lease in many years, for two reasons. First, there have been years I couldn't afford it. Second, I can't find one I like that is worth what's being asked to join. Now, all that said, I believe in personal private property rights. In fact, it might interest some folks to find out that the original wording of the Declaration of Independence was, "...life, liberty, and ownership of property..." but was changed to "...pursuit of happiness..." to make the document (and the sentiment behind it) more universal, as few colonists (other than the wealthiest) owned property, or could ever hope to. (Westward expansion later changed the playing field regarding who could afford to own property, but that's another story.) I hate to lose good hunting grounds as much as the next guy, but it is a fundamental right from our creator to own property, and to be able to do with that property what we choose, including granting or restricting access.

I hope I didn't pee in too many folks' wheaties here, but that's how I see it.

 

[cloverleaf]

good points too Dubyam...much as I hate to admit it. you are probably right on many counts. I get kinda protective of my old home state, specially when I'm in SELF IMPOSED (read that again) exile in another state. I would take issue with only one point. The Pittman-Robertson act to my knowlege, does not have a provision for enrolling of and then removing private land for public hunting. There are currently other set aside programs that do that. It does allow for use of lisc. fees etc. for purchase of said land (private as well) for the purposes you indicated. So I guess even that removes "private land" but again that is not really part of the discussion here. I may be wrong. Thanks for posting your views. As I said, I get a burr under my saddle once in a while.

 

[Guest]

Well, I don't claim to be an expert on the subject, and perhaps I misunderstood what happened at a WMA nearby. (I believe all WMA's are, by designation, P-R funded, but again, I'm no expert.) Anyway, we have had some areas come into the WMA, and other areas go out of the WMA, and some come in and go out in just a few seasons. I assumed they were being leased, but perhaps the issue is the buying and selling of tracts of land by the government (through P-R funding) and that's the reason the boundaries change. Either way, public land is just about always subject to boundary changes based on what is and isn't made available, and what is or isn't still owned by the people, rather than private ownership.

The tough part of all of this is the 'slippery slope' side, where we begin to tell people what they can do on private property, and suddenly find ourselves in a police state of sorts. A good example is that in many areas, smoking is not allowed in restaurants. Now, this is an issue that ought to be decided by the restaurant owner, not the government, which is what I said many years ago when this whole thing started. As it turns out, now judges are interpreting that law very broadly (and extending it to unintended venues) by ruling that certain people with children cannot smoke in their own homes. Please understand that I don't support the idea of smoking in a house with a child, but then again, some people don't support the idea of me being able to keep components with which to make ammunition in my house, with my three kids. It's just a short step from "This is for the benefit of everyone" to "May we see your papers, please?"

It's always a pleasure to see your posts, and I'm actually a big fan of the 250Savage, and looking for one in a left-hand gun for my son (or a 257Roberts) as a first rifle. Keep the debate alive, and we'll continue to work out the ideas our founding fathers had when they wrote our first amendment!

 

[Wboo]

+1 for what Dubyam said!

 

[HunterJim]

Internet "stuff" usually need a large lump of salt anyway. The Cabelas folks are obviously in business to make $, but they are also strong supporters of the ideas most of us support.

I would do some research before condemning them because some guy I never heard of is angry. The Internet is good for that too.

jim

 

[Woodycreek]

+2 Dubyam!

 

[cloverleaf]

Well-
I started this post and as you can see I read and agreed with most of what dubyam had to say. Sorry if any one feels I "shot my mouth off". As somebody said opinions (particularly on the internet) are like belly buttons or other common body orifices, everybody has one. If I could delete the post I would. No sense PO-ing people. I posted as an FYI, inincluded my opinion, and did my best to respond open mindedly to other view points. Nuf said, (Moderators please delete post! )CL

 

[Woodycreek]

Don't worry about Cloverleaf. Thanks for the link to the story.

 

[Guest]

Cloverleaf, there's no reason to worry about this. I understand The sentiment regarding losing hunting ground, and I feel it myself. Don't worry about deleting the postings (in my opinion) as I think it's good for folks to read both sides of the argument, and to realize the ease with which we could lose our right to hunt. Good hunting, good shooting!

 

[cloverleaf]

Oh I aint too worried- I'm bout the most diplomatic fella I know and never want to offend. You are right of course. Knew you'd weigh in on this one. Thanks CL

 

[nomosendero]

They are allowing access to those who can afford it(probably leaves me out). But my point is the land can be hunted by someone & the more potential hunting land being used by someone could give me more opportunities in hunting land that I can afford. The bigger problem to me is developement which forces hunters into less total area or land that is closed to all hunters. These 2 factors hurt us more.

 

[cloverleaf]

By way of confession...please read the following. I have sucomb (sp) to the almost mighty dollar too....

Well, I finally did it, and I broke a couple hard and fast rules and ignored my conscience...but I did it. I went to cabela's (so much for my convictions...see my rants about Cabelas buying up my home state) Becuase they sent me $20.00 off coupon, and a card that will get me $75.00 of free stuff. And THEN I got me a credit card... to get another $15.00 off. So I slunk out of the store after saving $35.00 with a $75.00 dollar gift card in my pocket, no pride, no scruples left and a brand new VX-2 under my arm!!! :grin: I havent taken it out of the box yet. Afraid I will get an attack of conscience, change my mind and return it. But I got me a Luey!! :grin: So far it feels good. Atleast one of the variables should be CURED. CL