Please call your Oregon legislators to support SB 247

[U8395279]

ODFW is currently facing a huge budgetary shortfall, and many members of the legislature are rejecting the request from ODFW that their support from the general fund be increased dramatically from its current measly 5% of the ODFW budget.

Because of this big $32 Million dollar shortfall, the legislature is proposing a 10% increase on all hunting and fishing fees. SB 247 is the bill that implements this increase.

Please tell your legislator to support SB 247, and raise our hunting and fishing fees. Without these increases, ODFW is saying that it will have to dramatically cut back on our fish hatcheries, and close a number of them, laying off the personnel that operate them.

As it is now, they are saying that their staff has been cut back so dramatically in recent years, that they cannot afford any further layoffs, without very negative consequences.

It appears that leadership in the House and Senate are both dead-set against giving ODFW any more general fund money. Just why this is, I honestly don't understand. The legislators always talk about supporting wildlife, yet they refuse to give more money to ODFW. In any event, it looks like this bill increasing our fees is our only hope to fend off new massive cutbacks at ODFW.

Here is a news story about this crisis:

http://registerguard.com/rg/news/lo...d-to-rescue-fish-and-wildlife-agency.html.csp

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Read More

 

[Sstrand]

I lean toward not giving them any more $$$$

Sheldon

 

[rick benjamin]

"It appears that leadership in the House and Senate are both dead-set against giving ODFW any more general fund money. Just why this is, I honestly don't understand. The legislators always talk about supporting wildlife, yet they refuse to give more money to ODFW."
Critters can't vote

The gov is going to do what it wants to do. I'm not calling any more. It's a waste of a phone call.
If or when the carcass bloats...

 

[Just Jim]

Fees now are outrageous, I wont ask for higher fees. Lived here all my life and have seen the fees go to the point the average person can't afford it. If they want more money then get more hunters buying lic and tags. It won't happen because the fish and game is so poorly managed they can't raise success rates for fishermen and hunters.

Plus they do fool things like bringing in more predators while stopping the hunting of other predators. Wolves and cats are killing all the deer so now there is little to hunt. I won't ask for more money to back this bunch.

 

[U8395279]

I lean toward not giving them any more $$$$

Sheldon

So sportsmen should oppose the bill? Numerous conservation groups are supporting it.

What if they end up having to close these fish hatcheries?

.

 

[U8395279]

Fees now are outrageous, I wont ask for higher fees. Lived here all my life and have seen the fees go to the point the average person can't afford it. If they want more money then get more hunters buying lic and tags. It won't happen because the fish and game is so poorly managed they can't raise success rates for fishermen and hunters.

Plus they do fool things like bringing in more predators while stopping the hunting of other predators. Wolves and cats are killing all the deer so now there is little to hunt. I won't ask for more money to back this bunch.

Oregon has such rich natural resources though. I wonder how ODFW ended up becoming so bankrupt? I guess PERS must be hitting their budget hard too.

.

 

[coyote223]

Fees now are outrageous, I wont ask for higher fees. Lived here all my life and have seen the fees go to the point the average person can't afford it. If they want more money then get more hunters buying lic and tags. It won't happen because the fish and game is so poorly managed they can't raise success rates for fishermen and hunters.

Plus they do fool things like bringing in more predators while stopping the hunting of other predators. Wolves and cats are killing all the deer so now there is little to hunt. I won't ask for more money to back this bunch.

Not to mention Weyerhaeuser is now forcing you to pay for access to their land. Which will also starting cutting more hunters out that can't pay that fee too, along with more expensive tag/license fees,,,

 

[Just Jim]

They have gone out of their way to destroy deer hunting. Stopped the hunting of bears and big cats with dogs. Then bring in wolves as another predator. Success rate for hunting is so low it isn't worth buying the lic and tags. Poor management means fewer hunters yet now they want to raise fees. Be better if they actually did manage the fish and game.

 

[Sstrand]

Look at it this way. If the Game Commission can get enough funding from the general fund they no longer need to be concerned about the desires of hunters and fishermen. They can continue to raise fees enough to drive away all the sportsfolks and no longer have to worry about the fish and game . . . "What ho," nirvana . . . only tweety birds and predators!?!?!?!?
I think that has been the goal for decades.

Sheldon

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

Look at it this way. If the Game Commission can get enough funding from the general fund they no longer need to be concerned about the desires of hunters and fishermen. They can continue to raise fees enough to drive away all the sportsfolks and no longer have to worry about the fish and game . . . "What ho," nirvana . . . only tweety birds and predators!?!?!?!?
I think that has been the goal for decades.

Sheldon

I think you're right.

 

[winchester270]

Well I have done none of my own research but if I had to guess I might say that our Govt has screwed around with the ODFW just like they would any other business. Making it very hard for them to get their job done in a cost effective manner just like every govt ran operation. So they might not make all the right choices but overall I think they are trying to make the best out of bad situations. meaning they have to appease the tree huggers and the hunters/fisherman. I wouldn't want to be in the middle

 

[nextgenar]

They have gone out of their way to destroy deer hunting. Stopped the hunting of bears and big cats with dogs. Then bring in wolves as another predator. Success rate for hunting is so low it isn't worth buying the lic and tags. Poor management means fewer hunters yet now they want to raise fees. Be better if they actually did manage the fish and game.

The ODFW didn't outlaw bear and cougar hunting with dogs, Eugene and Portland did! It was voted on as measure 18, and it has had horrific results, the bunny hugging city dwellers think bear and cougars are cuddly little creatures,like they are in Disney movies, but they have never had to kill a doe and fawn because the mother has been hamstung by coyotes, and is septic, and yes SOP is to kill the fawn too, in case you didn't know. And the wolves now roaming Southern and Eastern Oregon are not even remotely related to the wolves that originay inhabited Oregon, these things are freeking huge, and they will kill every mammal in their territory before moving on and starting over in new territory. ODFW is being forced by the Federal Government to pour millions of dollars into Wolf bear and cougar "studies" but are left with no means of controlling the predator population, no matter what their studies show. It's down right criminal!!!

 

[Just Jim]

I remember the vote on banning dogs. The ODFW never even tried to educate the public before the vote. Now the whole balance is off in favor of predators.

 

[theguncrank]

What if they end up having to close these fish hatcheries?

Simple preventative measure: just start selling California Sea Lion tags and Caspian Tern stamps. Two birds with one stone, so to speak.

 

[frauhunter]

I lean toward not giving them any more $$$$

Sheldon

Millions for defense, not one penny for tribute. Let the boycott of Oregon begin.

Ex Gladio Libertas

 

[broncman]

So now law abiding Oregon citizens will become criminals via two separate bills . . . . . .
I used to buy the Sport PAC every year now I haven't even bought a fishing license for the last 5-6 years.

 

[RVTECH]

Because of this big $32 Million dollar shortfall, the legislature is proposing a 10% increase on all hunting and fishing fees.

10% is that all they want? How about the little 100 % they got a few years ago when they doubled the controlled application fee from $4 to $8?

Without these increases, ODFW is saying that it will have to dramatically cut back on our fish hatcheries, and close a number of them,

Yea threaten us with facility closures - now there's a positive approach. What sense is there in telling us they need 10% to simply maintain what they already have? And then what happens later on - when they tell us they need 20% to keep them open?

 

[Salps]

I worked for ODFW at fish hatcheries for 12 years. Hatcheries have been cut back to a bare minimum for years. Fishing sucks most places you go and fees are to high. I won't be voting for SB 247, not because the hatcheries are doing anything wrong but because of ODFW management and Politicians in Oregon. Plus I saw a lot of BS going on in ODFW that I could not believe was happening at the time.

 

[jluck]

Why is it my budget needs MANAGED but every time a government agency Pisses away their budget the answer is more taxes or higher rates, even more strain on my actually earned budget.

ODFW does not own our animals. They sure want the easy money from us but yet will not take responsibility for the very same animal damaging a vehicle. ...

After watching ODFW pare down the youth hunts to a level that no kid can get a decent hunt without buying extra (early) points I lost all respect for the worthless piece of bubblegum outfit. Kids our our hunting future, no?

bubblegum YOU ODFW!

 

[Provincial]

The "D's" own the government for now. They bow to the radical environmentalists. Agencies toe the Party line. The traditionalist public employees are squeezed out or marginalized, leaving the True Believers in charge.

Hatchery fish are an abomination in the eyes of the radicals. Closing the hatcheries has been their goal for years. They are just using "hardship" as an excuse to get that they really want.

Expect more of this in the future.