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Darn Non-Resident Hunters?!?

Human nature is such that it almost always acts in a way that it believes is in its best self interest (Survival of the fittest,etc) . As a country, we are in a slow tide change in which we are becoming like the rest of the world with respect to hunting - it is gradually becoming the domain of the wealthy and privileged, where money buys access, regardless of state lines. This trend is ironically being accelerated by the outdoor channels showing men, women and children shooting trophy animals and driving the desire, just like the DIY channels have driven the remodeling industry.
Even "public wilderness areas" out west are over run with cattle from privileged ranchers and outfitters who pay the game commissions. Its not uncommon to find cattle above 10000 feet during archery season.
Selfishness/ greed is deeply engrained in the human nature, and hunting can easily feed that need.
Yesterday My wife was asked by a woman in line at the grocery store at Bethany Beach, DE whether she was a local or a vacationer. My wife told her she was a vacationer and the lady then said "then go back home". This lady was a transplant from the DC area - who has bought up and overrun the DE beaches by milking tax payer money. I on the other hand was born a local and we have been vacationing there for 68 years. Its not resident or non resident - its greed and selfishness - basic human nature.
 
If we all just realized we are "brothers and sisters" sportsmen instead of rival gangs, there would be a heck of lot less trouble out there. My son and I make it a point to carry trash bags so we can pick up wherever we park or even what we pick up in woods. Couple grocery style plastic bags in pack take up no room and you can carry quite a bit and just toss it out when you get back to house etc.
 
There's a good Colorado guy, he knows who he is, who offered to help me locate a good area for a descent mulie buck. I didn't draw in either 1st or 2nd CO rifle draws, but I appreciated his offer a great deal.

I've been blessed to spend most of my life hunting all the Rocky Mountain states and I've never had problems with any residents. There are more hunters, resident and non-resident, so it's getting more crowded for sure. Good people don't cause problems, so there's no reason they should be hassled by anyone.

It's a sad thing that anyone, regardless of address, badmouths other hunters just because of their license plates. No doubt, there are some slobs about anywhere you hunt these days, but there is no remedy for stupid.

For the true hunter, I hope you have a great season.
 
It's the same mentality being shone around the country over the last few years..."the hatred of the other"....it's just carried over into our sport...like it or not..
THIS! It's hatred IF you are not aligned with my position. My life style, my politics, my religion, ad nauseam.

Instead of we live in a country where you "use to" be able to walk your own path "without" someone or some government trying to control your "walk in life".
 
Even "public wilderness areas" out west are over run with cattle from privileged ranchers and outfitters who pay the game commissions. Its not uncommon to find cattle above 10000 feet during archery season.
Cattle leases are issued by BLM and the National Forest Service, not fish and game departments. Additionally, you cannot get a permit to graze in a wilderness area unless cattle grazing permits were issued before that area became a dedicated wilderness area.

I had some cattle behind my house in CO on Natl Forest/BLM land (both border our property). I ran into them quite a bit this summer while hiking behind the house. Do I wish they were not there? National forests have a "multiple use mandate" - that mandate allows me to target shoot on national forest (I did yesterday in AZ) as well as many other things - including hunting, which I can also do in wilderness areas (but not target shoot).
 
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Well I guess I'll jump in. I was a non res. in Wy. for many years. Ut., Az., Nv., Co., Mt., NM., Wa. and Ca.. non res. Some for over 35 years. I could never count the $ I've spent on non res tags and gas food gear etc.. I don't want to know. I have never felt more privileged because it cost me more than a resident. I feel the same way as most all here. Treat it like it was your own and leave it better than it was. I always pick up the beer cans left by tree/wood cutters. My thinking an empty can has to be easier to carry out than full. If I go to where people shoot , there's always trash left. I don't get it. And to shoot bottles ???
Some states are worse than others. I won't say which ones or why. If I'd have to pick a percentage of non res. or res. That were slobs from what I've seen in the last 50 yrs. it would be resident's. One thing to think of, there are a lot of resident's that hunt other areas in the state than where they live. Who knows, maybe some of them don't care as if it was their own home town area they hunt ? Still what I see from both is a very small percentage .
 
My observation here in NM is that the bad hunters are often from Texas, where they can't afford a hunting lease. The ones that come from out of state are often from the big city and just don't know enough about hunting. We hear talk of Texas bullseye (shot in the A**) and "Sound Shots". Things got much better here when they mandated hunter's education. My favorite hunt is in the wilderness areas. Once you're a mile or two from the road, you don't see many hunters. When I was young I watched some "hunters" load 10 cases of beer into their truck for the hunt. I also spotted a hunter on the rimrock "scoping" me with his rifle. He determined that I wasn't a deer and picked up his beer again. NM doesn't allow out of state hunters to hunt cow elk, which makes it easier for me to fill my freezer. They also give out lots of landowner tags which helps the locals, and should make them friendlier to hunters. All of you non-residents help support this poor state and our Game and Fish. Thanks.
I'm from Texas and I'm not really a fan of drinking and hunting. The people I hunt with at the end of the day May go back to camp and have some beer. I just never seen them take it with them out in the field. Hum. I do t know everyone in Texas.
 
Well I guess I'll jump in. I was a non res. in Wy. for many years. Ut., Az., Nv., Co., Mt., NM., Wa. and Ca.. non res. Some for over 35 years. I could never count the $ I've spent on non res tags and gas food gear etc.. I don't want to know. I have never felt more privileged because it cost me more than a resident. I feel the same way as most all here. Treat it like it was your own and leave it better than it was. I always pick up the beer cans left by tree/wood cutters. My thinking an empty can has to be easier to carry out than full. If I go to where people shoot , there's always trash left. I don't get it. And to shoot bottles ???
Some states are worse than others. I won't say which ones or why. If I'd have to pick a percentage of non res. or res. That were slobs from what I've seen in the last 50 yrs. it would be resident's. One thing to think of, there are a lot of resident's that hunt other areas in the state than where they live. Who knows, maybe some of them don't care as if it was their own home town area they hunt ? Still what I see from both is a very small percentage .
It's neither the resident or non resident, it is us. We've allowed the alphabet soup of agencies to squeeze us into smaller, and smaller spaces, while spending our resources frivolously. USFS has mismanaged the forest to where instead of making money, we're literally choking out west as resources go up in smoke. BLM is spending over half its budget dealing with feral horses, instead of something constructive. "Wildlife" Departments depend on lotto systems to generate funds, instead of actually having game numbers to support more opportunity. USFWS needs no introduction really, but it would be a shame to leave them out.

By all means though, let's continue engaging the easy targets, on each others backs.
 
One thing we need to do as a community, is move away from painting broad strokes on 'Texans' or 'Californians'……it's total BS and drives wedges into our community, which is a community of outdoorsman/hunters. The more divided we are, the more the government and anti's can compromise our rights!!
 
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