Dear fellow Vermonter,
By now you may be tired of hearing from folks like me about bill 258. You may be disappointed and discouraged that it has passed the Senate twice despite an overwhelming response from Vermonters expressing their opposition. I get it: I’m tired too! Clearly most Senators have turned a deaf ear towards us in their efforts too appease the antis.
But this bill is not about improving the process of managing wildlife! Instead it is a thinly guised effort to begin the process of forever changing how we manage wildlife in this state and the beginning of the end hunting, trapping and fishing as we know it!
Our own VTFW Department and the dedicated biologists who continue to do an excellent job managing our wildlife resources are opposed to this bill!
We cannot give up the fight! This is what the antis are counting on!
The bill now goes to the house. Please call or email your representative. It only takes a few minutes! Do it for your kids, grand kids and all future generations of Vermonters and the future of our wildlife resources! It’s really in our hands and we don’t realize how much power we have. Now is our only chance to stop this. If the antis succeed this will be the beginning of the end of our rural culture as we know it. Thanks in advance! And have a nice Easter weekend!
–Will Staats
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Categories: Letters to the Editor
Thank you for keeping this issue in front of us.
Thank you Will for encouraging people to speak up. Unfortunately our legislators have been warped by the anti everything crowd into thinking that emotions should guide our wildlife management. I’ve contacted the Sportsmen’s Alliance about this bill and hope they can help us fight back..We’ll see. I will contact my legislators AGAIN but know full well where they stand..and it’s not with us.
Re: “Clearly most Senators have turned a deaf ear towards us…..”
This says it all, doesn’t it.
That’s because legislators listen to the majority of Vermonters who support the bill. Opponents of the bill have had ample opportunity to make their case. No one has turned a deaf ear toward you – they just don’t buy your arguments.
Re: “No one has turned a deaf ear toward you – they just don’t buy your arguments.”
Oh… so that’s it? A difference with absolutely no distinction.
We clearly can see that for Mark (another ‘whoever-you-are’) it’s all okay because he does buy their arguments – and turns a deaf ear toward us too. The proverbial pig in a poke, lipstick, and all.
Except this time, the majority of Vermonters want these changes, not the minority or the legislators themselves.
Again, I was under the impression (obviously mistaken in hindsight) that supposed “conservatives” and “constitutionalists” appreciated equal voices and balanced representation in democratic processes.
Most Vermonters do not trap. A very, very small minority do – and those stats, as reported over & over on VDC over the months – include VT “natives”, VT transplants, and VT residents who have lived here long-term. (As if any of that should be taken into account in any event when it comes to fair and balanced governance, as they all pay their share of taxes & all are citizens). Enough of the spinning. It merely digs a deeper hole.
Pretty sure “whoever you are Mike” is Mark MacDonald a member of the committee that is behind this whole mess. Just a guess but I’d put money on it!
Most people commenting at least use their full name. Again.. The argument from proponents of S.258 say that there is an imbalance in the F+W board and we need to give people with opposing views a voice. What the hell balance is there in the committee itself?! All non hunters or worse anti hunters. Hypocrites!
Thank you Will for your plea.
What really must happen is that those representatives and senators that continually vote for totally absurd things like the fish and wildlife and the affordable heat bill should NOT be re-elected. We read about the deaf ears in Montpelier but some fools keep electing them! Vote the bums out!
Sad but this editorial can be written and said about every piece of legislation the super majority of Commiecrats passes and our “Republican” governor is as useless as a hole in a donut.
Again, These Marxist Oath Breakers (MOB’s) do not care about the citizens. They are a treasonous and tyrannical lot. Contacting the MOB’s is a waste of time. They are entrenched and unremovable via the corrupt voting system. “When tyranny becomes law, armed rebellion becomes duty”! Yeah…I said it and will continue to say it! A1
Oh for god’s sake, calm down. What a pathetic post.
So, let me get this straight…the legislators in this specific instance are “Marxists” because the Majority of Vermont residents have come forward and demanded a more equal voice in how our VT Constitutionally shared wildlife/environs are regulated and used? I believe that is generally referred to as a form of democracy within governance.
The bill has already been diluted from its original form, yet despite compromise having been achieved as opposed to you having your way, you trappers cry: “Marxism”. Amazing. And yet when a proposed bill that you happen to fully concur with isn’t passed, you cry the same accusation.
Speaking of diluting things, you each are guilty of co-opting the word “Marxist” and manipulating language in the exact same way you accuse the other side of doing. For shame.
Thank You to the Legislature for this bill that will aid in finally providing a more equal input toward wildlife “management”, & wildlife safety practices that all Vermont residents pay toward via state taxes & have the constitutional right to be involved in.
And hopefully the passage of this bill shall eventually assist in decreasing the deaths of innocent domestic pets and protected & non-targeted animals who often meet their demise in these devices as evidenced via the statistics accumulated by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Re: “…hopefully the passage of this bill shall eventually assist in decreasing the deaths of innocent domestic pets …”
And if it doesn’t decrease the deaths of innocent domestic pets, will you agree to repeal the bill?
Jim You really don’t have a clue what going on do you ? Or is it that you do know exactly what is going on and you are trying to smooth it over like the legislature ? You obviously haven’t seen the polls on the idiot idea
Jim, If one wants to assist in decreasing the death of “innocent” domestic pets, then one should keep their pets in their own yard or on a leash while walking. As far as “innocent” domestic pets go, many years ago when I used to hunt, I saw a Collie chasing two antlerless deer.
there will be no rural culture//// you will, in the future, live in government tax payer supported goat herder housing//// you walk or ride your bike /// your living area will be limited to a five mile area/// you must get a permit and permission and pay a exit fee to leave/// cameras, like in new york city, will watch all movement/// you will be under total control/// covid 19 was a test run and it proved to be a great success /// welcome to the new world order/// make sure you turn in your firearms/// oh i almost forgot/// get your next big pharma kill shot and put your face diaper back on/// welcome to smart city///
For H. Jay who has no “reply” icon for some odd reason, the answer is “no” – as the changes accomplishes many important things of which I have already spoken:
Give all taxpayers (who all support F & W in VT) a more equal & balanced presence on the board (generally a process that supposed “conservatives” and “constitutionalists” appreciate) that advises management/safety decisions, hopefully lessens the number of non-targeted animals killed in traps, similarly decreases protected & endangered species killed in traps, and it will ban coyote hunting with dogs which has resulted, as documented at the Capital if you & others have researched, VT resident’s dogs being chased down & injured by such practice, etc.
Since this has all been repeated, literally, at least 50 times over the course of months on VDC alone, I’m curious as to why so many trapping advocates need to have it rehashed still.
Any chance this might all sink in yet?
No on 258 ! No from my family ,No from my coworkers, No from friends ! Listen to the Majority of Vermonters .I know they have called and have made their voices clear .