Caribou Gear

Public land issue from Midwest perspective

joelwalters

joelwalters

New member
Joined
May 21, 2016
Messages
14
Location
Kentucky
I have been trying my best to engage other sportsman in my state on this issue. I belong to another site that is focused just on Kentucky hunting and fishing. We have a few sizable chunks of federal land in my state, including the Boone National Forest and Land Between the Lakes. On this site I have posted several articles laying out the importance of preventing transfer of public land. At best I get crickets and at worst I get open hostility from those who call me a "libtard." I do my best to lay it out as a nonpartisan sportsmans' issue but have had little support. At this point I think my only hope to get a fellow Kentuckian to help would be if Knight and/or Hale were to come out in support of keeping it public. I am interested if anyone else in a non western state has had any luck getting others' support, even just getting them to write their reps. What did you do? This initiative is going to have to have support from people outside of the West to have any hope of being stopped, Imo. Thanks for your help.
 
What site do you belong to? I wouldn't mind coming over and giving a westerners perspective.
 
I think getting people to recognize their connection to the land is what makes it valuable, not whether a "liberal" or a "conservative" politician holds a certain stance. Posting up pictures, stories, videos, etc.. can help people connect with the real life impact that public lands have on us regardless of political persuasion or worldview.
 
I belong to a bass boat forum with a mostly southern membership. I have been treated harshly for my "liberal" views but made some headway when comparing public lands to public waters. It might ring home with some outdoorsman.
I was told that they were tired of paying for my playground and that the ranchers can have their piece.
Unfortunately they have no clue what they are giving up.
I'll keep trying and I hope you do also.
 
I believe ignorance on public land issues is the problem here in the Midwest. When I say ignorance I don't mean that in a condesending manner, just simply that we are not educated or aware of the issues out West and how they can impact us here. I have hunted/fished much public ground in the Midwest and West and to lose any of it would be shame. When I bring up what will happen if the states get control of federal land I do find people agree that it would quickly be sold off but that's about where the conversation ends. Action is here key here and all we can do is continue to educate others and urge them to take action by contacting their representatives and supporting other public land saving initiatives.
 
It is the same with a Arkansas forum. Which surprised me with the Ozark and Ouachita National Forests being such a big part of the state. John
 
I'm sure nearly all of them are big on the idea of "freedom". I would simply say that freedom is important to me too. And if being part owner of thousands of acres of land that I can hike, hunt, fish, camp on whenever I want isn't freedom, then I don't know what is.

It seems ironic that there are a pretty good number of folks who come to this forum from back east and their first post on here is about how they want to come out and hunt "the west" and want pointers. I'm becoming inclined to suggest that tip number one is to contact their elected officials back home and voice their support of public lands so they will still have access to lots of land to hunt when they get here.
 
I can see why easterners might have a different perspective about land in their state.
They have millions of people in their tax base, occupy a geographical area the size of one or two Nevada counties, and have a low amount of federal land.
Affording to keep their land if there was a transfer would be a possibility if it was made a goal.
Out west it's just literally not possible.
You can't pay for a Bugatti on a fast food salary.
 
joelwalters said:
. . . Kentucky hunting and fishing. . . . Boone National Forest . . . Kentuckian
Click to expand...

I don't know if your com padre's have a sense of history that you can appeal to, but if they do, you could try that.

One of the first books my mother read to me (repeatedly) as a little boy was about Dan'l Boone going through the Cumberland Gap and discovering a "dark and bloody hunting ground" where a man could walk for days and never see another person. Chock full of game, freedom, and nobody telling you what to do, no need to pay anyone shit and no need to ask anyone permission.

Well, will still have *some* of that out west, and guess what? Your friends are part owners in that. If they are real men, like Daniel Boone was, full of that Kentucky adventure and spirit, then they are more than welcome to come out here and test their mettle before it's all gone. But just knowing it's out here for their kids should be enough.

Really, seriously, hike for miles and miles and miles, and days and days and days. And maybe die, alone, in the woods where no one will ever find you. Ever.

If that doesn't appeal to them then, well, they are un-American.
 
I must be low fruit citizen.
But I even had a career in watching folks from all over the world enjoy our public lands.
Some folks need to get of their butts,not waste $ @ Vegas and go enjoy our public lands.
It could just give them a taste of Freedom!
 
<edit added: In my opinion> The biggest hurdle comes from the polarized partisan extremes that make an average American fear s/he has to be on one side or the other thus perpetuates the, "Toeing the political line" vs able to be a simple concerned American.

Hire Gerald to craft a documentary! He's got the skillz to pay the billz.... ;)
 
I'm in Arizona and have the same issue with a state focused website. Makes no sense because AZ is a western state with tons of public land (and not the best state politics) yet you won't find a single thread on the forum about the public land transfer. There is a locked political thread but its mostly just a circle-jerk of Trump. Any mention of anything against the grain and you get a several-page long thread full of the word libtard with no grammar. It's unfortunate.
 
I think a good amount of hunters in the east probably have no plans to hunt out west let alone leave their own State. Add to that the fact that much of the public land in the east is already under State control many people don't see the cause for concern. As a previous post stated, the tax base in the East is different which many people don't think about or understand. I think many people in the east, if they have hunted out west (or are even considering it) would most likely do so through an outfitter given all of the logistics of travel, lodging, licensing, familiarity with the area, etc... and again don't make the connection to public land (even though the outfitter may guide there). That is why people like Big Fin are good and so influential in showing people that it can be done on your own albeit with some planning involved.

I for one have never hunted public land in the west(or even national public land in the east), hopefully I will have the opportunity to some day. Because of people like Big Fin, who I was first introduced to from the MeatEater podcast, I now get it.
 
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