This from a retired game warden that worked the refuge for years commenting on the refuge allowing private outfit to kill nilgai from helicopter and sell the meat rather that using hunters as a resource.
I could write and write with information on all of this, but it would do no good. People will argue no matter what, particularly those who have hunted there and talked with some FWS employees who tow the party line, and therefore think this makes them experts. I was the supervisory game warden there for years, retired now. The FWS managers could use hunters to control hogs and nilgai more effectively year-around in a targeted manner, and I encouraged them to do so over the years, but they wouldn't. They do not need any further hunt plan approvals to do so either (that's B.S.). They could use smaller hunter numbers, using rifle hunts, open up access more, and it would not require much monitoring or FWS personnel. Those are just excuses. They claim they don't have personnel or resources. However, they have no problem with using personnel and volunteers in conducting tram tours, birding tours, kayaking tours, etc...and some of these tours are in areas closed to public vehicle access. Also, while nilgai are a fever tick host, so are whitetail deer! Are they going to shoot all the deer? No! The reason not many nilgai are taken by hunters is simply because rifle hunts are limited (5 hunts of 35 permits more or less, for 3 days each per year) and access is strictly limited. Plus, they are going more and more toward non monitored hunts, no check out, etc...anyway!
Interestingly enough, they will not allow USDA to place feeders on refuge with corn laced with a treatment to kill fever ticks from the deer. USDA is setting hundreds of feeder outside Refuge boundaries, yet they want to kill all the nilgai by helicopter!
I have no problem with killing the nilgai by copter, but why use a single approach? Why not sell hunts for weekends in limited numbers for rifle hunts year around and allow greater drive in access? If they had been doing this, the numbers would have already been more controlled.
Special Use Permits (SUPs) are issued in large numbers every year allowing all kinds of access for biological studies, nature reporters, colleges, etc...to go where the public can't and do what normal visitors can't (including trapping animals, collecting bugs, taking plants, etc...).
Puro pinche excuses is why they don't. They pander to environmentalist, biologist, birders, nature watchers, etc...and pretty much everyone, except hunters. There is a real anti-hunter sentiment with many of the managers, biologist, and employees.
Yes, some hunters commit violations, but every user group has violators. I've arrested non-hunting college professors, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and people from all walks of life committing violations. Hunters as a group have a very low violator rate, particularly on the rifle hunts.
So let them just keep feeding y'all the excuses and B.S.! Lol
I could write and write with information on all of this, but it would do no good. People will argue no matter what, particularly those who have hunted there and talked with some FWS employees who tow the party line, and therefore think this makes them experts. I was the supervisory game warden there for years, retired now. The FWS managers could use hunters to control hogs and nilgai more effectively year-around in a targeted manner, and I encouraged them to do so over the years, but they wouldn't. They do not need any further hunt plan approvals to do so either (that's B.S.). They could use smaller hunter numbers, using rifle hunts, open up access more, and it would not require much monitoring or FWS personnel. Those are just excuses. They claim they don't have personnel or resources. However, they have no problem with using personnel and volunteers in conducting tram tours, birding tours, kayaking tours, etc...and some of these tours are in areas closed to public vehicle access. Also, while nilgai are a fever tick host, so are whitetail deer! Are they going to shoot all the deer? No! The reason not many nilgai are taken by hunters is simply because rifle hunts are limited (5 hunts of 35 permits more or less, for 3 days each per year) and access is strictly limited. Plus, they are going more and more toward non monitored hunts, no check out, etc...anyway!
Interestingly enough, they will not allow USDA to place feeders on refuge with corn laced with a treatment to kill fever ticks from the deer. USDA is setting hundreds of feeder outside Refuge boundaries, yet they want to kill all the nilgai by helicopter!
I have no problem with killing the nilgai by copter, but why use a single approach? Why not sell hunts for weekends in limited numbers for rifle hunts year around and allow greater drive in access? If they had been doing this, the numbers would have already been more controlled.
Special Use Permits (SUPs) are issued in large numbers every year allowing all kinds of access for biological studies, nature reporters, colleges, etc...to go where the public can't and do what normal visitors can't (including trapping animals, collecting bugs, taking plants, etc...).
Puro pinche excuses is why they don't. They pander to environmentalist, biologist, birders, nature watchers, etc...and pretty much everyone, except hunters. There is a real anti-hunter sentiment with many of the managers, biologist, and employees.
Yes, some hunters commit violations, but every user group has violators. I've arrested non-hunting college professors, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and people from all walks of life committing violations. Hunters as a group have a very low violator rate, particularly on the rifle hunts.
So let them just keep feeding y'all the excuses and B.S.! Lol
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