Senate passed big public lands bill

[Palehorse]

"The Senate on Tuesday passed the most sweeping conservation legislation in a decade, protecting millions of acres of land and hundreds of miles of wild rivers across the country and establishing four new national monuments honoring heroes including Civil War soldiers and a civil rights icon. "

"The bill would also be a boon for another constituency — hunters and anglers.

Bow hunters would be allowed to bring their weapons through national parks when trying to reach areas where it is legal to hunt. More important, it makes all federal lands open to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting unless otherwise specified."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/02/12/senate-just-passed-decades-biggest-public-lands-package-heres-whats-it/

[150class]

*** Cruz...

[Palehorse]

*** Cruz...

Yea. I voted for him over Beto for reasons other than public lands, but he is dead wrong on this issue.

[bossbowman]

your link don't work

[Palehorse]

Sorry. Try it now.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/02/12/senate-just-passed-decades-biggest-public-lands-package-heres-whats-it/

[Drycreek3189]

I think I'll hold my judgement on this until I know more about it. They make it sound good, but that's what politicians do. The one sentence I particularly didn't like was that all Federal lands would be open to hunting and fishing UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED. You can be **** sure that the bunny huggers will try to specify as much as they're able to. National Parks don't throw the doors open to hunters, and wilderness areas are fine for the young, but a lot of elk hunters are too old to be hard core. By the time you have enough time and money to enter multiple western draws, in some cases you're too old to hump the mountains. We'll see how this turns out.

[Matt_C]

It's not the politicians that worry me, it's the bureaucrats (department heads) in charge of these programs who are left with deciding how the law is applied.

[Johnny44]

You bet buddy, and they don’t want you there!

[Jason]

@662 pages, I doubt I’ll read it all. The Washington Post article makes it sound like a no brainer, but when I look at who voted against it I figure there must be something else there.

I don’t get the hate for Ted Cruz, but Sasse, Lee, & Paul all voted against it. I find I usually agree with those guys politically so I’m guessing there is more to the bill than just bow hunters carrying bows on national parks.

[Bowhuntamistad]

I think I'll hold my judgement on this until I know more about it. They make it sound good, but that's what politicians do. The one sentence I particularly didn't like was that all Federal lands would be open to hunting and fishing UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED. You can be **** sure that the bunny huggers will try to specify as much as they're able to. National Parks don't throw the doors open to hunters, and wilderness areas are fine for the young, but a lot of elk hunters are too old to be hard core. By the time you have enough time and money to enter multiple western draws, in some cases you're too old to hump the mountains. We'll see how this turns out.

I’ve seen and know a lot of hunters that are in their 50s, 60s, and one in his 70s still humping up the mtns. Just sayin, age has nothing to do with it. There are plenty of chances and ways to hunt the West right now, with or without draws.

[justletmein]

*** Cruz...

All 8 "nays" were Republicans. Makes me wonder if there's some extra fat in this bill they didn't like.

Cruz (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Johnson (R-WI)
Lankford (R-OK)
Lee (R-UT)
Paul (R-KY)
Sasse (R-NE)
Toomey (R-PA)

[mhunter6]

All 8 "nays" were Republicans. Makes me wonder if there's some extra fat in this bill they didn't like.

Cruz (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Johnson (R-WI)
Lankford (R-OK)
Lee (R-UT)
Paul (R-KY)
Sasse (R-NE)
Toomey (R-PA)

Likely the fat is that its part of the republican party's platform to some extent transfer federal managed lands to the states.

[Palehorse]

If you would like to help it pass the house, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers will help you send a letter to your representative spelling out your support.

https://www.backcountryhunters.org/take_action#/

[ultrastealth]

The problem with legislation like this is that is winds up putting land in federal hands that is best left to the states to manage, and it restricts access to the point where your right to hunt and fish matters not, because you can't access it.

[Palehorse]

The problem with legislation like this is that is winds up putting land in federal hands that is best left to the states to manage, and it restricts access to the point where your right to hunt and fish matters not, because you can't access it.

By The Numbers
Acres of public land managed by the federal government: 640 million

Total acres of federal land that were entrusted to the 48 contiguous states: 156 million

Acres of those public-trust lands that states have sold: 110 million, or 70%

Acres of federal land entrusted to Western states: 64 million

Acres of those public-trust lands sold by Western states: 34 million

Estimated yearly cost of managing federal public lands in Utah alone: $280 million

Utah’s 2016 wildlife-resources budget: $85 million

Please read this article from Field and Stream before you jump to that conclusion.

https://www.fieldandstream.com/keep-public-lands-in-public-hands