Comments on: Millions in Federal Sportsmen’s Dollars at Risk!

By: Sportsmen Step Up Big on HB 4684 | Northern Michigan Conservation Network

Sportsmen Step Up Big on HB 4684 | Northern Michigan Conservation Network — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 14:04:42 +0000

[...] House Bill 4684. According to a letter received from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last week, the language of HB 4684 risked losing roughly $25 million in federal fish and wildlife restoration dollars. [...]

By: Michigan United Conservation Clubs » Sportsmen Step Up Big on HB 4684

Michigan United Conservation Clubs » Sportsmen Step Up Big on HB 4684 — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:19:02 +0000

[...] Millions in Federal Sportsmen’s Dollars at Risk! [...]

By: Rork

Rork — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:35:00 +0000

Kwood explained it about as clearly as can be imagined, but you still refuse to get the point.

By: Foxtrotin

Foxtrotin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 01:02:00 +0000

The DNR is always crying wolf about something, I just talked to MC Masters about the bill and he is putting in some lanauge in the bill that will not put Michigan in Diversion. From day one on this issue they are saying we would put the state in diversion, that is a crock the USFW says it is allowable recreation, infact I just came back from riding my horse in Missouri and they allow horseback riding on Pitman Robertson land. So why can’t Michigan do the same thing. I see it as some personal agendas in the DNR, probably because the horse people have gave them so much grief about this issue and haven’t went away. I think the DNR has a lot more important things to consider than this issue, all we ever hear is how broke they are. but what they are not telling you is how much Federal money they really get and what they spend it on,they don’t really want us to know. This green agenda is a lot bigger that we really know and that is what it really boils down to. When you get time google up United Nation Agenda 21 read it yourself and a lot thing will start make sence of what is happening in Michigan. They keep buying land and don’t really have the resources to manage it as they should, but they keep buying and buying and for what? To Keep US off the land that is purchased with We the Peoples Money from the Michigan Trust Fund. This money could be used for better things like improving the the Hunting and Fishing in this state.

By: Tgregory26

Tgregory26 — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:53:00 +0000

I’m not buying it its the same “cry Wolf” everytime. The bill is not asking for new access just to be able to use the trails that always existed before.
Show me the science….why were they closed

By: Joanne

Joanne — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:13:00 +0000

Don’t we have bigger problems than messing with what we already have??? Leave it alone already….Everyone should beable to use public lands!!

By: T Ezop

T Ezop — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:19:00 +0000

MOT POZE
Sounds like a dumb move to even put a bill like that together. Why would the state want to give federal monies, just to allow horses only, if thats the way I read it.
Make the trails open to all users.
Will the horse people need to have a sticker on their mounts, same way as atv’s & sno machines do?

By: Kwood

Kwood — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:40:00 +0000

While this issue was brought up by horseback riders in the Pigeon River Country Forest, the issues with this bill are not about horseback riding per se.

It is important to understand that horseback riding is NOT illegal on land purchased with sportsman’s funds. It is, however, an activity that, like all other activities, is required to be managed by the state fish and game agency, our DNR. The problem with this bill is not horses, it is the fact that the bill language would not allow the department to manage horseback riding on state fish and game areas. Even if hikers, campers, or hunters had a bill with similar language it would still be a bad idea, no matter what the user group is.

Whether we like it or not, the requirements for receiving back our Federal sport fish and wildlife dollars are that the DNR has to have the right to manage uses that are not fish and game related.

Again, the use of horses is not illegal, but the way they are going about demanding access is. This goes for any user group using state land.

The issue of the DNR not providing sufficient access for some user groups should be looked at; but it is unacceptable to lose millions of dollars that sportsmen and women essential paid for with their equipment purchase to do so.

By: Guest

Guest — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:04:00 +0000

Well maybe they should let me ride my cows on state land too! Why do horse people get to use state land? I can’t let my cows pasture on the land?

By: Tgregory26

Tgregory26 — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:20:00 +0000

Lets see a large portion of public land in our state is National Forest that’s Federal. A large portion of state land is from tax reversion and a large portion is purchased with land trust fund from the oil and gas leases.
Just how much is actually WSFR ? What’s the percentage? How many existing trails cross such lands?

I ride National Forest trails all the time . How does it suddenly become forbidden on state land purchased with Fed Money?

How much “greener” can you get than a horse?
How is it a horse interferes with conservation but motor vehicles don’t?

I quit MUCC when they floated the trial balloon of limiting all equestrian use of state land from September thru January in a letter to legislators, even though they had no approved resolution from the clubs or members.

I guess I just don’t see the “United” in MUCC anymore, limiting access to the outdoors hardly seems to fit , what good is State Land if you can’t use it