Antelope Island State Park is the newest hunting preserve for the rich in 2011

Ever wanted to take a 240 class mule deer or have a chance at a record book full curl Big Horn Sheep? Well, as of today's Wildlife Board Meeting, the fight that has lasted now for over 12 years has come to a head for at least one year, opening a Pandora's Box of future precedent for our State and National Parks, to become hunting grounds for those that can afford to pay the highest amount for the right to hunt there.

With a 6 to 2 Vote, allowing hunting for 2 mule deer and 2 Big Horn Sheep was approved today, with the lack of due process to even allow the public a right to have a say in the matter. With Board Members themselves admitting to final amendments to the verbiage of the proposal, as late as yesterday, how can this be viewed as giving the public a true chance for input other than in today's meeting and one held in July, in which the final draft for the proposal had not even been finalized.

For 2011, these hunts will be allowed, under what circumstances, not one copy of the draft was made available for review by attending general public, we will have to wait to see, but this is another victory for those with deep pockets to take away more and more rights to the general citizens. Although one of each species of animals tag will go into a general pool for the general public, this set us up for potentially seeing this as a move to open all our State and National Parks to hunting to raise finds for managing the Parks. Is Yellowstone National Park next?

With groups like Sportsman for Fish and Wildlife (SFW)and the Mule Deer Foundation backing the passing of this bill, it seemed again that the decision was made before the Board even convened. This groups have a ton to gain by gaining access to the right to auction these permits off at the Hunting Expo held and backed by the State, a portion of the funds stays in their organization and the Hunting Expo, as proposed and passed 5 years ago now has become a financial windfall for the commercial entities that are involved, not as it was proposed, to be a joining together of major Hunting Conventions drawing huge revenue into the State with the attendance of the Convention visitors. It was last year brought to you by commercial entities not by conventions. The only remaining groups left from the original proposal are the Mule Deer Foundation the SFW.

Why is this Expo still being allowed to take these permits away from the tax paying citizens out of the pool going on as the rules of the original proposal have been totally thrown out the door? It has become a venue for those that can afford big dollar hunts or a small chance at a few select premium hunting tags to the extremely lucky or the very rich.

2011, 2012 2013, when will it become a issue of listening to what the public wants, not what the high dollar hunter/citizens of the State of Utah want? When do we draw the line at opening up all hunting rights to only those that can write out a check big enough to satisfy or beat out the next bidder. This is a trend I see more of every day. It is a sad day for the general hunter and I would beat the SFW already has bidders lining up to write out the biggest check to gain access to this new playground for the rich hunter.