Whiptail,

I fully understand where you're coming from, its just not directed correctly.

Like others have said, and like I've stated to you in the past, there is a distinction between public LAND and public WILDLIFE.

You think you're excluded. You're not, you have 365 days a year access to all the federal public land you want. That is to say, I don't have any more access to the land as a resident to Wyoming than you do as a non resident.

Plus, you are looking at one small part of the legacy of public lands and one small part of the recreational value of public lands. There are many hundreds of thousands of people that enjoy our public lands that never hunt or fish. Hikers, mountain bikers, bird watchers, photographers, campers, etc.

As to your complaint about your access to wildlife found on federal lands, that's up to the people that manage and control the wildlife there. Where that wildlife is found, is of no relevancy in your argument, none.

The States absolutely have the legal and full right to discriminate against you in regard to how we choose to distribute our wildlife resources. Some of the ways States choose to control NR hunters access to your wildlife resources, are to have guide requirements, charge more for NR licenses, limit the number of permits we give to NR hunters, etc. All perfectly legal, including Wyoming's right to require a guide for NR hunters in designated wilderness.

This is a wildlife access issue, not a Federal land access issue...no matter how many times you claim otherwise.

Also, for the record, I am NOT a fan of the wilderness guide law in Wyoming. It is 100%, no questions asked, a Wyoming Guides and Outfitters Association welfare program...no doubt.

But, if anyone is going to say that they will not support the idea of federal public lands because of a states right to control its wildlife as they see fit...well, they weren't much of a public lands advocate to begin with.

The Wyoming wilderness guide law, while complete crap, is not nearly as restrictive from a wildlife access point of view, than what your state imposes on NR hunters. Without either knowing a private land owner in Texas, or paying an outfitter/landowner, I am virtually excluded from 100% of your States LAND and WILDLIFE.

You're complaining about a very small percentage of wilderness that you cant hunt here without guide, while ignoring the amount of Federal Lands you can hunt. It would take you a lifetime to hunt all the federal lands that are available to you.

For the record, not one of the best animals my wife and I have killed in Wyoming were shot in designated wilderness.


Last edited by BuzzH; 02/05/17.