Seems like the search and rescue fee at a minimum, would be required by ANY user of the public lands.... but don't try to apply common sense.
rost495:
I agree that all who enjoy the wilderness should bear an equal share of the burden for S&R operations. The problem is how to charge the fee to nonhunters who hike, climb, camp, backpack, sightsee, etc., on public land. There's no vehicle currently existing to charge nonhunters and maybe that's in our (hunters) best interest.
IMO it's a good idea that hunters pay all the burden of wildlife management and search and rescue operations because we can always use that to illustrate our commitment to wildlife and wilderness. PETA and tree huggers pay nothing towards those efforts. All they offer is lip service. So long as hunters pay for wildlife management and S&R we will be able to enjoy our sport because it's the only vehicle available to generate a revenue stream for those efforts. Maybe we ought to keep it that way.
KC
