Get Ready To Fight

This is a long response, so anyone who doesn’t care if the last grizzly on earth finally passes through the gates of extinction in the lower 48 states, I suggest you don’t bother to read this. This matter is not for you.

John,
I see your post has been up for a full two weeks. I’d say the lack of reads to it would be shocking except for the fact that it’s posted here on a taxidermy forum. Taxidermists are notorious for not giving a flying flip about perpetuating the existence of grizzly bears or wildlife conservation in general. But the fact that it has a big fat zero responses is – unbelievable to the tenth power.

I wonder how many readers who clicked on to your post even bothered to read the whole thing or at least past the first paragraph? One would think that taxidermy association members who have read your post would at least have a position on the question of whether or not to endorse continued hunting or any hunting at all of a scarce or currently endangered species, - but taxidermy associations’ presidents, BODs and general memberships have no interest in anything but their annual conventions. That’s where they can buy supplies at discounts and win prizes and ribbons in competitions. And sometimes they hold auctions, but the money raised never goes to anything remotely related to conservation that I’m aware of. Other than that, officers, advisors and general members are hypocritical toward their own by-laws. And if anyone has bothered to read this far and thinks this is just another Joe Kish jab at the National Taxidermists Association’s or any state associations’ piss-poor leadership, read these two purpose statements before you decide:

Page 1 NTA Bylaws Amended 10/09/2019
Mission Statement
The mission of the NTA is to promote the art of taxidermy, protect the freedom to hunt, and to promote wildlife conservation. (Emphasis added.)

And from the Texas Taxidermists Association by-laws: (One of the largest taxidermy clubs):

The purpose of the TTAI shall be:
(e) To function as a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the conservation of wildlife through the preservation of specimens to the highest standards of the art of taxidermy; (Emphasis added.)

The TTAI is NOT “dedicated to the conservation of wildlife by preserving anything to any standards of the art of taxidermy.” To pretend that those words conserve wildlife of any kind in the field is an absurdity. Just plain specious bull crap that sounds good but doesn’t ask or much less require any member to do anything but good work for their customers and collect the money. After all, it costs nothing to virtue signal. By their fruits you shall know them. Matthew 7:16-20 King James Version

Here is the last paragraph of the article you referenced in your post:

We urge you to politely contact Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland and request that she keep the Endangered Species Act protections for our grizzlies in the lower 48 States. Thank you so much for taking action!
Deb Haaland
Phone: 1-202-208-3100
Email: [email protected]

I called that number 4 times (politely) and got through the elevator music and dead space only once. The person I talked to was an obvious flunky with an odd accent who was very difficult to hear from poor phone acoustics. She finally put me on hold where after I waited a full ten minutes (by my phone timer) before being dropped. It was a total waste of time. Deb Haaland is a life time Democrat politician per Wikipedia.) (Secretary of the Interior is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule,[3] thus earning a salary of US $221,400, as of January 2021 and quite unreachable by phone.

So John,

I actually don’t know your position on this qrizzly question, to hunt or not to hunt, to continue the bear’s listing or de-listing on the endangered species list, but I appreciate your bringing this matter to attention here. So… here’s my position, not that it matters squat.

The article lists the griz population at 1800 total in the lower 48 states. That’s awfully thin when you consider the tens of thousands of square miles they are scattered over. Trophy hunters won’t miss a thing if the grizzly bear stays on the Endangered Species list. There’s still grizzly hunting opportunities in Alaska, Canada, and Siberia. I say give the bear a break in the 48 and some more time to exist and prosper into the future. After all, as far back as 1930 Outdoor Life magazine’s editor John A. McGuire commissioned Louis Paul Jonas to sculpt a lifesize bronze monument to recognize and alert the public’s attention to the fact that even 92 years ago the big bear was facing an uncertain future. To this day that hasn’t changed enough in the lower 48.

I could argue further, but to no purpose. I expect this will still remain one of this forum’s lowest visited posts ever. Still, koodoos to you John C for posting this.

 

My opinion on grizzly hunting is the same as it would be for any type animal in any country. If it has a dollar value to the State it will always exist. Montana and Wyoming would be to the good to offer a few tags each year. Some in a lottery others in an auction just as they do with sheep. It takes money to manage and if the bears could pay for their own management it would go a long way to its preservation, just like is done with game animals in Africa.

However I would like to see the price of the tags be affordable for all sportsmen not just the rich. An affordable tag, but say a $50 application fee would put people like myself in the game and I would suddenly be more concerned about the bears and I believe the States would profit as well.

I am a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and in fact sent them a donation this week. That is because the elk is (at least for now) affordable and available to me, even though I seldom get one, as many malcontents on here are quick to point out. But I have no problem spending some money on applications and tags so long as I can have at least a chance at hunting them and the money is used to help preserve the animals for everyone. The same would benefit the bears as well!

 

The definition of Malcontent as a noun : a person who is dissatisfied ...

I am saddened and dissatisfied that you do not harvest an elk every time you go hunting for them - but rest assured I am rooting for you and not the elk.

Your elk idea works in Pennsylvania.

• Archery Season: Sept. 10-24, 2022 (14 antlered, 15 antlerless)
• General Season: Oct. 31-Nov. 5 2022 (31 antlered, 70 antlerless)
• Late Season: Dec. 31-Jan. 7 2023 (15 antlered, 33 antlerless)

The odds of winning a stamp

2019 General Season elk draw odds in Pennsylvania (27 bulls & 71 cows)
App + bonus points Bull only odds (1 in X) Cow only odds (1 in X)
0+1 7,896 1,669
1+1 3,948 834
1+2 2,631 556

The cost to enter for 2022 is only $11.97. I enter every year just to support the management of elk. If I ever do win, in Pennsylvania, you get to bring along a guide at no extra cost. If I do win, I will invite you, because I know you will be successful in guiding me to not get an elk

Incidentally I was born in Elk County, PA and still hunt there most of the time, just a bit west of the current elk range.

 

To the contrary! As long as I am not the one shooting I can put you on an elk! Something happens when I am the shooter! Things go to $#!t!

 

Okay...maybe "nincompoops" is the word I'm looking for.

 

Personally, I feel the National parks are a good place for Grizzlies. I have zero interest in killing bears and the few I ran across while Elk hunting have been black bears. I’m glad they were not Grizzlies. If it makes you feel good to promote Grizzlies, then bring them to your state and see if that doesn’t change your mind. While you’re at it take some of these damn wolves too.