HSUS targets houndsman in 2010

[Rooster Cogburn]

Reaper,

Oldforester is playing the blame game...trying to hold all dog hunters in the state responsible for the MBHA bobcat suit. There's a bunch of us who had nothing to do with it and do not belong to that association, but apparently its more fun for him to just blame everybody than to be concerned with the facts.

[Mister ED]

Originally Posted by reaper

What feud are you speaking of?

When one (or more) of the hound groups fought to basically eliminate bobcat trapping a few years back. After a 2 (or 3) year court battle, we now have a cat trapping season back (a whopping 10 days in the lower).

Too bad those monies sure could have been used to fight off the 'real' enemy to all our sports.

[Chuckgrmi]

HSUS is ONE well run, well funded organization and we as sportsmen/women are a loosely connected group of individuals belonging/not belonging to and supporting/not supporting a variety of small loosely knit sportsmen groups. If we are going to defeat HSUS or even PETA, we all need to support ONE well run, well funded organization and let them fight for us.

This a time where it is better to have all our eggs in one basket.

[reaper]

Originally Posted by Chuckgrmi

HSUS is ONE well run, well funded organization and we as sportsmen/women are a loosely connected group of individuals belonging/not belonging to and supporting/not supporting a variety of small loosely knit sportsmen groups. If we are going to defeat HSUS or even PETA, we all need to support ONE well run, well funded organization and let them fight for us.

This a time where it is better to have all our eggs in one basket.

Agreed!Sadly enough just don't see it happening.Each group often believes its untouchable,untill it isn't.

[kolarchi]

There for I support Houndsman. Lets not let the Dove incident repeat itself.

[lang49]

Originally Posted by Rooster Cogburn

Reaper,

Oldforester is playing the blame game...trying to hold all dog hunters in the state responsible for the MBHA bobcat suit. There's a bunch of us who had nothing to do with it and do not belong to that association

Rooster,

You may not have been responsible for the lawsuit but I didn't see anyone on your side of the issue opposing it!

Yet, everyone suggests that sportsman need to come together to oppose HSUS.

[Rooster Cogburn]

lang49, you're right I didn't have anything to do with the law suit. But, feel free to continue with your crusade against me. You are right too when you say guy's like me did not stop it from happening. I live in the Western UP and trapping for cats here was not in jeopardy...and I am guilty of not knowing the circumstances behind the law suit back in 2004 when it was happening. I do know I have always supported trapping...and when I had a dog left in a coyote trap for about 2 weeks before the greenhorn trapper decided to check his traps I did not blame trapping for causing my dog's death, I blamed the individual who did it.

[jeffm]

Originally Posted by Rooster Cogburn

I do know I have always supported trapping...and when I had a dog left in a coyote trap for about 2 weeks before the greenhorn trapper decided to check his traps I did not blame trapping for causing my dog's death, I blamed the individual who did it.

Very well said Rooster, sure is black and white when a guy reads it like you wrote it, shouldnt take reading it to get it,but it did, I am a hounddogger mostly, but was always embarressed with that whole cat trapping issue being a houndsman and all, but anyhow..
it sure is a great point you made, good post.

[Spartan88]

Stick together, yeah right...It'll never happen.

[Bearboy]

Protect the resource first, protect the sport second....with that in mind sticking together should be easy.

[Spartan88]

Originally Posted by Bearboy

Protect the resource first, protect the sport second....with that in mind sticking together should be easy.

You're part of the problem not the solution.

[Beaverhunter2]

I'll start out by saying the MTPCA will NEVER come out in support of any attack on any sportsmen- at least not while I'm President (or a member 'cause I'll leave if they do).

That being said, it does make it a lot harder for us to convince our membership to support groups that have: 1. Attacked us regarding the NLP Bobcat Trapping Season and 2. Worked very hard to get additional restrictions on bodygripping traps- which they were partially successful at. (BTW Rooster, the representative we deal with from the MHDF told me at the time that they DID support the bobcat lawsuit and the MHDF took the lead on getting the additional restrictions on bodygrippers.)

Are the hound groups finally ready to stop attacking potential friends and focus on our mutual enemy? For the future of both sports, I sure hope so!


John

[Rooster Cogburn]

Well John, sorry to disappoint you but I was not a member of MHDF until about two years ago...and I have been a strong supporter of outlawing guided bobcat hunts with hounds, but If it works for you to alienate me and others like me have at it.

[Beaverhunter2]

Rooster, you miss my point. I'm not trying to alienate anyone and when you became a MHDF member is your business. I am glad you are taking the step in supporting organizations that work to protect our outdoor heritage. I wish more sportsmen and sportswomen did!

Mostly, I'm trying to raise the point that it's foolish and short-sighted for one sportsmen's group to attack another- period. To quote Ben Franklin,

"We must hang together or surely we will hang separately."

I'm also trying to inform you that while the MBHA was the leader of the bobcat lawsuit, they were not the only hound group involved. And that as recently as last spring, the MHDF took action to put restrictions on the sport of trapping.

The MTPCA and the other trapping organizations in Michigan have never tried to institute restrictions on hound hunting or any other sporting activity. And I can speak for the MTPCA when I say we will not do so. Lastly, I'll add that in 1996 when bear hunting was under attack, the MTA (the MTPCA's parent organization) donated money to the MBHA; and organized letter writing and get-the-word-out campaigns to fight the ballot initiative.

Our cheeks are getting sore, but we're smart enough to avoid contributing to the in-fighting the Antis want so much.

I'm not attacking you, Rooster. If I offended you, I'm sorry- but I don't know what I said you found offensive. Please enlighten me.

John

[Rooster Cogburn]

John, Thanks for following up. I appreciate the opportunity to iron out our differences. I took your reference to my being a member of MHDF to mean I'm guilty of all the issues the organization gets involved in. I live in the Western UP and am out of the mainstream. Usually learn about such things as deer stops and stuff long after the fact. Nobody ever contacts me for my opinion on trapping issues. Lets shake on it and consider each other friend's in sport.

Rooster