| Yellowstone Bison Slaughter
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| News
Article 1/16/05 |
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| Letter's
to the Editor (3)
Billings Gazette
1/16/05 |
Schweitzer
right to halt this year's bison hunt
Whether the public is for or against the bison hunt, I
think it imperative to point out that our newly elected
governor made a wise decision that is in the best interest
for the state of Montana.
Image-wise and economically, he's looking out for us.
I applaud Gov. Schweitzer for his integrity and the wisdom
to slow things down. I had a feeling my vote wouldn't
be wasted.
Karrie Taggart
West Yellowstone
Schweitzer fails to support hunting
And so begins the legacy (under construction) of our new
governor, Brian Schweitzer. Only three days into his job,
and he appears to have already shed some of his campaign
promise or, more aptly put, rhetoric. What I am talking
about is his attempt/desire to cancel the re-start to
the Montana bison hunt down by Yellowstone National Park.
I seem to remember televised campaign ads stating that
"Brian Schweitzer is a long-time Montana outdoorsman
and hunter who will protect the values of Montanans and
their hunting and fishing heritage." Protect? Was
that just a typo? Did they really mean prohibit? I thought
that orange vest he was wearing seemed to look a little
too new for someone who was a "long-time hunter."
What's next, banning mountain lion and black bear hunts?
Those would be the easy picks.
He said that the bison hunt would "cause a public
relations nightmare, give the state a black eye"
and that Montana would "suffer negative national
publicity." Who is he working for? Is his best interest
with the people who live here or the people on the East
and West coasts? Who cares what PETA and other anti-hunting/fishing/walking
off-the-pavement extremists think? How about making law
that would protect our people against ski-pole wielding
protesters? It seems to me that what's best for Montana
(not to mention its people) would be to enrich and support
the ideals that make this such a great place to live in
the first place.
Kris Nordstog
Billings
Hunt would generate revenue for state
It is distressing to my wife and me that Gov. Schweitzer
would come out against the proposed "bison hunt."
The new governor is professing to be an advocate of new
business for this state. For his information, the "bison
hunt" that was done away with in the early 1990s
was quite a little industry.
The tags brought in income for the state agency. The people
who did the shooting/harvesting incurred expenses to get
to Gardiner, stay there and get back where they came from
(fuel, rental cars, motels, meals and maybe airlines).
The people who did the shooting/harvesting oftentimes
hired someone to drag the animal from the field. The people
who did the shooting/harvesting oftentimes hired someone
to butcher and package the animal. The people who did
the shooting/harvesting oftentimes hired someone to perform
taxidermy and tanning services for their prize. All of
the people hired for the various tasks were tax-paying,
and the income derived from the task completions were
taxed, thus providing dollars to the state treasury.
Currently, we have a system that deals with the bison
that is totally funded with tax dollars. Please tell me
why a pro-business expansion-speaking governor would be
in favor of having the taxpayers fund this program when
there is a private sector alternative that would add tax
dollars to the state rather than costing tax dollars.
This does not fit into the straight talking and straight
thinking mentality I can support.
Randy Mielke
Billings
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