WHY SOME AREN'T WORTH REPEATING

Comments Worth Repeating, 2008, II

By Bill Schneider, 3-27-08

This is another of what’s becoming a long series of posts highlighting insightful comments by the readers of NewWest.Net. This time, though, before reading them, here’s a comment of my own, a comment on comments.

I welcome any comment, even those critical of me or NewWest.Net, but some comments are definitely more effective than others.

My most favorite comments are those that build on the initial story, adding new information or an alternative point of view. These comments are frequently worth repeating. In fact, there are so many worth repeating that I really can’t devote enough space to do justice to all of them, so I try to pick out some of the brightest pearls.

My least favorite comments are those attacking people instead of issues. Personal attacks are never worth repeating.

Also, I’ve noticed length of the comments makes a difference in impact and number of people reading it. People tend to skip over excessively long comments with endless paragraphs.

That’s my comment, and I’m sticking to it. Enjoy.

To read them all, click on the Comments Worth Repeating Chronology

Cabela’s Reacts to Land Sales Debate

“Cabelas knows, as so many corporations do, that the hunting community is unlikely to turn on its own, even as it cuts off its own fingers. The confusion amongst hunters seems to be that they think that Cabela’s is one of them. Sorry Ladies and Gents. Big Mistake.” (Brian L. Horejsi)

“Teddy Roosevelt himself understood the concept when he said, ‘The wealthy can get (buy, sic) hunting anyhow, but the man of small means is dependent solely upon wise and well executed game laws ...’ In other words the joy of the hunt shouldn’t be dependent on your ability to pay!” (Larry)

Baucus, Crapo Introduce RAT Repeal

“Because FS managers seem to have an almost childlike inability to understand basic business principles, they react to declining visitation (and thus declining revenue) by raising the fees, which results in further visitation declines, which means further revenue declines, and on and on, in a financial death spiral from which there is no escape.” (Kitty B. Benzar)

“As it is, it is a struggle for the Forest Service to pump toilets or clean them at sites where no fee is charged. In a day and age where the agency is cutting recreation positions, combining offices and reorganizing to deal with declining budgets, this may signal the death toll for the recreation program as we know it.” (Maury)

What the Baucus-Crapo Bill Does

“They (Forest Service) are run like a dope cartel when you look at it.  All the people on the ground locally are to collect the money, and then the boys up the line take it all for management fees.” (bearbait)

“If we, the people do not get a grip on the enviros, they will soon have total control over our forests and will be demanding that we stay out and cover all of their expenses. That is exactly what they have in mind.” (Marion)

Cabela’s New Policies Promote Stewardship, Preserve Historic Uses

“Having read the one interview Wild Bill did with Callahan, one of the big execs, and then reading the response above, I’m ready to settle down….This isn’t class warfare, gentlemen….If this real estate operation is such a small part of Cabela’s business and they don’t have to make a living at it, why wouldn’t they do what they say they will? I’ve never experienced any dishonesty or deception in any of my dealings with them in the past, and these go back for years and thousands of dollars. Why would this be any different?…I, for one, am going to give them the benefit of the doubt, although I’ll be watching.” (rckymtnhntr)

“Nobody can be faulted for trying to turn a buck per se but it is insulting when the attempt is made to mask that intent by trying to set the stage as if the original intent was to create a ‘model for recreational land transactions.’ The original intent was to make money!” (elfman)

Our Most Expensive Deer

“Oh, deer, someone is passing the buck in Helena.” (Elselein)

“My proposal for how to underwrite the culling is to impose a surcharge on developers &/or a higher tax rate on those whose McMansions (e.g. Reeder’s Village) & residences have displaced the deer into ‘town’… Not to mix animals, but the horse is out of the barn on this one, unfortunately. Other developments (like Westridge, the Parriman PUD, the one nearly on the face of Mt. Helena) are the newest chapter in this deer diaspora & will only intensify the problem.” (Patti P.)

“I think a vast majority of people agree that the deer problem should be addressed. Bill, points out a very exspensive govt solution involving city police. Now why not look to make money on this, involve the hunting community, and turn lemons into lemonade?”
(Craig Moore)

“Personally I think a handicap hunt is a great idea, with limited numbers each of alternating days. That way you wouldn’t have the town full of people shooting all at one time. After all it wouldn’t be like they had to stalk their deer, so it shouldn’t take that long.” (Marion)

“ I think a master hunter kind of hunt is a viable answer….I would not fawn over any one solution, or dote on all of them, but the buck has to stop somewhere.” (bearbait)

“Sometimes instead of recreating the wheel it’s best just to use an existing design.” (Craig Moore)

Preserving Pike

“Please do not insult the wolf by trying to make comparison to pike.” (Barney)

“This is about which fish we like ‘more.’” (Dave Skinner)

“Pike are treated like a pestilence in Montana because that is exactly what they are, an ILLEGALLY INTRODUCED PEST. Pike do NOT belong in Montana, they are harming what have always been natural trout fisheries and should be completely erradicated..” (Jason)

“As management goes, warm water is pennies on the dollar to cold water, and with global warming many marginal trout waters will cost more and more to manage or eliminated. 46% of Idaho fishermen cite warm water fishing as their preference yet IDFG devotes less than 15% of its fisheries budget to warm water. That said ‘Bucket Biology’ is knuckle-dragging, chew-drooling, in-bred thinking to somehow ‘know more dan dem kolidge edicated bi-a-low-gists’ and should be a felony with sterilization of the offender’s entire gene pool mandatory…As far as the challenge of catching, give me the top of the food chain. Anybody can catch trout.” (Douglas Schleis)

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