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Show Moab Sportsmen Prepared to Fight Over Season Rules Chanqe Proposals Recently the Moab Sportsmen's Sports-men's Club became involved in the necessary steps to reduce the 1976 hunting season on herd unit 30A from an 11-day buck only to a three-day buck only hunt. Concern first started when the local Utah Wildlife Resources Re-sources and the Bureau of Land Management recommended recom-mended to the Interagency Committee (Utah Wildlife Resources, Bureau of Land Management, and Forest Service) Ser-vice) that a 5-day buck only hunt was necessary to restore the deer herd to unit 30A and the Forest Service disagreed. After this meeting there was a public meeting on June 22, 1976, at the Grand County Con 1 House. At the meeting, .C Jon Leatham, Utah Wild-.... life Resources Officer, discussed discus-sed with the public the reasons behind his wanting a 5-day buck only hunt. Mr. Leatham also explained many surveys that had been made concerning concern-ing the deer herd on unit 30A. He discussed the low deer count, the low doe to fawn ratio, the low brouse use and the low deer day use per acre; all of which the Moab Sportsmen's Club feels are very poor for herd unit 30A. At this time the Sportsmen Club decided to send a delegation to Price, Utah, on June 23, 1976, to attend a Big Game Control Board's public hearing concerning the 1976 hunting season for the Southeastern South-eastern District. Irvin W. Shupe, vice president of the Moab Sportsmen's Club said, Continued on A3 I Sportsmen's Club Asks Three-Day Deer Hunt iConllnaed from AlJ . HpleRation would at- o convince the Big Z Control Board that a ?C buck only hunt was arv because the deer i j3 on unit 30A is way this meeting," Mr. " said, "The 18 member J! delegation listened to t recommendation of the L man Interagency Com-Cofan Com-Cofan 11-day buck only for herd unit MOA." 'This three-man Interagnecy Cwmiettee consists of a Lsentative each from Utah jy dlife Resources, the Forest Mie and the Bureau of Land Latent. Mr. Shupe con- ,ued "The delegates from lb realized that the Inter-' Inter-' ncy Committee meeting a complete waste or our m money because the 2 to 1 in favor of the 5-day buck 03ly hunt was completely ;ored." At this time the delegation inte(i to either shut the Kjson down completely on unitWOAorif the Board .ctild not go along with that to allow only a 5-day buck tclv hunt. The Board told the delega-ion delega-ion to either go with one commendation or the other as they would not accept a split recommendation from a single group. So the delegation voted on the two recommendations; 14 were in favor of shutting the season down and 4 in favor of a 5-day buck only hunt. "The delegation received many objections," ob-jections," Mr. Shupe said, "both from the Big Game Control Board and the Interagency Inter-agency committee because they felt either of the recommendations would shift a heavy hunter burden to other units in the state." Board Decision Then on June 27, 1976 the Big Game Control Board came to a decision on the state-wide 1976 hunting season. Herd unit 30A would have an 11-day buck only hunt. "Twelve other herd units in the state were given a 7-day buck only hunt," Mr. Shupe said. "Why," Mr. Shupe continued, contin-ued, "were we the only herd unit in the state to have its Wildlife Resources Officer recommend a shortened hunt and it was denied, while twelve other herd units in the state were granted a shortened hunt." Recently, several Moab residents undertook a task to seek a court injunction against the Big Game Control Board's decision on the season for herd unit 30A. An attorney in Salt Lake City, Lou Fletcher, was contacted and asked if it would be possible to get such an injunction. Lou Fletcher replied re-plied that it is very possible. On July 9, 1976, a meeting of the Moab Sportsmen's Club was held in the Grand County Court House; the public was invited to attend. The meeting was called to discuss the battle against the Big Game Control Board. At that meeting 42 local residents attended; all of which joined the club. On July 10, 1976, another "meeting of the club was called to elect new officers. After the elections a motion was made to have the club take on the battle against the Big Game Control Board and to pursue it to the end. The motion passed with a unamimous vote. On July 11, 1976, Dwight Johnston, newly elected president, presi-dent, traveled to Salt Lake City u to meet with the attorney to get the ball rolling on. "This brings us to where we are today," Mr. Shupe said, "we plan on keeping the public in- formed as to where we are by weekly letters to the Times. Those wishing to join the club are asked to contact Mrs. Debbie Brown at 259-6704. |