Show fa beld stream by vernon W shields here is an interesting little doc ament I 1 received la in the mail the other day watch this column for kreply a reply next week TO THOSE interested IN WORKING FOR AND SUP PORTING BETTER PROPERTY protection RANGE management P AND BIG GAME CONTROL we are malling you a copy of a report taken from the files of the butah cattle and horse growers lutah I 1 As association annual convention held february 26 and 27 1948 1 for cor your consideration information and action at all times in the past the land lane owner has allowed big game to graze their private lands only by sufferance during the past many years and especially 1947 the press and num erous individuals and organizations we believe have been unfair to the landowner in most of their ar tides and statements regarding range management we here present for your consideration one phase of this problem and their recommended solution any help that in your judgment you can give as an individual or organization for better public relations and laws regarding big game land management and property protection is greatly needed at this time we realize that probably every man on this committee would dis agree with some parts of these res solutions and also no doubt many proposed resolutions were rejected we believe their anal final draft above shows a practical knowledge of the conditions and one of the best solutions to this phase of range management property protections and big game control of any organization has to date put forth we are giving them our favor able support independent land owners J E L carey sixth ave salt lake city utah REPORT OF BIG GAME COMMITTEE DIVISION UTAH HORSE AND CATTLE GROWERS 1948 experts in the field of range management in the state of utah have convinced us that big game management in the state must be improved during the period of 1921 to 1944 the number of cattle grazed on th the national forests of utah was re deuced sheep were reduced during the same period the deer population according to the fish and game commission believe it or not increased as follows deer elk 3 according to these figures which are the best available the stockmen of this state have surrendered animals unit months or percent of their forage resources while big game has during the same period absorbed animal unit months increasing their numbers 10 1062 62 percent As landowners we do not advocate the destruction of big game neither do we want big game to destroy us we therefore deem it imperative that big game manage ment of the state bi be drastically improved we deplore the actions of certain groups and individuals who to date have succeeded in nullifying and defeating all ef forts to improve big game management in the past ten years we recognize the fact that the forests contribute much of the forage consumed by game in this state but we also contend that deer and elk and those that pur sue this game are a distinct men ace to private land owners and we ask that more consideration be g given ven to the requests of the taxpayers in determining the proper balance between big game and arid available forage we favor the simplification of the present posting law in order that landowners can more readily control and regulate regula I 1 e hunting on their private lands W we e f favor avor more severe penalties for t tress passing upon private property by careless and hoodlum hunters the failure and refusal of most peace officers to cooperate in en forcing game laws and the game wardens and forest officials to co operate in enforcing the civil laws has caused losses ot of millions of 0 dollars in stolen domestic stock during the hunting and fishing season as well as millions of dol lars damage to landowners in des truc tion of property by hoodlum hunters we favor laws and regu lations to improve this condition 1 we w e favor the extension of the hunting hu season in the state of utah to thirty days instead of ten we urge the changing of the regula eions to permit each person burch asing a big game license icente to kill two deer one with horns and one without anywhere in the state that hunting Is allowed provided that athe the utah fish and game director may where deer are liable to be come extinct declare on areas not to elc exceed eed 50 acres no two ad joining that only bucks may be killed where drawings are held to determine te amine who will w ill hunt to kill certain numbers of big game we urge the law to be changed so that all who have bought big game licenses up to 30 days before such a hunt have the number of their big game licenses put in the drawing device by the fish and game commission that the same number of principals and alternates be drawn in pairs that the principal be given the first half of the season to bring in his kill and if not successful his or her alternate be given the last half of the season to make the kill we urge that the game be checked mostly in the hunting camps so hunters may skin cutup cut up and sack their meat and saving millions of pounds from spoiling we urge that no hunting be al 0 lowed within one halt half mile of a paved highway that no one except a peace officer be allowed to have in his possession a loaded gun on any public road that can be used from an automobile we recommend that where a land owner or user finds that big game are doing damage to his private property he may complain to the nearest peace officer and one man chosen by the owner or user one by the local sportsmen sports mens s organization and a third chosen by these two will appraise the dam age and said damage so appeals ed shall be paid from the state general fund these appraisers shall be paid for their time at the rate prescribed by local law for similar work or a specific amount set by law either party if dissatisfied may appeal to the local court we deplore the commercial ing of deer by special licenses and urge that the practice be discontinued |