Author Topic: Boycott U.S. Outfitters, or kiss your hunting goodbye  (Read 488 times)

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Offline Robert

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Boycott U.S. Outfitters, or kiss your hunting goodbye
« on: August 01, 2004, 11:05:32 AM »
U.S. Outfitters has sued the state of Arizona in federal court because Arizona has restricted nonresident tags for big game in all elk areas of the state, and the Kaibab Forest to ten percent of the total tags. There were no restriction for nonresidents in the rest of the state.
Arizona won the case in federal court in Phoenix, but U.S. Outfitters then appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. There, the judge overturned the lower courts decision and returned it to to lower court which ruled in favor of U.S. Outfitters. It is now law, that nonresidents may apply equally for all Arizona big game tags in competition with residents.
What this means for Arizona residents is we now will find it almost impossible to hunt in our own state where we pay taxes.
Two years ago, all tags were reduced for most hunts by about 20 percent. This year, agin due to the drought, tags for deer and elk were reduced by almost 40 percent.
For those of you who feel this is an Arizona problem, guess again. U.S Outfitters is now sueing Nevada and Montana under the same violation of the Constitution's commerce clause.
Kiss your hunting goodbye. The rich have finally found out how to put it to us. Who comes next after NV and MT? How about OR,WY, WA, UT, Hey, don't think because they haven't attacked you yet that they won't. Greed knows no bounds.
....make it count

Offline Thomas Krupinski

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Boycott U.S. Outfitters, or kiss your hunti
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2004, 01:42:51 PM »
The damage is already been done by USO.  This year may be the last one where non-residents will be able to economically and easily hunt hunt here in Arizona.  

Game and Fish is conducting a number of statewide hearings to get feedback and ideas on restrictions for non-resident hunters.  Many of the suggestions I have heard proposed are very severe and will make it very hard and expensive to get drawn.

Sorry it came to that, but after putting up with the summer heat here, fall big game hunts take some of the bite out of it.  Not getting drawn because some rich non-residents shut out residents who can't afford to hunt elsewhere is getting a lot of folks worked up, and it's not going to be pretty.

We will see what solution they come up with, but it is going to take a lot to ease the feelings.

Offline jgalar

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Boycott U.S. Outfitters, or kiss your hunti
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2004, 06:04:13 PM »
Excuse my ignorance about hunting in Arizona, but does this concern hunting on federal lands only, or anywhere hunting is legal in Arizona?

To my way of thinking (maybe delusional) but if it is federal land in question than it should be open to any citizen of the US and not dependant on occupancy of any particular state. Well, maybe liberals from Massachusetts should not be allowed.

Offline dukkillr

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Boycott U.S. Outfitters, or kiss your hunti
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2004, 06:37:16 PM »
can anyone hit me with a case name or a website talking about this case or anything that would be resource about this issue?  I like to read these sort of things myself.

Offline Thomas Krupinski

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Boycott U.S. Outfitters, or kiss your hunti
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2004, 07:43:19 PM »
You can find some links about the case and the issue on the Arizona Game & Fish website at:  http://www.azgfd.com/

It changes as it is a very dynamic issue here.