Petition Against Waterfowl Outfitting and Guiding In Idaho

To State of Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board and Idaho Fish and Game

PETITION AGAINST OUTFITTED AND GUIDED WATERFOWL HUNTING IN IDAHO

By providing my Digital Signature on this petition, I acknowledge that I am against all outfitted and guided hunting for waterfowl within the State of Idaho.

This petition is being requested to be signed by all Waterfowl Hunters and other sportsmen whom are or would be against outfitted and guided waterfowl (ducks, geese, and other waterfowl) within the State of Idaho on all Public and/or Private Lands within the State.

We the undersigned are not trying to take away the private land rights of people in the State of Idaho; we are just requesting that NO Outfitting and Guiding for waterfowl be allowed by the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board (IOGLB) within the State.

Some of the reason(s) why we, the sportsmen of the State of Idaho are against this activity are as follows:

1) The continual decline of waterfowl hunting opportunities is a common concern by all sportsmen in Idaho on both public and private lands;

2) Guiding will lead to fewer opportunities for the average waterfowl hunter in Idaho. Waterfowl guiding typically results in the outfitters leasing large tracts of hunting properties. Already a limited commodity;

3) The enforcement branch of both the Idaho Fish and Game and the IOGLB is already spread to thin and has limited time and finances to devote to waterfowl hunting. Additional responsibilities to try and monitor waterfowl guiding does not seem prudent;

4) In general, some of the largest and biggest impact to waterfowl hunting in Idaho is centered along the Snake River corridor. This same corridor is also the center of ever growing development and as that development continues, waterfowl hunting opportunities will continue to diminish. This does not mean that the rest of Idaho does not have similar impacts such as the Panhandle Region;

5) Those people that would benefit from Outfitting and Guiding in Idaho would economically benefit a limited few but take away the opportunity to hunt waterfowl from many;

6) With the increased Outfitting and Guiding, we foresee a much greater impact to not only the land, but also a potential impact to the waterfowl in Idaho. There is already a great debate in the Southwest part of the State over goose numbers and what has caused them to decline along the Snake River Corridor. Can the State afford to increase the pressure on geese in areas like this;

7) Currently the Access Yes program is beginning to work for the good of all hunters in Idaho, including waterfowl. We feel that Outfitting and guiding for waterfowl in the State will have an impact on Public access to Access Yes areas. Some of those places will start to dwindle, as some access points, that may be granted now through private property or easements, will start to disappear from the program as private land owners in the program begin to be paid by the highest bidder to access water fowl hunting areas thus cutting out many of the citizens of Idaho;

These are but a few of our concerns on the issue of Outfitting and Guiding for Waterfowl within the State.

We the undersigned ask the IOGLB and Idaho Fish and Game, PLEASE do not allow Outfitting and Guiding of waterfowl in the State of Idaho, but leave it for the common good of the common person to have and to enjoy. The signers of this petition also ask the IOGLB and IDF&G to put together a permanent policy against all guided waterfowl hunting in the State of Idaho.

This petition is sponsored by the Idaho Waterfowl Association.

Sincerely;