Post by Ron on Jan 8, 2013 21:19:54 GMT -6
Last year at the spring hearings, I (Acting on my own behalf) wrote a resolution to remove the mandate that backtags be worn. Then I found 6 other folks living in other counties and last April the question was asked in 7 different counties and wouldn’t you know it, it passed handily in every single county.
Being that author of that resolution I was invited to the first committee meeting where this improvement would be discussed and possibly advanced. Myself and another bowhunter attended that meeting and advocated for the removal of the backtag mandate. The committee actually advanced the improvement onto the executive council (in the past the study committee had always found a reason to reject it and even this time one of them objected to the idea.)
With that success, the improvement was advanced to the executive council which met over the weekend. I spoke on the phone with my county rep (who also happens to be on the executive council) and he informed me that the question was advanced to this springs, spring hearings so I have made great strides thus far in getting rid of backtags as a private citizen, regular Joe attending the spring hearings.
Once this passes state wide at the spring hearings (and it will), myself and others will reach out to legislators to craft legislation removing the backtag mandate armed with the data from the spring hearings and the testimony and backing of all manner of hunters.
It should be noted that the current contract with the supplier of WI backtags is nearly expired so before a new 4 year contract is penned, (in 2014) it will be good to have made this improvement because once a new contract is signed, it would be harder to change (but not impossible) This will save the state some money on the upcoming contract and hunters the hassle of wearing a license plate while hunting and then there will be only 3 states left in the US of A that still make hunters wear the stupid things.
If you support the idea, make sure to attend the spring hearing in your county and vote in favor of the question. As I stated in the WBH magazine, I did this as a private citizen and not representing anybody but myself as did the other 6 guys in their counties. I would susspect that by this fall there will be legislation being acted upon to remove the requirement as a mandate. The state may still offer them to anyone that wishes to wear one (this way everybody will be happy, those that want to wear them and those that dont want to)
Being that author of that resolution I was invited to the first committee meeting where this improvement would be discussed and possibly advanced. Myself and another bowhunter attended that meeting and advocated for the removal of the backtag mandate. The committee actually advanced the improvement onto the executive council (in the past the study committee had always found a reason to reject it and even this time one of them objected to the idea.)
With that success, the improvement was advanced to the executive council which met over the weekend. I spoke on the phone with my county rep (who also happens to be on the executive council) and he informed me that the question was advanced to this springs, spring hearings so I have made great strides thus far in getting rid of backtags as a private citizen, regular Joe attending the spring hearings.
Once this passes state wide at the spring hearings (and it will), myself and others will reach out to legislators to craft legislation removing the backtag mandate armed with the data from the spring hearings and the testimony and backing of all manner of hunters.
It should be noted that the current contract with the supplier of WI backtags is nearly expired so before a new 4 year contract is penned, (in 2014) it will be good to have made this improvement because once a new contract is signed, it would be harder to change (but not impossible) This will save the state some money on the upcoming contract and hunters the hassle of wearing a license plate while hunting and then there will be only 3 states left in the US of A that still make hunters wear the stupid things.
If you support the idea, make sure to attend the spring hearing in your county and vote in favor of the question. As I stated in the WBH magazine, I did this as a private citizen and not representing anybody but myself as did the other 6 guys in their counties. I would susspect that by this fall there will be legislation being acted upon to remove the requirement as a mandate. The state may still offer them to anyone that wishes to wear one (this way everybody will be happy, those that want to wear them and those that dont want to)