So your saying it should just be ok since the "other" guy is doing it anyway,?Picking up arrowheads on BLM land is also illegal and many people will not think twice about putting them in their pocket.
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
So your saying it should just be ok since the "other" guy is doing it anyway,?Picking up arrowheads on BLM land is also illegal and many people will not think twice about putting them in their pocket.
Ahh but they are not excluding anyone from enjoying the lands are they? You can still walk and enjoy it can’t you? They are just saying no one can pick up an antler therefore they are excluding no one, is there an exception for bird watchers and hikers to pick up antlers? Again they are not saying you or anyone can’t be there, they are just saying no one can pick up shed antlers so they actually did what you are wanting.
Where did they actually close access to the federal land?
It all leads to the same place:
Either close areas to all human activity, or allow people to recreate.
Couple comments, the bolded part first.
You seem more than eager to make shed hunting illegal to everyone because of the actions of a few, that cause you the same discomfort? You seem to have no problem with passing legislation/regulation to punish the many for the actions of the few in the case of shed hunting. That's curious.
".
So whats causing the issue with wintering deer? Human presence or the physical act of picking up a shed antler? Because what you just said, is that you can still walk right through a wintering deer herd to fish, photograph, bird watch, ski, hike, take your dog for a walk...
How is leaving an antler laying on the ground causing less stress to deer? Or, how is picking up an antler stressing a deer?
Because that's the only difference between a shed hunter and what any other recreationist is allowed to do...physically bending over and picking up an antler.
It all leads to the same place:
Either close areas to all human activity, or allow people to recreate.
When I shed hunt I spend a lot of time watching the animals. It does me no good to push them out of the draw or off the ridge they want to live on. I have waited hours, even days for elk or deer to move off so I could slip in and snag a shed. If you're wanting to collect antlers it does no good to chase off all the antlers. That being said, I have had other shed hunters walk up the ridge I was watching, grab the shed and blow the elk.
There is a real problem in the wintering areas I watch and it's not shed hunters. It's wolves
Why is it always one extreme or the other? Either allow anything and everything or allow nothing at all!
all I see is people up set that their self interest is now not getting to be fulfill as easily.
The true problem is it's money driven and a few people were going as soon as a single antler fell to pick it up and then check the area again later. Soon the majority said they weren't finding enough because the other guys went earlier so they stated going earlier. The cycle just kept pushing earlier and earlier. Same argument used here someone else will break the law and pick them up early anyway.
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
What causes the issue is people lose their minds and invade the areas in a rush to find bone. If it was illegal to pick up antlers, how many people that don’t actively shed hunt do you in your heart feel actually pressure and stress wildlife? Maybe your right and no one should be allowed in the woods ever just because shed hunters have a few guidelines now to abide by and ethics to follow, only you can decide if they align with your morals. Heck why not start poaching, you can’t shoot an animal without following guidelines and rules either, why let anyone in the woods other then during a valid hunting season? Shed antler hunters have to get off the beaten path or they will not find much. I personally have never ran into anyone but hunters off main trails unless it’s the dead of summer and even then it isn’t common.
To me it’s silly to say no one should be out there since we can’t pickup antlers anytime we want, if people actually respected wildlife and not their self interests then this wouldn’t even be a topic of discussion, finding antlers in itself is in an individuals self interests and not for the greater good of the public or wildlife the lands are set aside for. Collecting antlers is not improving habitat, removing trash or bettering the health of wildlife. Sorry but what other recreational activities are the people going into the woods and coming out with full packs of items they collected from the woods that are legal? Hunters have to have permits for specific species and timelines, fisherman the same.
I guess I don’t see a rational reason how this is discriminatory and why it is negative, all I see is people up set that their self interest is now not getting to be fulfill as easily. Where is the rational argument for why shed hunting is good and beneficial to wildlife and our public lands?
Again, they are not saying anyone can’t recreate, pretty sure you can’t cut down healthy trees either, maybe the firewood cutters have a better argument then shed hunters as to why our public lands should be close to everyone year round. It’s just humorous to see the argument to either shut it down to everyone or let me do what I want.