I have never felt unwelcome in Wyoming by anyone whenever I have been there. Especially @BuzzH ! I didn't know him from Adam and he didn't know me at the same rate. The first time we spoke was in person in the field, not here or anywhere else online. Yet he was extremely pleasant, interesting, informative and last but certainly not least courteous. If there was a time for a resident to be curt, dismissive and uncourteous toward a non resident it was then. There wasn't anybody around for miles. No, it was absolutely the opposite. @BuzzH is NOT against non residents.
You say you don't remember a large push for "more opportunity" but you have a problem with the restrictive wilderness laws in Wyoming. There are many threads about Wyoming wilderness laws and plenty of non residents pushing for change. Yes, you did admit you dislike the means more than the actual end result. I don't understand that, but whatever makes it more palatable for you I guess. I would venture to say that the reason the Wyoming wilderness is so great and sought after is partly the exclusivity as well as the sound game management paired together which helps make the recipe so sweet. If the wilderness law was removed and the flood gates were opened, I can't imagine that not having a negative impact. The fact is people can and will be whiney ungrateful nonresidents, I see it and read it more than I should (not directing that on you). People buy houses by airports and then bitch and moan about the noise then file lawsuits. People also move into HOA's knowing all the rules and regulations yet still the fists go flying in the air shaking. I don't get it.
I'm not attacking you with this post @TheCougar. I haven't met you in person, but we've shared information and had some good communications in the last few years. I take you as a good, honest, moral individual with good character. I'd more than likely go hunt with you (if you'd have me) if the stars lined up to do so.These are just my observations and opinions. Thanx.
I didn’t mean to imply that Buzz dislikes nonresidents, so apologies if it came off that way. It just seemed like his posts were contradictory regarding NR, and I wanted to understand the genesis of his issues with apparent fatigue at defending, for lack of a better term, NRs.
When I referred to a large push for “more opportunity”, I was specifically talking about an increase in tags, since that is what Buzz seemed to be talking about in a couple of his previous posts. I know it is nonsensical to feel the way I do about the Wilderness rule - I just hate when public land is treated like private land, but I have no issue with never being able to draw the tag. I know the end result is the same, but I just want public lands treated as such for hunting. But it’s an opinion, which I’m entitled to, no matter how dumb it is!
No worries, I don’t feel attacked. I’m truly grateful to be able to hunt in Wyoming, but I absolutely think we should be able to discuss ways to make it better and advocate for changes that improve the experience for both residents and no residents without engendering an aura of entitlement or sport-bitching. I’d love to hunt with you some time. Until I retire off active duty, I’m pretty much a dirty NR everywhere, so finding good hunting grounds and partners takes some effort... have bow, will travel!