When it comes to legislative bills to help sportsmen, the Wildlife Commissioners have been nonexistent for the last six legislative sessions, which amounts to 12 years. If they did anything at all, it was to rubberstamp NDOW's bills for more rules and regulations and higher fees. They also opposed good bills for sportsmen like putting two more sportsmen on the Wildlife Commission and having a fair big game tag draw.

Things have changed with new Commission appointments and HUNTER'S ALERT is pleased to report that the current Wildlife Commission and NDOW staff has submitted an excellent package for the 2003 legislative session. There are five proposed bills which are as follows:

• 1. Changing from a division to a department of wildlife.
• 2. Requiring the Wildlife Commissioners to approve NDOW's budget.
• 3. An increase in fees.
• 4. The ability to advertise in the hunting proclamation.
• 5. Placing NDOW's printing out for bids.

Let's review these proposals.

1. The 1993 legislative session consolidated NDOW with nine other state agencies to form the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. This was a big blunder by former Governor Bob Miller. It has proven to be disastrous for sportsmen who lost their department. It resulted in ten state agencies with one boss. There is not a person in the world who has the knowledge to manage Conservation Districts, Environmental Protection, Forestry, Natural Heritage Program, Nuclear Projects, State Lands, State Parks, Water Planning, Water Resources and Wildlife. To make matters worse, the Division of Wildlife is headquartered in Reno and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is located in Carson City which means that if NDOW had a boss, he was thirty miles away! Time has proven the current system is not working.

Sportsmen will now have, through this proposed legislation, a chance to get their department back.

2. Sportsmen fund 95% of NDOW's $21 million budget. No one has accountability over the budget and NDOW is constantly in debt for this reason. Businesses have inside auditors, outside auditors and surprise auditors. NDOW has none of these. This proposal is nothing more than good business sense.

3. For the most part, no one likes fee increases. Sportsmen accept them if they are for new or expanded game projects. It is past years of ND W mismanagement and no one authorizing budget approval makes this agency continually in debt and begging for money. HUNTER'S ALERT believes that any increases in fees should be tied to the proposed accountability bill. Just giving NDOW money time and time again with no accountability just doesn't make any sense. The cost of living in all areas has risen while fees have remained the same for years. A fees increase legislation is needed to keep existing programs viable. HUNTER'S ALERT supports this proposal only if it is tied to accountability.

4. This idea was suggested to NDOW many years ago but as usual, it fell on deaf ears. Here is a way to raise some additional revenues without impacting and using sportsmen's dollars. HUNTER'S ALERT believed that it may have involved a little work on NDOW's part so NDOW was not supportive in the past. Now with some different Wildlife Commissioners, this legislation is being proposed and is supported as always by HUNTER'S ALERT.

5. The private sector can do it cheaper and the Big Game Tag Draw proved this. Enough said about that!

All of these proposed bills need to be put into law. But above all, HUNTER'S ALERT wants to reiterate that sportsmen do not need any fee increases

without accountability! In order for these bills to be put into law, your elected officials need to know that you want them passed. When they arc assigned a bill number, HUNTER'S ALERT will inform you on how to contact your senator or assemblyperson. We need their help to straighten out this long overdue mess. The sportsman's voice will be heard through unity and your efforts in supporting each of these legislative proposals so they may become law.