Wild Olympics

[bigtex]

The whole 'Wild Olympics' idea has come along ways. At first it was a simple expansion of Olympic National Park, a lot of the locals were mad for numerous issues including loss of hunting areas. Then the next idea was that instead of having those lands added to the National Park they would be designated a 'National Preserve' which are National Park Service areas that allow hunting (I was in favor of this idea). So Olympic National Park would become 'Olympic National Park & Preserve'. And now we have existing USFS lands turned into a USFS Wilderness areas and the rivers turning into wild & scenic.

[Elkaholic daWg]

Be it hunters, snowmobilers, loggers, ORV'rs, miners.............People CONTROL is all they want.

[blackdog]

I still oppose this but we have dodged a bullet when the Park jurisdiction was removed. Those USPS rangers that I have met are bullies.

[ouchfoss]

Wild Olympics is a bad idea all the way around. They seem to think that this is something NEEDED when in fact there is nothing wrong with the proposed land in the first place.
I just read something the other day that talked about how horribly in debt the NPS is and the fact that they cant afford to keep certain places, trails and other things open so more than likely they will be permanently closed. 
I am %100 opposed.

[snowpack]

There was an article in the newspaper the other day saying that nature conservancy was trying to buy more land in the Queets and Clearwater area.  They have Paul Allen offering to match funds with them for purchases. 
I've heard they want to buy the land so they can sell it to the park as a 'willing seller'.  Then they can increase the size of the Queets corridor and start making a park corridor on the Clearwater too.
I don't know how much it matches with the new bill, but the old proposal had something to do with authorizing the park to buy up the willing seller lands. 

[Sitka_Blacktail]

I don't see more public land as a bad thing, as long as it isn't locked up in a park. Most private timberland in Grays Harbor County that  I grew up hunting has been turned into pay to hunt land. So more public land to hunt is a good thing in my eyes. It's one of the things I appreciate when I hunt the NE corner of the State, the national Forests over there. In fact the lock up of private land on the west side is the major reason I started hunting the NE corner three years ago. I know several others who have done the same thing.

Most who have weighed in so far on this thread are against Wild Olympics, but there are many sportsmen who are for it. Here is one group who is.

http://www.sportsmenforwildolympics.org/

[bigtex]

Wild Olympics is a bad idea all the way around. They seem to think that this is something NEEDED when in fact there is nothing wrong with the proposed land in the first place.
I just read something the other day that talked about how horribly in debt the NPS is and the fact that they cant afford to keep certain places, trails and other things open so more than likely they will be permanently closed. 
I am %100 opposed.

If this bill passes the land involved (for wilderness areas at least) is USFS land, not NPS land.

[bigtex]

I'd rather see land managed by the National Park Service as a National Preserve which is open to hunting (as once was proposed) then some private land that nobody can access or hunt on 

[Knocker of rocks]

There was an article in the newspaper the other day saying that nature conservancy was trying to buy more land in the Queets and Clearwater area.  They have Paul Allen offering to match funds with them for purchases. 
I've heard they want to buy the land so they can sell it to the park as a 'willing seller'.  Then they can increase the size of the Queets corridor and start making a park corridor on the Clearwater too.
I don't know how much it matches with the new bill, but the old proposal had something to do with authorizing the park to buy up the willing seller lands.

The land in question in the bill is all USFS lands, which no one is suggesting be sold to the Nature Conservatory, much less USFS->NC->NPS

[blackdog]

All the major rivers on the Olympic Peninsula would be designated W&S on the publically owned lands USPS and USFS. Another 125k of USFS would be declared wilderness. We gain no new access and restoring access to the Sams River bridge to nowhere would not happen. I believe we would never restore access to the Dosewallops if this legislation passes. This has no effect on restoring private land access.

[Knocker of rocks]

All the major rivers on the Olympic Peninsula would be designated W&S on the publically owned lands USPS

You sure about that?

[blackdog]

It is my understanding that Senator Murray does not allow pro-hunting or pro-gun advocates to even meet with her. You can make her hero if you want. 

[blackdog]

Sitka_Blacktail all of this land is currently available for hunting and fishing. This is nothing more than legacy building.

[blackdog]

United States Park Service silly!
 

[Knocker of rocks]

I don't see more public land as a bad thing, as long as it isn't locked up in a park. Most private timberland in Grays Harbor County that  I grew up hunting has been turned into pay to hunt land. So more public land to hunt is a good thing in my eyes. It's one of the things I appreciate when I hunt the NE corner of the State, the national Forests over there. In fact the lock up of private land on the west side is the major reason I started hunting the NE corner three years ago. I know several others who have done the same thing.

Most who have weighed in so far on this thread are against Wild Olympics, but there are many sportsmen who are for it. Here is one group who is.

http://www.sportsmenforwildolympics.org/

I don't think there is much in the way of purchases involved in this present bill, mostly it is an designation change of Federally held land,
(by the Post Office according to Black Dog)