Hunters need to make a Statement

[Tbar]

The antagonists to the hunting community have been busy for years driving the wedge of division amongst us and quite successfully I'll add.  Mentioning that, they are much farther along in their campaign to "conquer" us than I believe many of us realize.

This fight will require new younger fresh blood to pick up the pieces and march forward before its altogether too late.   

I would disagree that the antagonist have been at it longer.  HHC has been in the fight and winning most fights for quite a while. I do believe they could do a far better job telling their story through  modern channels like social media. There is no discounting the work they've done in the past. Washington would be far worse off in without HHC when it comes to hunting.  I do agree some fresh blood may help as long as they can get beyond the echo chambers.  The other obstacles are divided hunt vs fish folks. Some of the recs have partnered with preservationist groups to further their agenda.  Time will tell the consequences of these actions but I don't feel good about the overall benefits to consumtive users as a whole.

[Ridgeratt]

The foxes have been in the hen house long enough, we need to get rid of the foxes.😉

Correct    One of the first things needed to be done is to purge the Biologist with ties to conservation groups from the agencies that are supposed to work/represent the sportsman.

I have maintained that what better way to promote the conservation agenda is from the inside.

Could this be like the current game commission.   

[Hunter4Life]

You laid out very well why I didn't vote Inslee or any dems save one in a local race

So KF, guess I'm looking at like this.  If your house caught fire, would you ask the firemen how they voted before you'd let them put it out?  As hunters, our house is starting to burn.  Let's work to put it out and we can argue who's to blame and how it started later.  Personally I'm more than happy to address a dialog that involves cross party voting or really any other ideas that might help. I just feel, so to speak, that we're standing in the driveway calling each other names while the fire rages on.

Your logic train has no tracks, but I'll go with it.. I vote for "firefighters" 

You vote for arsonists when it comes to wildlife, individual rights and quality of life. 
Hell, the dems even use BLM and Antifa to burn crap down so maybe there is something to this logic train after all.

"Let's work to put it out and we can argue who's to blame and how it started later"
 

Who's to blame, and how it started is the first step to fixing it!  Votes gotta change enough that we can get "firefighters" in and that's all there is to it. 

OK we can start wherever you'd like, point is we need to start some sort of dialog. IF we could get just 10% of the licensed hunters to band together we'd have a voting block of 17,000 votes.  Get them to pop in just $20.00 each and you have a $340,000 war chest to pass around. Plug in 20% of the licensed hunters and you have a fairly formidable voting block and a tempting war chest. We may only have 2-3% of the population, but banded together we could put together a PAC that would get the attention of lots of candidates.   We just need to quit the squabbling,  whining and crying and start putting something together.  If I were 20 years younger I'd sure as hack pursue it, but now certainly ld support and encourage others I know to support. Heck, I'll be right there supporting you if you want to start gluing it together.

I’m sure alot of us would donate more than $20 if a pac got started.

@Special T

Hunter's Heritage Council (HHC) is an existing pro-hunting PAC in WA, and they can take donations:

http://huntersheritagecouncil.org/index.html

They are the only pro-hunting PAC in WA I am aware of.

with all do respect, they don't seem to be winning many battles. Maybe we're just not seeing them, but name recognition isn't very strong in the general hunting community either. I'll do a little more research and certainly won't discount their efforts until I have. I just think it's time to try a new, perhaps more aggressive tact than what I've been seeing

I would like to respond to this directly.  Not winning many many battles?  In our 25 years of existence we have killed every piece of anti-hunting legislation, a perfect track record.  I will match that against any lobby group in Olympia.  Especially this session where a slew of anti-hunting hunting legislation was introduced, the volume of anti-hunting bills surpassed the anti-gun legislation.  We killed it all.  Some really crazy bills.  It is the RESPECT the Hunters Heritage Council earned with the legislature.  When it comes to hunting legislation, legislators turn to us for answers.

As for an electioneering organization our endorsement is highly sought after.  It is something both incumbents and challengers seek.  We work closely with the caucuses, because they want OUR support.  They consider US the voice of the hunting community.  As for our PAC, and our endorsements, 86% of our endorsed candidates win.  We look only at who represent the best interests of the hunting community, nothing else.  That is the only factors we consider, no ideology is taken into account.   Our endorsement has been sought after anywhere from statewide races to to local elections.  Our PAC truly deserves to be supported.

[Humptulips]

You laid out very well why I didn't vote Inslee or any dems save one in a local race

So KF, guess I'm looking at like this.  If your house caught fire, would you ask the firemen how they voted before you'd let them put it out?  As hunters, our house is starting to burn.  Let's work to put it out and we can argue who's to blame and how it started later.  Personally I'm more than happy to address a dialog that involves cross party voting or really any other ideas that might help. I just feel, so to speak, that we're standing in the driveway calling each other names while the fire rages on.

Your logic train has no tracks, but I'll go with it.. I vote for "firefighters" 

You vote for arsonists when it comes to wildlife, individual rights and quality of life. 
Hell, the dems even use BLM and Antifa to burn crap down so maybe there is something to this logic train after all.

"Let's work to put it out and we can argue who's to blame and how it started later"
 

Who's to blame, and how it started is the first step to fixing it!  Votes gotta change enough that we can get "firefighters" in and that's all there is to it. 

OK we can start wherever you'd like, point is we need to start some sort of dialog. IF we could get just 10% of the licensed hunters to band together we'd have a voting block of 17,000 votes.  Get them to pop in just $20.00 each and you have a $340,000 war chest to pass around. Plug in 20% of the licensed hunters and you have a fairly formidable voting block and a tempting war chest. We may only have 2-3% of the population, but banded together we could put together a PAC that would get the attention of lots of candidates.   We just need to quit the squabbling,  whining and crying and start putting something together.  If I were 20 years younger I'd sure as hack pursue it, but now certainly ld support and encourage others I know to support. Heck, I'll be right there supporting you if you want to start gluing it together.

I’m sure alot of us would donate more than $20 if a pac got started.

@Special T

Hunter's Heritage Council (HHC) is an existing pro-hunting PAC in WA, and they can take donations:

http://huntersheritagecouncil.org/index.html

They are the only pro-hunting PAC in WA I am aware of.

with all do respect, they don't seem to be winning many battles. Maybe we're just not seeing them, but name recognition isn't very strong in the general hunting community either. I'll do a little more research and certainly won't discount their efforts until I have. I just think it's time to try a new, perhaps more aggressive tact than what I've been seeing

I would like to respond to this directly.  Not winning many many battles?  In our 25 years of existence we have killed every piece of anti-hunting legislation, a perfect track record.  I will match that against any lobby group in Olympia.  Especially this session where a slew of anti-hunting hunting legislation was introduced, the volume of anti-hunting bills surpassed the anti-gun legislation.  We killed it all.  Some really crazy bills.  It is the RESPECT the Hunters Heritage Council earned with the legislature.  When it comes to hunting legislation, legislators turn to us for answers.

As for an electioneering organization our endorsement is highly sought after.  It is something both incumbents and challengers seek.  We work closely with the caucuses, because they want OUR support.  They consider US the voice of the hunting community.  As for our PAC, and our endorsements, 86% of our endorsed candidates win.  We look only at who represent the best interests of the hunting community, nothing else.  That is the only factors we consider, no ideology is taken into account.   Our endorsement has been sought after anywhere from statewide races to to local elections.  Our PAC truly deserves to be supported.

More resource=more success.

[Moose Master]

Thank you for the information.  I would be interested in where and when you meet.  Also if that not possible you can PM would be fine.  Sounds like the organization is doing some good work.

[Bob33]

@Hunter4Life what is the best way to support HHC?

[buckfvr]

The antagonists to the hunting community have been busy for years driving the wedge of division amongst us and quite successfully I'll add.  Mentioning that, they are much farther along in their campaign to "conquer" us than I believe many of us realize.

This fight will require new younger fresh blood to pick up the pieces and march forward before its altogether too late.   

I would disagree that the antagonist have been at it longer.  HHC has been in the fight and winning most fights for quite a while. I do believe they could do a far better job telling their story through  modern channels like social media. There is no discounting the work they've done in the past. Washington would be far worse off in without HHC when it comes to hunting.  I do agree some fresh blood may help as long as they can get beyond the echo chambers.  The other obstacles are divided hunt vs fish folks. Some of the recs have partnered with preservationist groups to further their agenda.  Time will tell the consequences of these actions but I don't feel good about the overall benefits to consumtive users as a whole.

Not sure who youd be disagreeing with as I didnt say "have been at it longer".   I think we are looking at two different approaches here as HHC effort is exemplary for sure but where/how does it trickle down to the fights at ground zero, ie. with the commissioners, biologists, and wdfw in general ?  We do not seem to be able to hold the commissioners or any part of wdfw accountable to their very own mission statement.  They follow through with their preconceived ideals and agendas using the general hunting public as merely tools to satisfy protocols.

We have been screaming for changes in northeast Washington for several years and continue to get the same bs lines of misinformation and out right dismissal (blow off) from top to bottom.  Ground zero needs more attention from eager fighters.

Thank you HHC for the very important fight at the top.

[Hunter4Life]

@Hunter4Life what is the best way to support HHC?

The best way to support us right now with the sessions being over is to support the Hunters Heritage Council PAC
Contributions can be sent to
HHC PAC
c/o Mark Pidgeon
PO Box 40182
Bellevue, WA 98015-4182

Please make contributions payable to HHC PAC
Public Disclosure Commission rules REQUIRE that we obtain the following information:
Your name
Your complete mailing address including city, state, and zip code
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Failure to obtain the above information will require us to turn contributions over to the state general fund under WAC provisions by the PDC.  They are THAt strict.  If you are retires that suffices.

[Hunter4Life]

The antagonists to the hunting community have been busy for years driving the wedge of division amongst us and quite successfully I'll add.  Mentioning that, they are much farther along in their campaign to "conquer" us than I believe many of us realize.

This fight will require new younger fresh blood to pick up the pieces and march forward before its altogether too late.   

I would disagree that the antagonist have been at it longer.  HHC has been in the fight and winning most fights for quite a while. I do believe they could do a far better job telling their story through  modern channels like social media. There is no discounting the work they've done in the past. Washington would be far worse off in without HHC when it comes to hunting.  I do agree some fresh blood may help as long as they can get beyond the echo chambers.  The other obstacles are divided hunt vs fish folks. Some of the recs have partnered with preservationist groups to further their agenda.  Time will tell the consequences of these actions but I don't feel good about the overall benefits to consumtive users as a whole.

Not sure who youd be disagreeing with as I didnt say "have been at it longer".   I think we are looking at two different approaches here as HHC effort is exemplary for sure but where/how does it trickle down to the fights at ground zero, ie. with the commissioners, biologists, and wdfw in general ?  We do not seem to be able to hold the commissioners or any part of wdfw accountable to their very own mission statement.  They follow through with their preconceived ideals and agendas using the general hunting public as merely tools to satisfy protocols.

We have been screaming for changes in northeast Washington for several years and continue to get the same bs lines of misinformation and out right dismissal (blow off) from top to bottom.  Ground zero needs more attention from eager fighters.

Thank you HHC for the very important fight at the top.

You are right in what you say.  HHC is a political organization, we are the only hunting-rights organization with a full-time lobbyist in Olympia, we fight in the legislative halls.  There Commission is a whole different baileywick.  Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation is our sister organization and it is the grassroots, outreach, and advocacy organization.  Believe it or not, the hunters slaughtered the animal-rights people in getting messages to the Commission.  That was in story after story in Northwest Sportsman.  Even ultra anti-hunting Commission Barbara Baker admitted that meeting after meeting.  Normally we get our butts kicked.  WWC used a new tool inconject with Howl for Wildlife to get thousands of messages to the Commission.  We had more people testify too.  The hunting community is just plained pissed off, but the numbers now just aren't there.  The Governor illegally stacked the Commission against us in violation of RCW 77.04.040.  One thing Tbar is right about, HHC is horrible about is getting its message out on what has accomplished, on what it is, and what it does.  He is spot on.

[87Ford]

The Governor illegally stacked the Commission against us in violation of RCW 77.04.040. 

This right here makes me angry..

Thank you Hunter4Life for the information regarding HHC

[Special T]

Kfhunter and others. Politics is a dirty business and most Sportsmen have a very precise requirement for giving time and money. Why? Because we are individualists, our political enemies are collectivist and give more freely of time and money with less strings attached. Fact is Sportsmen are not unlike Republicans and require a purity test.

Imo opinion the best example is Brian Blake.  I am not a Democrat yet supported his campaign. Many on here have botched and moaned about pick a thing. I did not agree with him on a variety of issues but he was an NRA a+ rated politician and supported Sportsmen well.  Fact every other option we have now is sub par. HHC supported him in many ways. We are properly F e D now with out him.  We have less political powers and yet we infighting amongst  ourselves over if he would be a good comission member. Guess what? If we are too excited forward Sportsmen are going to have to swallow a pill bigger than Blake.

Join me in giving $ to HHC even if it's only $20.  It will require more work than the 20 you give, but we have to organize for the fight. I hope to hear more from our friends at HHC and WWC because our political enemies are organized for the kill shot.

I have had many discussion with Archers at my home range about habitat, what orgs to join and the like. IMO the fight on or door step is political.  Predator control and single species management are the 2 big factors. Add to the the F ery that commission appointments have taken place and we are the under dog.

In terms of HHC they have been the tree falling in the woods with no one around as far as the public is concerned. I have asked my state reps and senator if they know who HHC is and they do.

I canntell you from my time at my local archery club self promotion is the last thing on most people list of things that must be done. At my club we don't just give access to the clubhouse, or the Facebook page to the first person that shows up. You have to earn trust and give back.  TIME is the most valuable commodity, and the next best substitute is cash. Join me in giving something to HHC. 

http://huntersheritagecouncil.org/index.html

[Moose Master]

Why look here, some of us can set things aside and work for a common good.  Special T, Hunter4life, Tbar, and all the rest I will be sending a check for 40.00 dollars to HHC.

Thanks for the information 👍

[baldopepper]

Why look here, some of us can set things aside and work for a common good.  Special T, Hunter4life, Tbar, and all the rest I will be sending a check for 40.00 dollars to HHC.

Thanks for the information 👍

Well. How do we pump them up? Had a license in this state  since 1980 and have never been approached for membership or donation to them.. Obviusly they haven't gotten the word out to enough of us. Would like a little more info , like how many members, how much and to whom have they contributed to. Etc.  Do they put out a newsletter or mailings and if so how do you get on the list? Sounds like a good organization that has done a lousy recruitment effort. Perhaps that's an area know-how members on here can help with. Must be a way of getting there name and goals out to more licensed hunters and sportsmen.

[Mtnwalker]

Why look here, some of us can set things aside and work for a common good.  Special T, Hunter4life, Tbar, and all the rest I will be sending a check for 40.00 dollars to HHC.

Thanks for the information 👍

Well. How do we pump them up? Had a license in this state  since 1980 and have never been approached for membership or donation to them.. Obviusly they haven't gotten the word out to enough of us. Would like a little more info , like how many members, how much and to whom have they contributed to. Etc.  Do they put out a newsletter or mailings and if so how do you get on the list? Sounds like a good organization that has done a lousy recruitment effort. Perhaps that's an area know-how members on here can help with. Must be a way of getting there name and goals out to more licensed hunters and sportsmen.

This question has come up a few times since the spring bear debacle began as many of us were searching for worthwhile organizations to send our hard earned money to. It’s time for HHC, WWC and others to step out of the shadows and make their name known. I’ve also never heard of them until recently and I was actively searching the internet for Washington based pro-hunting orgs. They need to take a page out of BHA’s book and market themselves a little bit, stop assuming everybody already knows about them.  I’d bet the money would be pouring in at this point if people knew who they were and what they were about   

[WWC]

Organizations need to be careful when they make public statements. Not only do we need to be worried obout legal statements but WWC represents a coalition of Sportsmen groups an cannot make statements that pit one against each other.

Fact is a couple of members have been more vocal in promoting both WWC and HHC. The past is just that. We are volunteers so we take the hours given to us that are proven to promote Sportsmen.

What can you do? If you belong to a shooting club or Sportsmen organization lobby them to join WWC. We help each other become better advocates. If your not a member join a shooting or Sportsmen group and tell them you are willing to represent your organization as a part of WWC.  We have had several new organizations join, and some past ones rejoin as a result of us being more engaged online.

We had several folks at the Big Horn Show in Spokane sign up because they saw us post here or on Facebook. We are pleased to add these folks to the list of people that want direct representation and advocacy for sportmen. One of the problems this organization and HHC has had is playing its cards very close to the vest. We recognize that when a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to witness it, it happens in a vacuum.

WWC and HHC  were founded after the loss of hound hunting and Bait.  Both have represented sportmen in the shadows quite effectively for some time.  It is not a coincidence that Washington Wildlife First (WWF)  has formed to combat our effectiveness. WWF.. advertising patent infringement anyone?


WWC and HHC are the un sexy work horses that have been doing the heavy lifting.  Think of us as the old Truck or Tractor  that has been toiling in the background for years.  We are now in the shop for a new coat of paint a wax and a tour on the show room for our second go around.  We want friends inall kind of places. If you want to join as an individual to get our legislative and note  updates, or want to steer your organizational hinting rep to our team visit us here.
https://w4wc.org/membership.html

If you wish to contribute to the HHC political PAC then sign a check and fill out the form here.

http://huntersheritagecouncil.org/hhc-pac.html

Several members on here are involved with HHC or WWC to a varying degree. The Washington State Trappers association, SCI, Washington Waterfowl Asociation, Tacoma Sportsmen  and others are active members.