Government Hunters

[Big John]

Here in certain parts of Arizona they use Government Hunters to take lions. They harvest about 50 lions per County per year. I know New Mexico has a few G. hunters. Any of you use them in other states. And what is your opinion of their use of Government Hunters?

[Buddyw]

I personaly don't like the idea.

Game animals should be controld by sport hunting. If there are excess animals that need to be harvested, then the Fish and Game should adjust regulations to compensate for that and allow sport hunters to manage the wildlife.

It's a very dangerous precident to pay someone to manage wildlife populations.

[Grzyadms4x4]

I believe there is a purpose for government hunters. If there is a problem animal that needs to be taken down immediatly, then I feel the use of a govt. hunter is justified. But for the management of a species, i think it is wrong. It does not make any sense to pay someone to do a job that other will gladly pay to be allowed to do! Just my $.02.

Hey Big John hows everything doin in that part of the state? Are the fires out yet?

Zach

[Big John]

Not many fires in our part but we have 2 up by Alpine and 1 west of us that they are letitng burn due to brush that needs thined out. any in your neck of the woods? John

[HoundDawg]

We have Government hunters (or trappers) here in Utah. I have a friend that is a trapper and I had a neighbor growing up that has been a Gov. hunter for over 40 years. Both of them really great guys!

Interesting line of work but they could probably make more money flipping burgers at Carl's Jr. They don't pay those guys squat. In fact, I think they pay many of them in change, don't even use bills.

My concern when it comes to them is they are under the Dept. of Agriculture instead of the Game and Fish. So they don't really answer to the Game and Fish, they answer to the cattlemen and sheep men.

It would be nice if the Game and Fish had more control over them.

[Big John]

Here in my County the the cattlemen pay for one of them and the other is payed 1/2 by the County the other half is paid by the USF&W You are right Game and fish should be the lone contractee.
John

[PRED8R]

THOSE TWO GUYS MAKE SOME MONEY BY SELLING DOGS EVERY YEAR.... YOU EVER PRICE PRICED OUT ONE OF THOSE GOLD PLATED SUCKERS!!!!

[Big John]

Yes I did! JR he want 10,000 for an old dog.

[PRED8R]

YEAH I WENT AND RODE WITH HIM TRYING A DOG ONCE WASN'T QUITE THAT MUCH BUT JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE $ @ THE TIME. I'VE GOT SOME HIGH END FINISHED LION DOGS NOW THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO SELL MY POWERSTROKE TO AFFORD!!!

[Grzyadms4x4]

[PRED8R]

[southwestwalkers]

Noooooo govt. hunters... if it comes down to a animal that needs to be taken down fast there's folks that Im sure would luv being on call to take care of business... just another opinion which don't amount to a spit in the river...lol

[msgfarleyret]

Big John you ever run into Ben Struble???? He is in his 60s now. He gets contracts to run down problem Cogars and Bears in your neck of the woods.

[BigGameHunter]

Like it was mentioned earlier, Utah has trappers. The ones I have met have been pretty good guys although sometimes I think they go overboard on bears. The biggest problem here is lack of accountability to the F&G. If the F&G wants to have a realistic picture of how many animals are harvested each year then the government trappers need to be report accurate and verifiable numbers to the F&G which they currently are not required to do.
One of our biggest problems is sheep herders killing "depredation" bears. They set a snare and keep catching bear after bear in the same spot all summer long and call each bear that they kill a "depredation" bear. When you can goto a snare spot and see a pile of bear bones there has got to be a problem. I think it has gotten better over the last several years though according to the old times around that I have talked too.
JMO as always!

[Big John]

BigGameHunter Its not the G.hunter themselfs that I'm talking about, its the idea behind it that bothers me. I guess you can call it the federal system. I just think a lot of none target lions and bear are taken as you were saying in your post. I'm not one to kill just to kill. I beleive some animals should be harvested but we need to be more selective of the animals we take to keep our sport a live. Sarge: I've never meet Mr Stuble John