RE: organizations in indiana
By sportsman are you really just referring to anglers? Reason I ask is because there are a number of sportsman's groups representing mostly (but not all) hunting interests in the state with some political clout. DU, TU, QU, PF, Steelheaders, ISR, etc.
If you are looking for a strictly all-encompassing angling group, good luck. Just peruse these boards and you'll find you can't even get two guys who fish for the same thing to agree, let alone two representing different species (LOL). This permit topic is one example; Many are for it, many are opposed as we've read. Where would this new group stand on the issue without upsetting the other half of it's constituency? What about crappie size limits? What about tighter controls on bass harvest numbers? What about senior fishing licenses? Then there is the personality issues and the between website fighting. Who has the persuasion and power to unite this group above and beyond all that?
I don't think any politician will have to worry about the angling crowd as a whole for quite a while. That said, start looking at individual angling groups and see who is actually doing something and start joining and working with those groups. Eventually, strength and support to several smaller groups might ultimately lead to a larger group effort given enough time.
-T9
RE: organizations in indiana
When i think of sportsman, i guess i am thinking campers, fisherman, hunters, and hikers.
In regards to stances on some of the issues that are mentioned, i guess it would depend on what people would think benefits the anglers and the fisheries the most. I think this is where you would have to talk and discuss with the people and the professionals, the biologists.
Correct me if i am wrong but i believe the Division of Fish and Wildlife is mostly funded by fishing licenses sales. For every licenses sold the federal government pays a certain amount of money back to the state. I believe this comes from the "Dingle Johnson Act" which takes taxes from fishing equipment sales and gas sales. So if we had a senior license it would allow more federal funding for that division, which could be used for biologists or higher paid biologists.
I want to say that i think that i heard that the state gets back roughly 8 dollars back for each license sold. So even if the state had a coupon or paid for a 3 dollar senior license, then they are still making a 5 dollar profit on these license.
As for uniting everybody on this discussion forum, that could be a challenge. Until it gets to the point where it is impossible to fish, hunt, or camp people will continue to complain, until it is too late.
catfish