southdakbearfan wrote:
....It was done because of the severely low counts the past couple years caused many Non residents to cancel trips and reservations. Businesses were pissed off about the low counts, but in reality would you rather lose one years trip or piss everyone off and lose them forever, basically it’s a put your head in the sand move from a department that no longer utilizes biological research to craft its direction, but solely is interested in tourism and tax revenue it can generate short term, long term ramifications be damned.
Yes, it is a shame that SD has chosen a path of.....pick a pocket whilst one may.
If any bird populations experience cyclic downturns or true longterm slides, both need to be scientifically tracked and then accepted.....everywhere.
If not, if publicity and promotion win, then you may eventually experience yet another example of lost traditions as witnessed by many states.
Been there, lived that.
That the issue is impossible or difficult to address, arises from basic foundational changes due to Progress or even may affect someone's immediate billfold is second, imo, to a responsibility toward the habitat, critter or resource with which one has been tasked.
Granted, while the description of truly wild pheasants in SD can be an issue stemming from the intense business of "shooting"...these outfits do help supply artificial numbers and do generate habitat which might otherwise fall to the plow or dozer blade.
And, clearly, dogs certainly do not mind.
They would mind tho if a non-recoverable tipping point in populations is reached, for any of several reasons.
In fact, we all should mind...which is why SD's decision should raise more ire rather than simple silence.
A Habitat, Hunted and then the tourist Hunter focus......finds the soundest win-win route in keeping hunters happy and selling breakfasts.....long term.
Not to mention, keeping a grin on a birddog's mug.