Just read an article that Utah plans to raise some of it's elk tags to $1000 for non residents and join many other western states who like to make up budget deficts by charging the non-resident large license fees. The RMEF is supposed to support Elk preservation for hunters. I have not seen this organization step forward to represent non-resident hunters in the Western states. Because of this I see no reason to continue to support the organization and continue to see my money build habitat for residents in these Western states. I have written RMEF and asked them why I should continue to support them, when I do not see them supporting me. I encourage every RMEF member to write the national office and ask them to step forward and represent all hunters. If they remain silent, speak with your dollars, or should I say lack of dollars. RJW

They straddle the fence on too many issues important to western hunters. It`s not the same organization they were 10 or 15 yrs. ago

I have also heard that they now only seem to represent themselves! derf

Methinks they should change their acro to REMF's.

Thanks for bringing that issue to light cowboyhat. As a resident in Wy I also feel the non-residents carry to much weight for fees. It only gets worse and makes non-resident hunting a rich mans sport. The RMEF, to me has become an eco-organization. You know the warm and fuzzy guys! I have written several letters to the RMEF concerning the illegal wolf re-intorduction into Wy. I get the same type of answer you would expect from your US congressman. Yup, straddle the fence! And if you read the RMEF mission statement the answers they gave me were 180 degrees out!

Voted with my feet last March. Way too much like an ecowacko group. Just a few years ago they seemed rational, not now.

I do like the dinners and raffles (got my first two 7mm Rem Mags at RMEF dinner), but can't support them now.

Anyone know how the Mule Deer Foundation is?

The RMEF, Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited and the Oregon Hunters Association do some things that are not really hunter friendly. Oregon raised thier licence and tag fees for next year, thank the hunting organizations. They will not push legislation to remove the hound hunting bane. The NWTF still seems to be doing a good job, so they get my money now.

As far as political organizations go, check out the Safari Club.

As far as the RMEF, I can't even comprehend anyone asking a national habitat preservation group to get involved in each individual State's license fee debates. Can you imagine the amount of money wasted on lobbyists and other fat cats if they got involved in that sort of stuff?

Let the political groups do whatever it is they do, and let the habitat groups do habitat. JMO, Dutch.

In this day and age if you do not get involved with the political side, you may find yourself legislated out of business. The organization has many political supporters, who if asked would get behind the issues noted. Add in the thousand of member who can write or talk to their local legislatures and you have political clout. The organization is in a good position to foster grass root organizations by state and the national level, however it does and will not do this.

Cowboy, the quickest way for an organization to go out of business is to try and be everything to everybody.

Can't be done.

Good organzations focus. Top notch non-profit Organizations like the Salvation Army, Doctors without Borders, etc focus on one thing, and try to do it to the best of their ability.

There are countless examples of organizations that go up in flames because they get involved in way too many different issues. Lots of money gets spent, and nothing gets done, and the organization blows up in the end. Interested in politics? NRA-ILA, Safari Club, to name a few. They know how to buy politicians!

On the other hand, if you donate money to the RMEF, 90% of it gets put on the ground. If you want politics done, don't give your money to the RMEF. They'll just use it for elk habitat! Can you imagine that? JMO, Dutch.

I'm a member. I like RMEF because they buy land and give it to the elk. I wish the states were as efficient with our nonresident license dollars as RMEF is with our donations.

However, I do encourage RMEF to help the elk in MY state because I can afford out-of-state hunts and tags only once every few years, and I'd like to try my BC on them.

Dutch, you are making sooooooooooo much sense. The RMEF does great work preserving habitat for elk. I may not agree with every position it takes, but I'm proud to be a member. I really think that the "I used to support it but now I won't because (fill in the blank)" are just looking for an excuse.

I'll be another to second Dutch's remarks.

I've been a RMEF member for a number of years, and like what I see. They protect habitat, and I agree with their philosophy that habitat protection is the single most important issue in hunting--for elk or anything else.

I'm not a westerner, and don't claim to be an expert on wolves. However, in the scheme of things, if I had a choice, I'd rather be competing with wolves than ranchettes. If wolves are managed improperly today--and I'm voicing no opinion on that--and that management adversely affects the elk herd, one day that management scheme may be revised to something better. But development is forever. Even if elk learn to like living in subdivisions, you won't hunt them there--and if you can, it won't really be hunting. Our eastern whitetails are a perfect example.

Given that, I'm not looking for RMEF to take a position of wolves, license fees or any similar topic. I want them to maintain habitat, so when this underprivileged easterner gets a chance to hunt wapiti, I'll hear bugles that aren't drowned out by the sound of cars on the nearby highway, and I'll see mountain sunsets that don't compete with the glow from the golden arches of a hamburger joint. The RMEF is doing a commendable job to keep that vision alive.

What these organizations like RMEF need to realize is that without the support of the hunters they too will go out of business. So as far as I am concerned they need to get involved in some of the hunting issues as well.

"Wouldn't it be great if we had plenty of elk but we could not afford to hunt them" Not. Lets, take a look at management/conservation etc now.

Doug