[mou] Self-deception was Quail Forever (warning this message is way too long)

[Carl Greiner]

Hi folks,
    Sorry to jump on this in a negative manner but I think this posting is
getting a bit unrealistic. First of all, adding a 'sin tax' to wildlife
observation would be typical of our recent foray into loss of freedom and I
think I might be hearing the White-throated Sparrow singing O' sweet canada,
canada, canada rather than Sam Peabody. Second, it is deceptive to take the
numbers commonly given to justify birding's economic impact. Despite the
MOU's statement that there are 1.8 million Minnesota bird-watchers there are
less than 20,000 MN birders (combined total of MOU & MN Audubon = 14,500).
Unlike the numbers given for anglers (1.1 Million to 1.6 Million)and hunters
(452K to 597K) where either you bought a license or you didn't bird-watchers
are everything from a daily birder with a 5,000 life list to most of the
hunters and anglers above to the folks that consider that noticing the first
robin of the year is all there is. You could debate these numbers to death
but the fact is that anglers/hunters actively participate in their sport and
support the organizations (DU, PF, & MDHA = 83,552 members) whereas birding
groups don't (MOU & MNAud members = 14,500). This is common sense, the
statement below states there is 28 retail stores selling wild bird food and
supplies, well I bet Brainard has more fishing and hunting stores than that,
let alone the state. Gander Mtn probably has more square footage than all 28
bird stores. Third, it is counter-productive to compete with hunting and
fishing organizations when the ultimate goal of habitat preservation, rather
write your congressperson and ask why the energy bill included 8 billion
dollars of pork for the energy lobby. Fourth, there are many organizations
set up to lobby or protect habitat for nongame species, support Nature
Conservancy, or Sierra, or WWF, or state DNR, Natural Resources Defense
Council, etc... They certainly are more adept at habitat preservation than
the yokels writing policy in the Washington who would probably use the money
raised to improve the fishing in their private summer lake. Fifth, what are
you going to tax? Bird food? (now your messin with the farmers and the 28
retail stores that focus sales on bird food - see below) Optics? (you just
alienated astronomers, opera afficienados, hunters and target shooters who
are already paying sin taxes on their equipment, the Nascar crowd, etc...)
Gasoline? (isn't there already a tax on gasoline), books? (wouldn't that be
a tax on education), guide service? (I wonder how the guides on this group
would react if they had to fill out all the paper work and give the gov't
2-10% of their sales). Sixth, public perception, how many govenors have took
the media out on a Big Day? They never miss fishing opener. How many law
makers use their recess to go birding (aside from Jimmy Carter)? The list
for law making hunters reads like a U.S. History Book. Seventh and most
important a fee would drive people away rather than pique their interest. As
the population rises and there is increasing urbanization and sprawl the
knowledge of and respect for the land diminishes. I have noticed this in
just my lifetime and predict it will get much worse. The more ignorant the
public is to our natural heritage the less likely they are to protect it.
Next it doesn't pan out in dollars and sense. Looking at the numbers:
 
". Number of bird-watchers 1,810,000 
. Number of fishermen 1,109,000 
. Number of hunters 452,000 
. Money spent by bird-watchers 1991 $345,333,000 
. Money spent by hunters 1991 $289,690,000 
. Money spent by fishermen 1991 $846,246,000 
. Number of retail stores in Minnesota that focus sales strictly on
wild-bird feed and bird-related merchandise 28. 
. Jobs provided in Minnesota by bird-related businesses: 2,910. (Birding
supported 234,000 jobs across the nation in 1991.)" - MOU Media Guide

Seems extremely inflated after Randy's fantastic survey during last years
owl irruption:
"Responses= approximately 265
Birders represented= approximately 720 (excluding Karla's 500 for her
Festival of Owls)
Money documented= $226,168.00"

Membership:
MOU Members: 1500 (MOU Brochure)
MN Audubon: 13,000 (website)
Pheasants Forever MN: 20,000 (website)
Ducks Unlimited MN: 43,552 (fact sheet)
Minnesota Deer Hunters Association: 20,000 (web site)

"Minnesota -
Hunters 597000 
Anglers 1.6 million 
Total Expenditures $2.17 billion 
Total Jobs 41000 
Salaries and Wages $1.04 billion 
State Tax Revenue $182 million 
Ripple Effect on the State Economy $4.18 billion "

 The American Sportsman
(http://www.sportsmenslink.org/Sportman/pop_state.asp?id=23)

Carl (taxed to death) Greiner

I'd dress up like a first american and dump tea into the Boston Harbor but
it would probably kill the fish.