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

[Mike Hendrickson]

I agree with everything Carl has to say on this.  I would though like to tax 
Carl and other Mn residents on a new outdoor stadium for the Twins and the 
Vikings!

Mike Hendrickson
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carl Greiner" <cgreiner@mchsi.com>
To: <mou-net@cbs.umn.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 12:10 AM
Subject: [mou] Self-deception was Quail Forever (warning this message is way 
too long)


> 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.
>
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