so now you've decided to just destroy the relationships you possibly had with miller? And attack him? how is that going to help anything? what is your plan? How is it being received? furthermore.. Do you now ask it upon the states deer hunters to do the same? what are we (the states deer hunters) to take from this article other than finger pointing at politics and telling them they're ruining everything. i am not trying to cast stones at you (even though it probably sounds like it). i would just like to see greater leadership from your writing. Become an advocate of the state and for the state. You have a large audience.. Which means you have the means to do this.
You make some very good points BUT ... Miller has already proven that he is not going to work with anyone. I met with him right before he was confirmed as director and again right after he was confirmed. Both meetings were with small groups of Illinois deer hunters who had voiced past concerns over the management of the deer herd. Believe me, any attempts to work with him are a waste of time. And I say this hoping I am wrong. I hope some group of Illinois deer hunters are able to work with IDNR to make some positive changes. I would love nothing more than to write a positive article on the great things that IDNR is doing in regards to deer management. Illinois politics is a dirty business and politicians have seen our deer herd as a cash cow for income. I honestly wonder if Miller could change things if he wanted to. As an appointment by the governor, the IDNR director has a boss to answer to. The other thing is that our current IDNR deer biologist don't "play fair". They have been caught skewing survey results and hiding the results to some questions in an effort to continue their agenda. In fact, at least one IDNR employee was recently caught posting under a "handle"on an internet forum like this one supporting the DNR and basically promoting the idea that IDNR has more support than it really does. I am not sure how many of you have ever heard of Tim Walmsley but Tim has been a very active advocate for the Illinois deer herd for longer than I have. In fact, Tim is largely responsible for the 2-buck limit (the DNR didn't want any limit). I often consult with Tim for guidance and inside info regarding relevant issues and individuals. One of Tims recent quotes really struck home - "Remember, if you are going to fight the IDNR, don't fight fair because they sure wont" I realize a lot of the posts on here are from well-intentioned folks speaking logic and common sense. Sadly, I have more than 2 decades of experience telling me that these common-sense, good-hearted approaches WILL NOT WORK with IDNR. I encourage anyone and everyone to get involved and try any approach you deem appropriate and if you are successful, I will shake your hand, congratulate you and sing your praises in an article. I just wont be holding my breath waiting for it to happen.
Well, I learned one thing so far, Don is easily offended. On the personal issue, you know absolutely nothing about me. Zero. Ask some of the people who personally know both of us, or meet me one day in person and you may change your mind. If you don't think I should be a moderator here, take it up with Todd and Justin. My point was simple with my posts Don, being who you are and the outlet you have, I would think you would be above personal attacks on people that you want to change. I applaud all the work you have done in the past with the IDNR, but you're willing to burn all that work because you're pissed of with someone? You offered no solutions in your article above, except that we should burn Miller at the stake. Where is that going to get you? Be a leader Don. You have the outlet to do so. People will follow you, lead them. But, I challenge you to lead them the right way, and starting a lynch mob isn't the right way. You can do all the things you want on a one to one basis with the IDNR, but its not going to do a bit of good until you get the sportsmen to follow you in a positive way.
Dan your first post and multiple posts following were nothing but a slam against me and yet you have no idea how much time I have spent the last 20 years trying to make things better. You know absolutely nothing about how IDNR works and yet you want to hammer me on my approach which is the result of experience trying it other ways. If you think the response I am getting from other hunters is so bad, read the responses to the very same article on this website - Heartland Outdoors :: Guest Blog :: The Illinois whitetail disaster I will note that the hunters who follow Heartland Outdoors are probably a whole lot closer tied to the situation than you are. Many of them have also worked with IDNR so they know the frustration of watching a great deer herd be destroyed right before their eyes. You come in from left field and throw around opinions about an issue that you know nothing about. Again, I ask you to tell me what experience you have in working with IDNR in regards to the management of the Illinois deer herd? I don't want to assume you have never been to a single meeting anywhere at anytime with anyone, so please enlighten us as to how your opinion was formed? You are not even from Illinois and yet you want to insult me? I wouldn't dream of getting into a Wisconsin ruckus with someone who had 20 years experience there when I have none.
LOL!!! I am typically a lot thicker skinned but when I come to read the responses and find an out-of-state moderator slamming me in multiple posts and a nameless wanna-be accusing me of game law violations, it tends to rub me the wrong way. I can take opposing opinions and have dealt with that for years. Some things are inexcusable however.
Don, I think you need to go back and reread what I first wrote, with an open mind. I never slammed your 20 years of work, quit reading more into it than what's there. I simply stated that your article (which this thread is about, not your past) was nothing more than an attempt to start a lynch mob, which is easy to do with hunters. Apparently, you can't take criticism very well. No, I haven't met with anyone from the IDNR, nor will I. But, I'm from WI and have been hearing about the issue here for many years. Its always the same mantra, "The DNR and its biologists have no clue what they're doing, burn them!" It gotten old hearing the same thing here from writers and sportsmen, all while offering no solutions themselves. Well, other than have a politician stick his nose into it (Walker.) So, when I read your article, I was nothing more than an echo of what's been being said for the last 5 years up here. And where has it gotten WI? Nowhere.
Again, I never slammed you personally, just your article. Were you offended by me calling you "The Great Don Higgins?" If so, I just thought that you were above the lynch mob mentality that you showed in your article. I apologize if you took offense to that.
Im still not hearing ideas for solutions..... And no im not from IL...im just interested in the topic as some of it can be applied to more than just IL.....just find it funny a guy would sign up as a member quick like to defend his ego and his position but still not answer the original question.....what should be done and how Lets be clear...im not attacking you don...just interested in your opinion on the solution Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
Well ... first of all I didn't just sign up "quick like" to "defend my ego or position" ; been a member for a few months. There will be more articles to follow that will outline a plan. Right now things are in the beginning stages and it is in the best interest to not get everyone fired up with details until the time is right. I honestly hold out very little hope of changing anything and everything will be out in the open long before anything is done (in the very unlikely event that anything IS done). Now is simply the time to gauge public response and aside from this website, response has been at least 95% supporting the article and the position taken in the article. I have had multiple requests from newspapers, websites etc to republish because they liked it so well. In fact this article has been better received than any I have ever written. In the past my articles on the management of the Illinois deer herd got a 50-50 reception; half the people agreed and half didn't. Things have definitely swung in that regards. Just this morning I had another request from Minnesota to re-publish it.
Mike, no problem. Crap happens and I, like you, appreciate when solid statistics are offered to back up someone's statements. I didn't do that, I merely read a few articles and played with some 6th grade math and thought I had them. Now back to the titillating discussion about a very complex deer hunting situation. I am sure the Illinois DNR's decisions or the average IL hunters pleasure or lack thereof in the deer woods has nothing to do with insurance companies demanding a reduction in vehicular accidents caused by deer, or huge hunting leases.
Don thanks for setting the record straight on a couple of the issues. I liked your article and posted it on here about a week ago for everyone to read. I have read many articles this year and yours was well written on the subject. I really liked the history part of it, I have not read that side of it before. My family and I hunt several farms in Central Illinois and a couple have been hurt and a couple are about the same. You seem to feel like stuff could get worse in the future and was wondering if maybe you have written about that already or are going to.
I just saw 20 some total posts with the majority in this thread...nothing more nothing less.....i look forward to reading your answer in a future article Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
No. But its ridiculous when a person shoots out words when they have practically zero knowledge on the subject.
I would say Dan has a lot more than zero knowledge on many things deer, conservation, and wildlife related.
Well its nice to see none of these threads on this subject change. Blame the evil DNR and put no blame on the people actually in the woods, then trust that same DNR to put ridiculous restrictions on hunting so we can come back in couple years and complain that those restrictions are too much.
