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Mark, while I understand and appreciate that kind of altruistic, idealistic argument,it needs to be grounded in realism. I suppose some keep striving for equality on philosophical grounds---parity and fairness for all---but in the end equal access for all (whether snowmachine or atv) will become a draw or Tier or permit hunt because when you have a road that cuts right through a nomadic wildlife population's range, as does the Dalton, the herd can't withstand the continued hunting pressure. Do you disagree with that? And if not, then maybe you want equal access for all, but with the caveat that this comes with a Tier/permit/draw hunt? I suppose I could see that with snowmachines.

"I've got mine and to hell with the rest of you" isn't what this is about. Not at all. For many it's more like this: "I want mine now, regardless of what it does to the herd, the land, or the water, because that is my constitutional right as an Alaskan!"

Or: "The feds have locked up all the land, therefore we need to open up more state land to public access for all user groups."

I had fun being an idealist in my younger days. But hardcore realism set in somewhere along the line, followed by a fair amount of cynicism. If SB 85 was just about snowmachine use, we'd be having a different argument, as per above, about what kind of pressure a caribou herd could withstand, what constitutes fair chase etc. But this isn't just about snowmachine use, as you know. You can make it out to be about "equality," but things aren't equal now in various gmus(controlled-use, non-res vs. res regs, Tier and permit-only, etc.). Your argument leads one to ask the question: "Should we then do away with all the Controlled-Use areas in the state because they inhibit equality for all users?" I mean, they limit access to just one trail (supposedly) or don't allow atv access at all. Some don't even allow air access. How far are you wanting to go with equality?
Mark

Message Thread:

• AOC and SB 85---public access off the Dalton bushrat Oct 12 2005
  • lets cut the rhetoric fullkurl Oct 13 2005
    • status quo TradBow Oct 14 2005
      • "we" fullkurl Oct 14 2005
        • ATV .375 HUNTER Oct 16 2005
        • FK TradBow Oct 14 2005
    • You Asked, And You Shall Recieve Mark Oct 13 2005
  • How About Simply Equal Access? Mark Oct 13 2005
    • idealism doesn't have wings in the real world bushrat Oct 13 2005
      • Equality DOES Have Wings, And It's Flying Away Mark Oct 13 2005
        • I stand corrected; fly Icarus, fly.... bushrat Oct 14 2005
          • This Is The Wrong Bill Mark Oct 15 2005
        • Mark TradBow Oct 14 2005
          • Which Ones" Mark Oct 14 2005
  • access northway Oct 13 2005
  • sb85 TradBow Oct 13 2005
    • Affordability B_M Oct 13 2005
    • more sb85 ovis Oct 13 2005
      • sb85 KirovPDR Oct 13 2005
        • KirovPDR ovis Oct 13 2005