One of the rangers at Mt. Rainier told me that, as of the last few years,
entrance fee and Golden Eagle pass monies now go directly to the National
Park Service as opposed to formerly when they went into the Great Kitty in
D. C. for doling out as Congress saw fit. Like Dennis, I recall the days
when entry to most park and refuge areas was free, but if additional funds
are necessary (and they are), and we aren't likely to get them out of the
general funds of the Fed and state governments, why shouldn't *we* pony up?
I'm all for a pay-as you-bird plan; why should we be guilty of letting
hunters pay for our sport? "He who pays the piper calls the tune."
Perhaps birders' revenues could be used for choice habitat (whatever's
left) which would be closed to shooting year around. Hunters pay taxes on
guns, ammo, buy multiple licenses, etc.; how 'bout a binocular and bird
book tax? I like the idea of free access to places we have already
bought, but it's the maintaining and running of them plus acquiring
new places which are causing the problem. More intensive use and
management of facilities costs money; whence?