Subject: Re: Conservation License (was Green-tailed Towhee).
Date: Dec 29 22:36:49 1997
From: "Ed Schulz" - eschulz at gte.net


Tweeters,
Ruth Sullivan tells of her encounter with a game warden
requesting her Conservation License. I hear through the
grapevine that game officers will be checking for these and I've
also noticed that on the north (WSDF&W) half of Spencer Island
it is now posted that everyone must carry a license. The
license is available wherever hunting or fishing licenses are
sold, cost $10, are good for the calendar year, and are the same
form as the hunting/fishing license only the block
"Conservation" is marked rather than one of the fishing or
hunting categories.

Arguments for the licenses include the fact that there is a
record of who is paying what for which use of the F&W lands and
that is one way for birders to gain political clout relative to
the hunting crowd. A birder could also purchase a Duck Stamp to
support habitat acquisition, but I don't think there is a
distinction made in the final tally of who is buying them (could
be wrong on that point). One argument against the policy of
checking birders is that there is already scant enforcement
coverage of the hunting areas. As public policy do we want game
officers to be chasing poachers or birders? If you were a game
officer who would you be more inclined to confront?

Timing on Ruth's posting is right as the 98 licenses will be
required in a couple days.

Ed Schulz
email: eschulz at gte.net
Phone: (425) 259-6877
Everett, WA

----------
> From: Ruth Sullivan <GODWIT at worldnet.att.net>
> To: tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Green-tailed Towhee, still in skagit WRA.
> Date: Monday, December 29, 1997 8:06 PM
>
> Hello Tweeter,
> After reading Richard Rowletts Adventures Trip to the Okanogan
Highlands,I
> will make it realy short,what I have to report. This morning
when i
> arieved at the Skagit WRA,i was ready to go in to the fields,
there come a
> Man driving a truck.I first thought it was a hunter.Wrong!!!
He approched
> me and ask:what i intend to do up here.I told him that i was
going
> Birding.So he ask me if i had a CONSERVATION LICENSE, my
question was
> wy?The man was not on ordinary man,he was the Game-warden.He
told me on
> sunday there where so manny birders and the Hunters
complained, so he have
> to enforce the Law which states in order to go on federal land
you must
> have this license.He was kind enough to let me birding
today,but in the
> future it will coast $94.00 FINE.I don't mind pay the $10.00
at all, and i
> am glad to find out from this warden.because it cost the
hunters almost
> close to $100.00 a year to go hunting. Most of you Birders
proable already
> got this License.This Warden lives in the house on the
REFUGE.
> I had onother good look at the Green-Tailed Towhee, run in to
Scott, he was
> so exited seeing the Swamp Sparrow,it got late for me so i
will try another
> day with more time to get The photo
> Ruth
> GODWIT at worldnet.att.net