Saturday, June 19, 2021

I don't like being upset with the Wyoming Game & Fish Department but. . .

I am.


Again.

The department changed its fairly horrible license application system to one that has the appearance of being somewhat better earlier this year.  A couple of months ago, I went to apply for limited draw licenses and had to register for the new system. I then applied for my licenses.

When I did, it had the feel that something didn't work right, but I chalked that up to paranoia about the old site, which was pretty glitchy.  I went along on my way happy I'd complied well before the due date for applications.

Later, I helped set up the new site for the kids and helped them apply.

Well, the draw results came out on Thursday and sure enough, the system has me not applying for anything.

I haven't drawn an antelope license or a limited deer or elk for two years running. The G&F insists on giving out more licenses to out of staters than any other Western state, which certainly doesn't help that at all.  And now their website has screwed me.

As a subsistence hunter, I'm angry.  Over the past two, now three, years I haven't been able to draw a license in the state I'm native to.  For two years running I've been harassed by Game Wardens while bird hunting as I note the routes into places better than they do. Both of those wardens are imports from out of state, the latter one from California, in a job that used to go to people who had grown up in a wild environment. The first one, in fairness, apologized for being wrong and the second one eventually backed down, but he also acted like a big city cop.  He ought to be sent packing back to California where he's from.

Somehow government entities manage to have bad websites fairly frequently. There are exceptions. The Wyoming Oil and Gas Commissions is excellent.  The Game and Fish site, on the other hand, has always been bad. They now force you to use it, however.

Well, even though its tilting at windmills, I tried to call. . . two days running. The phone was off the hook.

I probably wasn't the only one with a problem.

Related threads:

The Agrarian's Lament: A Tribune op ed and some thoughts on outfitters and locals.




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