Arizona's SB1200 A Very Bad Idea

Arizona took a sharp right turn when the legislature voted to approve SB 1200 which places the future of wildlife management in the state in the hands of hunters and ranchers. The bill is backed by the heavily anti wolf Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife and would essentially make certain that only those who are opposed to returning the Mexican Gray Wolf to the wild in Arizona would have a say in decisions about wildlife management in the state.

The law passed by the legislature creates a new Game and Fish Commissioner Appointment Recommendation Board that would guarantee hunters control 3 seats and ranchers 1 seat, leaving only 1 seat to represent the rest of Arizonans who really care about the future of wildlife here in the state.

Now I'm not a rocket scientist but it's easy to see how this is going to work out. Special interest hunting groups will team up with special interest ranchers and recommend people who will vote against the Mexican Wolf and in favor of more killing of just about everything. These people would hand pick the commissioners who decide state policy on wolf management, protection of endangered species like jaguars and sonoran pronghorns, promotion of state wildlife action plans and virtually every other important wildlife policy in Arizona

Placing total control of Arizona's wildlife management in the hands of interest groups whose values are killing wildlife and protecting livestock at any cost is a monumentally bad idea and must be reversed immediately by the Governors veto.

This is nothing short of a power grab that will doom Arizona to backwards management of our most precious asset, our wildlife. Arizona is on the verge of a policy decision that will alter the future of eco-tourism in the state by making the state one big Safari Club. Thousands of people come to Arizona each year armed only with cameras and binoculars and spotting scopes in hopes of seeing some of our wonderful wildlife and it would be a shame if they went to more environmentally aware states in the future.

I for one am deeply disturbed by this development and will continue to speak out against this outrage often and loudly. I will keep you updated on this important issue. Please contact the Governor and tell her to veto SB 1200 now.

Jan Brewer

Telephone (602) 542-4331
Toll Free 1-(800) 253-0883
Fax (602) 542-1381

Thank You

Ray Goodwin

Sonoran Connection