[Duck Butter]

Originally Posted by MathGeek

I'm questioning their methods, not their motives.

Gotcha, its all in that paper I feel certain, I don't know I haven't seen it either, and would like to myself

Should the executive branch restrict liberties based on public opinion (by whatever sampling method) or by sound science?

The million dollar question my friend. Sound science says many things (for instance the freshwater diversions) but the public is standing in the way of sound science on that issue. I think wildlife and fisheries management should be based on sound science, BUT you also have to receive public input. Duck seasons for instance have a range of dates and LDWF could just as easily go in and say these are the dates without public input but instead they try and please as many people as possible (even though they still piss off a bunch of them so its catch22)

When LDWF or CCA or whoever supports a regulation change based on what they are hearing from anglers or their membership or whomever, then they are making decisions based on public opinion rather than science.

Its another catch22 (damned if you do, damned if you don't) with non-profit conservation organizations. You see what happened when they were neutral on the whole 'navigable waters' issue in SE LA, they got hammered on that (damned either way they went) and there wasn't near about 70% agreement on that issue. If 70% of their base wants a lower limit, they better listen or else it would have been just like Round 2 on the navigale waters issue. Its a slippery slope

In our democratic republic, public opinion should be allowed to influence the elected legislature. However, the elected legislature has delegated certain wildlife management regulatory powers to the executive branch with the understanding and expectation that these regulatory powers only infringe on the liberty of citizens when these restrictions are shown to be necessary by sound scientific methods.

I wish you could send this to everyone that has a fishing and hunting license, this is excellent

Sometimes being on the side of anglers and hunters means listening to the science and making data driven decisions and ignoring the momentary public opinion of those same anglers and hunters.

I agree 100%

We are all on the same team

and lookie here its almost 5:00