communicating with the mdc

[fishinwrench]

45 minutes ago, merc1997 said:

have you ever talked with shane bush one on one??  probably not.  so, just keep wishing something will happen and that is what will happen, nothing.  his phone number is listed, try giving him a call.

bo

Craig Fuller is our guy.  Yeah I've talked with him a multitude of times.  Nice guy but he doesn't care about the same things that I care about.   

Everything that concerns me is always the last thing on their list of priorities/concerns.   And the first thing on their list is always something that seems stupid and pointless to me.   Guess I'm just one of those douchebags that insist on being difficult.

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

Craig Fuller is our guy.  Yeah I've talked with him a multitude of times.  Nice guy but he doesn't care about the same things that I care about.   

Everything that concerns me is always the last thing on their list of priorities/concerns.   And the first thing on their list is always something that seems stupid and pointless to me.   Guess I'm just one of those douchebags that insist on being difficult.

you and everyone just have to stay on him like green flies on a cow pile, so to speak.  shane bush has got tired of me squeaking, and has actually looked into what i have been telling him and found it to be true, and is now starting to instigate some actual studies to find a solution.

KEEP SQEUAKING!

bo

[Gavin]

In the end, you waste your time. Have helped organize folks, wrote tons of letters, tons of emails, went to tons of meetings with them in the past 25 years. You might get 2 of the 10 things you are asking for 8-10yrs after you started asking for them, and never the ones you really want.

I appreciate your enthusiasm, it’s your turn. I’m done with those smug desk jockeys. 

[Guest]

hey gavin, i bet i have been fishing more years and hours than you could imagine.  and, i have been after the mdc for years about improving fishing for something other than trout.  you can not give up or nothing ever gets done.  it is that give up don't care attitude that never succeeds at one thing.  you will never get a nail driven if you do not keep pounding.

do you give up just as easily when fishing?  anyone that enjoys fishing missouri water needs be a voice to the mdc about what is going on.  also, perhaps if they do not start paying attention to what we are telling them, then perhaps is is time to rescind there 1/8% sales tax.  

bo

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, merc1997 said:

perhaps if they do not start paying attention to what we are telling them, then perhaps is is time to rescind there 1/8% sales tax.  

Been in favor of that for over a decade. 

My "giving up" happened 3 1/2 years ago after I spent almost a month contemplating, studying and composing a very professional and fair series of thoughts, questions, and possible solutions regarding the amount and frequency of bass tournaments on our lakes, and the possible effects of them.  I ended by asking that IF the degree of fish relocation being done could not CURRENTLY be considered a problem....then at what level WOULD/COULD it be?

That correspondence was sent to 3 separate individuals at MDC, and was resent twice.   I never received a single reply.      Had I asked about owl balls, beetles, milkweed, or anything else I would have gotten an immediate reply. 

So hey...it still is a major concern of mine BUT I have other things to focus my attention on that I CAN make a difference in.   IMO they pissed in my face, so other than Stream Team stuff (because we would do that anyway) I'm not playing their game anymore.

[tjm]

I have sent numerous emails to MDC about various things and always got a reply, usually next day. As to bugging an individual employee over some particular issue, it might just be a waste of time because the employee might not be the policy setter. Bo has the right idea in that if you want changes you can't just sit out; but if I wanted a change bad enough to get off my fat over, then I would go to the Commissioners with a plan and an argument, including a financial summary.   

Actually other than the tournament issue that fishinwrench brings up, I'm fairly satisfied with the management we have going  on. I don't agree with every policy but I can see where other users might want things that I don't want and the policies tend to go with the majority of customers. The tourneys don't affect me personally because I'm not a laker, so I'm willing to let the lakes be decimated if that is what lake people want. I would like to see about 10 times more stream access and some easements, but that isn't the biologist's main function.

5 hours ago, bobby b. said:

What is the number One issue OAF has with the MDC?  or the one or two things OAF wants done? 

Yep, that is the question. I'm not sure what we would say to the Branson guy. What authority does he have and how many counties are under his supervision? Is he tied to the lakes or over all the watersheds?   Or is he the hatchery head? What is the nature of your discussions with him, or, what do you think he can change if we ask or insist?

Wrench, can that correspondence be modified to petition format that we could submit en masse? 

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

I just truly dont believe there is a shortage of bass in Table Rock. If anything the spots need to be thinned out. .....Put on some dive gear and dive down any bank and you will see 3 times more bass than any other fish. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

17 minutes ago, aarchdale@coresleep.com said:

I just truly dont believe there is a shortage of bass in Table Rock. If anything the spots need to be thinned out. .....Put on some dive gear and dive down any bank and you will see 3 times more bass than any other fish. 

Do you have any pictures?  I bet that is cool.  My daughter and I have been thinking about getting dive certified.  

[Phil Lilley]

Shane is a good friend.  He has always been attentive to what I have to say - and all others in the room.  I know A.J. Pratt and a few others.  They've always been very helpful when gathering information on different fisheries.

I know I'm not going to get everything I want here on my fishery.  I've asked, they've listened.  What I have seen in the 35 years here is that the guard changes and so brings in new ideas and a changed directive.  May be it won't happen in my lifetime but that don't mean it will never happen.

In the meantime, I think we have one of the best conservation programs in the country - not perfect - but darn good.  And well funded.  Better hope that never goes away too.

[olbasser]

Bo, I agree with your idea of informing MDC.  Small drops of water eventually will break a rock.  In greater number and at a more frequent rate the rock breaks faster.  BUT, I think an economic approach needs to be addressed.  MDC touts the economic impact of trout fishing but you find little information about the economic impact of other fishing.  If we can find a dollar impact, then we have a stronger argument for change.  I would like to see if anyone on this forum can find a $ number .