It's too bad the governor's office and Utah legislators like Rep. Met Johnson from southern Utah think the only worthwhile use of public land is to graze it or develop it. Their blatant disregard for Utah's wildlife will cost all of us in the future.
It is not the cougars (when the deer population goes down, the cougar population goes down), bears or other predators, or even urban sprawl, that is going to destroy Utah's wildlife, it is allowing political people (with little or no background in biological principles) to control the destiny of our wildlife.Until we can get rid of 19th century thinking, as exhibited by southern Utah legislators who refer to themselves as the "Cowboy Caucus," we will probably see all the good the Division of Wildlife Resources has done in the last 50 years go down the drain.
We need to take politics out of scientific game management. The DWR not only benefits hunters but all people who care about wildlife. Many of their programs are aimed at helping nongame species such as the bluebird, river otter, burrowing owl, desert tortoise, etc.
If they don't help these animals, no one will. Last year, the Legislature decided these animals were not important and virtually eliminated the nongame fund.
Hunters, bird watchers, hikers and anyone who cares about wildlife needs to wake up the Legislature to the importance of saving Utah's wildlife for us and the future.
Linda Pearson
West Jordan