"These days I prefer to hunt with a camera. A good photograph demands more
skill from the hunter, better nerves and more patience than the rifle
shot." -- Bror Blixen
On Thu, Feb 13, 2025 at 1:11 PM "J. Merrill Lynch" <carolinabirds...>
wrote:
> I agree this would be a good thing to support. Many other states already
> have a special permit for access to public gamelands. A requirement to wear
> blaze orange during hunting season would be a sensible addition.
>
> And I also agree it would give the non-hunting community a bigger seat at
> the table on decisions regarding public lands management.
>
> J. Merrill Lynch
> Echo Valley Farm
> Watauga County, NC
> Elevation: 3,400 feet
>
>
> On Thu, Feb 13, 2025 at 11:16 AM Ann Robertson <carolinabirds...>
> wrote:
>
>> Dear Carolinabirders,
>>
>> In this morning's Coastal Review, I read about an exciting proposal from
>> the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to offer a "Conservation Access
>> Pass". This would be the birder equivalent of a hunting / fishing license,
>> and would renew annually. The pass would provide entry to 2 million acres
>> of gameland, boating access areas, and more. It is not limited to birders;
>> a range of recreational uses are mentioned
>>
>> There are three public meetings across the state, coming up soon. There's
>> also a VIRTUAL meeting on March 4th, for which you may register.
>>
>> I was told a while back by a politically experienced birder that one
>> reason birders don't carry as much weight with state officials as hunters
>> is that we don't contribute to the public till with special taxes,
>> licenses, etc. Apparently, at one time a "birders' tax" was proposed on
>> items such as binoculars, birdseed, etc., that would have fed into
>> conservation. Our flock apparently did not endorse this, sadly.
>>
>> I may be wrong, and wiser heads may weigh in, but I believe this
>> Conservation Access Pass would be a win-win. It would provide access to
>> wonderful birding areas while funding our under-resourced NCWRC. Here's a
>> link to the article so you may consider this issue:
>> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://coastalreview.org/2025/02/state-seeks-feedback-on-proposed-conservation-access-pass/__;!!OToaGQ!qRAhn5Mbo9jXSRGNxUFo7pPOVDK9hIs_bTB0KIL6GOzNURN6HcZQSjz7kPB1TzZRO8ia33VcopX7yqxgxM0PmL1RaLuY$ >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://coastalreview.org/2025/02/state-seeks-feedback-on-proposed-conservation-access-pass/__;!!OToaGQ!sQbft_AcXNQj8ledwFhYKky5NbZn7hca1wSaI14YgPSug_57wpicBzaStZZ4T4YPmUX3aRzPCYnXvYK17yBxJIbgMXyGXw$> >>
>> Best regards,
>> Ann Blue Robertson
>> Winston-Salem
>>
>
