The BIGGEST problem that group has is there PR person.....remove him and there path goes foward!

It's no secret that I've had my differences with some of the positions the old groups have taken in the past. My biggest issue was (and still is), that I don't want a small number of people purportedly speaking for me (and yes, that includes CDACs).

I would much rather the IDNR and F&W find a way to poll hunters, landowners, business owners, non-hunters, etc online with an ID number of some sort that prevents multiple posts from individuals and/or groups. I've watched the videos from the meeting (that is continually being posted and complained about by the IWDHM) and the biologist said they are working towards a system that will allow for more input from citizens.

IMO, that's what many want and I personally feel that's what we need.

The DNR is definitely on the right path...here's an email I sent to Dr. Joe Caudell right after that meetings.

Here's what I know,Joe is a good dude that has worked a long time to improve deer hunting in Indiana. He has sacrificed his time and money to get to tje point of influence he and his organization have. While many may not completely agree with their stance on all issues, it is better to work with them than against them. The IDNR has done an awesome job of makingour state a great whitetail destination. I'm hopeful the legislature will continue to see the DNR as more than capable of making wildlife resources and keep sound management in charge of decision making instead of emotionally driven groups.

Mr. Bacon
Please post your Bylaws sir
I don't remember this being your private club when I helped write those Bylaws 30 plus years ago !!!!
Or that the IDHA was private Club
You are the Founder
But you called a man at the Boat sport and travel show a liar that his son didn't harvest a buck
Remember sir we are all human
All hunters we forgave and helped you grow the IDHA and all you did was throw us under the bus and treat us as if we were common thieves and unethical hunters!
And sure I could say when I took over as President from you there were several unpaid bills
That was the norm back then because most membership dues were due around the Boat Sport and Travel show !!!!
So much for your bad mouthing of myself and Gary
Remember Joe our Fathers took you hunting to lots of places
I even remember you leased a place right across the road from one of our Hunting spots !!!!!!
Joe I am not here to fight you or anyone else ( well Brew might be the exception) see you can't see the forests for the trees you've been at along time done Lots of Great things !!
But when you say IWDHM pushed for all those folks to be there , well we did send an email to Mitch and said we would be bringing the CDAC chairs and hoped that would be okay
These folks had the pulse of the 10 pilot counties they knew more than we did see Joe
Gary and I don't want a seat at the table we want 92 seats for all counties to be involved IWDHM basically goes away after that
I really don't see your problem with this it is managing deer population in a smaller area instead of an entire state it also gets the voice of the hunter localized from the county grassroots remember those days Joe Grassroots is what the IDHA was founded on Kids helping out where some thought they shouldn't butbecame leaders and better hunters than there fathers and forefathers
Think about it

Thanks
Tim Moore

Tim,

While you say your group wants 92 seats @ the table, I would rather strive for a method that allows for all hunters/non-hunters to let the IDNR know exactly what they want/think, not what 20 people in any particular county that are members of a CDAC say they want for the county (or counties) I hunt in.

Your group hasn't, and never will speak for me and that is the message I (and others) have sent to everyone from the Governor on down...

jjas

There is no membership in a CDAC it's for all hunters and non hunters deer enthusiast deer watchers photographers citizens to decide what's right in your County

IWDHM
JUST WANTS CDAC IN ALL 92 COUNTIES
We want all citizens and hunters of a County to participate
IWDHM
DOES NOT WANT A SAY AFTER THE CDAC's ARE IN PLACE
ITS THAT PLAIN AND SIMPLE

Thanks

Tim Moore

AMEN...+1

I don't want a few members of ANY county CDAC purporting to speak for me. Just as I didn't want the old groups speaking for me when prop 1 was being debated.

And FWIW, even if I agreed with some of the positions of your group, I can't support it due to your tactics.

Jjas and Brew

You two enjoy
Because if you watch Stakeholder Group meeting there were only 3 count them 3 sitting at the table speaking for you me and everyone else in Indiana
Wake up
You two can't see the Forest for the Trees either

I don't want three people agreeing on what I want to happen in a conference room in Indianapolis which is exactly what happened!

So give me 20 rednecks in 92 counties sending a recommendation to Joe Caudell than what happened

Perhaps re-reading what I posted earlier would make things clearer for you (as far as my position goes)...

I don't want a few members of ANY county CDAC purporting to speak for me. Just as I didn't want the old groups speaking for me when prop 1 was being debated.

So as far as seeing goes, I see just fine...

Have a nice evening...

LOL

You don't want anyone speaking to DNR except You??

That's Funny

😂😂😂

Sounded more like he can speak on his own behalf same as anyone else.

Exactly, I've never felt like I had no avenue for giving my opinion or feelings to the IDNR or anyone else for that matter.

Joe Caudell is going to see this is expanded even more, excluding no one and placing ZERO between a hunter and giving his opinion to the state, that is better than anything I've seen proposed.

I also have faith in Joe being able to understand opinions are measures of emotion more than fact sometimes...tough to measure but very importanr.

+1....

I never said that. I understand what the IDHA and other groups have tried to accomplish over the years. And while I completely disagree with the tactics and attitude of your group, I understand why you are trying to have your voices heard.

What I'm saying, is that I don't care for others purporting to speak for me and many of us want to improve the existing abilities to speak to the IDNR directly.

Based on what he proposed during the meeting, my hope is that Joe Caudell can bring forth a better way to communicate with residents. And I agree with Tynimiller that doing that would definitely be better than anything else I've seen proposed.

Tim how's come IWDHM bans people from posting if they disagree?

To be fair to Tim, he is not someone with moderator powers on their Facebook page. At least that is my understanding. That lies elsewhere.

oh heck, I just want to know what happened at the state fair with this guy ;0)

wait what did I miss?

look at the bottom of page 2 ..

If I may, clearly there are enough emotions and drama circling this topic. Some good info and some bad. I have followed, unfollowed and followed again the IDHWM and their posts on FB. I have disagreed with a few tactics and maybe even some of their conclusions, but one question or line of questions that has been posed and to my knowledge ignored is this.

How many deer hunters/deer "stake holders" does the IDHA represent and how do they gather that information?

Was there a survey taken, results compiled and those results shared with the IDNR?

Is this an organization with a common goal reporting to the government or is it an outdated group with little input and simply acts as a conduit for a few to influence the many?

Thoughts?

Why not ask Joe yourself? He posts here under the name of jbwhttail.

I know who Joe is (I have zero animosity to him or the IDHA) and I thought I just did.

It doesn't matter how many IDHA members there are IMO. I'm not one, nor plan on becoming or ever was.

Whether that figure is 1 (Joe himself) or 10,000...to me nothing changes.

My apologies...Your post didn't read as if it were directed @ Joe...

Perhaps a PM to him (Joe) would get the response you are after in a more expedient manner?

Exactly.... that should be a DNR question if they think a certain number is needed!

My wife watches "Big Bother" and "Dance Moms" for her weekly drama...Me? Hoosier Hunting Deer Hunting section.

#getyourpopcornready

Ok guys, so to be clear. I don't really care for the way the IDWHM handled their movement. Well intentioned and truth be told they make some fair points. But in the end, they came in with a hammer and expected everyone to take their word. Just doesn't happen like that.
To my point above though, If the president of an organization sits on a board or attends a meeting and is introduced as the representative from that organization he/she is clearly representing the members of his/her group. Numbers don't really matter here, although it is clearly implied here that the president does have a significant number of members and has his finger on the pulse so to speak of those members. However, in this instance are the actual "deer hunters of Indiana" being honestly represented? I would ask how? Even without numbers, when was the survey distributed and completed? What was the rate of return? what were the results? How do we expect to have any real influence at the state level when what we really are is an unorganized group of hobbyists who truly cannot even unite themselves?
I am all for the IDHA in some form representing me at the state level. But, to have one person claim to be that voice...my voice..without every attempting to reach me is not it.
I am well aware of who the president is and choose not to use his name here only because it doesn't matter who is in that position, only that the position further the agenda/comments/desires of his or her membership.
So again...was there a survey taken, were the results compiled and reported and how many active members does the IDHA have? These are simple, objective questions with no slant either way.

jjas, thanks for your suggestion, but I prefer this question be posed, debated and answered publicly.

It's why I created this site.

Ferb.... could you explain the topic of the survey you are asking about and why would've there been a survey done?

What decisions/rules where made at this meeting that you wasn't in favor of?

While I can appreciate the time and effort that the IDHA and IWDHM have given, it makes zero difference to me how many members the IDHA has or how many likes the IWDHM has on facebook as I don't want either one speaking for me and I've made that abundantly clear from prop 1 to now.

I hope that Joe Caudell can figure out a method of allowing ALL citizens (hunters and non-hunters alike) to have direct input with the DNR and let them know what we like and don't like about the present regs, our perceived state of the deer herd and new reg proposals in the future.

Sure. IF the IDHA represents the deer hunters of Indiana in planning and strategy meetings, I would think a questionaire or survey with questions regarding opinions on harvest numbers, legal weapons, season dates, etc would be helpful when speaking on behalf of the states deer hunters, or the very least the members of the organizastion. The president of the IDHA was clearly introduced at the "stake holders meeting". (whatever that was)

That doesn't seem to be crazy to me. Seems like standard practice.

Do you disagree?

so umm wtf? [img]https://i.giphy.com/media/11vsrRFqhjOcKI/giphy.webp[/img]

Doesn't anyone trust anyone any more ??
Inre I know Joe well enough and have followed the IDHA since the 70,s
I've got a pretty good idea how the IDHA and Joe Stand on most issues .I Don't have to be involved or go to every meeting The ones I think need me I attend The others I trust those going from the groups I belong to state a view I will agree with
I Trust IDHA to take a stand I can live with that's all there is to it

I am happy that you trust the president of the IDHA absolutely with your hunting. Frankly, I do trust him to a point. As I recall, I was against the one buck rule, BUT several years into it I have certainly changed my opinion. I believe he and the IDHA were for it.
However, I do take a peek at the checkbook every once in a while even though I trust my wife and she handles our finances.
So, for me, its not so much a trust issue because I don"t know the people making decisions and recommendations on my behalf.
Surely, there is a way to take the pulse of the hunters in this state AND compile AND analyze AND consider that information.
Make sense?
Or is just allowing allowing a very select few with no real constituency ok?

Ferb.... where have you seen a "few" make a decision on deer hunting rules and the DNR not take public input on the subject?
Please do tell.... maybe I am missing something!

DNR has done random hunter surveys by mail over the years, using the mailing address info on file from license purchasers. I've actually gotten one or two of those surveys. They also provide the on-line input form when there's a significant issue up for consideration. The most recent one I recall participating in was the center-fire rifle issue. That was before our illustrious state legislature took over and over-rode the DNR's decision on that one. But they seem to take input from all-comers whether it is groups or individuals, and consider the various sources of input. I highly doubt they are naive about this in any way. You can bet though, that the various DNR powers-that-be have their own personal preferences on these issues, and those preferences will always be meaningful toward any final policy.

Not exactly what I am asking about. I have the right and the ability to give my input to the IDNR directly at certain meetings. I get that.

My question was simply does the IDHA have a mechanism for polling its members and relaying that information to the people who do make decisions. OR does the president simply relay his agenda and assume it is what everyone else wants?

The simple answer and the one that most organizations in this country would give is that they value the opinions of their membership and seek to enlighten themselves and those hunters outside their membership by representing the opinions/desires of their members in one united voice. Not sure the IDHA actually exists anymore.

I have my answer. Thanks for engaging in a civil manner. All my best.