Letter: Fish & Game benefits those who are wealthy

The California Department of Fish and Game caters to wealthy people. Fish and Game indirectly helps owners of property to set up a “private land management” program, which allows the owner to develop a hunting club or business. The Fish and Game sells them special deer tags that the owner or manager sells to hunters for a higher price. The hunter must give his tag or buy the special tag. You have to purchase two tags to get one deer.

Example: Rock Creek PLM – hunters can hunt from Oct. 24 to Nov. 30, a total of 29 days. Across the barbed wire fence, hunters can only hunt from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1, which is only nine days. This discrepancy gives great advantage to the wealthy hunter.

I have been hunting in this area for over 60 years, with written permission. I have my regular tag to hunt this area this year, not knowing it was in the PLM program. The manager does not have a tag to sell me even if I could afford it. I am too old to scout out another hunting area.

I flew in a B24 Liberator, in WWII so we could have equal rights for all. I feel that I am losing some of my freedoms.

I an Native American (Cherokee); hunting is a part of my culture. We use all of the deer, meat, hide, antlers, bone, sinew and hooves. Many hunters only want the head mounted.

I stopped hunting birds. Also stopped fishing due to private clubs and regulations.

A thorough revision of the Fish and Game regulations should be implemented, especially eliminating the private land management programs.

Otis N. Croy
Yuba City