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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | The Cass Lake spearing amendment was added last night and passed on the Fish and Game Bill. It's next step is to go to the Pawlenty for his signing. If you're against it please contact Tim Pawlenty and ask him for a veto.
'[email protected]'
Rumor has it the DNR doesn't like this bill either and will be asking for a veto as well so the more opposition we can get against it the stronger we make their case.
Thanks,
Shawn |
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Posts: 256
| E-mail sent. |
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Posts: 994
Location: Minnesota: where it's tough to be a sportsfan! | Thank you Shawn for keeping this up front for all of us. For all our out- of - state brothers: please don't feel this is a Minnesota issue only. The decline of a pure strain Muskie fishery in any state will affect the future of the entire Muskie Range and the quality we all work so hard to obtain and protect. Please take the time to let your voice be heard too!
Shawn as soon as you hear the outcome please post here. thanks again, Jake |
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Posts: 75
| I called the office of Gov. Pawlenty to request he veto the bill allowing spearing on Cass lake.
The person I spoke with was not aware of the Pawlenty position on that topic. I gave examples of how our lake has had the larger pike removed, the spearing of fish other than pike and I did not beleive the DNR was in favor of removing the ban.
It took less the 5 minutes to make the call. A few more calls would not hurt. |
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Posts: 75
| If you need the contact information:
To contact Governor Tim Pawlenty and Lt. Governor Carol Molnau
Telephone: (651) 296-3391
Toll Free: (800) 657-3717
Facsimile: (651) 296-2089
E-mail: [email protected]
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| I saw that there were increased penalties for spearing muskies in the bill. What exactly does that mean? |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | email sent from the Land of Lincoln, don't fish there but hoping for the best for you guys |
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Posts: 223
Location: minneapolis | E-mail Done !
This Governor has never hesitated before to exercise his line item veto authority- let's hope he does it again with this spearing provision ! |
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Posts: 829
Location: Maple Grove, MN | I made the call. It only takes a minute. |
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Posts: 470
Location: Blaine, MN | e-mail sent, and call completed. |
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Posts: 994
Location: Minnesota: where it's tough to be a sportsfan! | The Govenors office set up a young man to answer the calls, record the count on those opposed to this bill being signed into law and make the report to the Govenor. It sounded like they are getting allot of calls!! Let them hear from us, there is never too many at the critical hour. Toll Free: (800) 657-3717
Thanks all you out of Staters for your help too! |
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Posts: 275
| I called. It is important that the Governor hears from us.
Tom |
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| Has anyone heard if he vetoed this or not? I mad my call this morning and an email last night! |
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Posts: 1296
Location: WI | Will call today. Lots of things in that bill I disagree with. Grouse "hunting" within 10 feet of a vehicle? Rediculous. |
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| There are other changes they want also. Allowing two lines on open water but you pay another $10 for that endorsement. Your limits are cut in half once you pay for the entire season. I don't like that. Star Tribune has an article about the omnibus bill and DNR Commissioner Mark Holstens not really happy about and might recommend a veto. That was posted on the 18th around 10pm.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/94207814.html?elr=KArksL... |
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Posts: 203
Location: Alexandria, Minnesota | E-Mail sent, Thanks for all of your hard work Shawn and Kevin Cochran
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Just saw this thread. E-mail sent. I will post the contents of my email below, simply to clarify the issue (as I see it) for those who might want to submit an email to Governor Pawlenty, but are unsure of what to ask for.
THANKS to all involved over there, for the efforts at the local level. And thanks to everyone who spoke out across the entire range of the fishery, for supporting this tremendously important issue.
TB
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Dear Governor Pawlenty,
As a concerned Muskellunge angler and a member of the Muskies Inc. organization, I feel compelled to send this email in regards to the Cass Lake spearing ban. I urge you to veto the bill that would lift the spearing ban on this body of water.
While I am not a citizen of your great state, I do live in Wisconsin--a state with its own heritage of the spearing of fish. Thus I can appreciate the debate between those who favor spearing, and those who do not. I simply cannot understand why it is so vital that spearing be allowed on this particular lake--when there are apparently many other lakes (with lesser Muskellunge populations) where spearing is already allowed. And given that the Cass Lake Muskellunge fishery is very valuable to your state as a whole, I question why it would be necessary to risk the confusion that is sure to exist in the positive identification of the targeted species (Northern Pike), and the protected species (Muskellunge)? From above, these two species look nearly identical, and therefore it should be quite obvious that a person throwing a spear might mistakenly injure or kill a musky while intending to take a pike. Thus it seems incredulous that the State of Minnesota would even consider allowing this potential for such unintended harvest to exist; doesn't this undermine the efforts of the fisheries professionals trying to enhance this important fishery? And then to allow the mistake to go unmitigated by providing a "penalty-free" time in which the offending angler can report the mistake and surrender the Muskellunge? This simply absolves the angler throwing the spear of the responsibility to make proper identification of their target *before* the spear is thrown! The end result is still the same however...one more dead musky.
In this uncertain economy, I cannot understand why any government body would knowingly allow a valuable resource such as the Cass Lake musky population to be compromised in such a way. Simply put, the Muskellunge fishery in Minnesota is worth millions in anglers' dollars spent on a yearly basis in pursuit of this great fish. But I have to wonder, how many anglers would make a conscious decision to avoid Cass Lake in the future, once spearing is allowed on that body of water? I would argue that the public perception of a dwindling Muskellunge fishery in Cass Lake (as a result of the loss of fish brought on through spearing activities) will only hurt the local economy, in addition to potentially decimating the local population. Muskellunge populations can be measured in 0.5 - 1 adult fish per acre (or less), and although the lake is almost 16,000 acres in size, it will likely not be long before the population of Muskellunge in the lake has been dramatically affected. Muskies and Northern Pike simply look too similar for there to not be mistakes made. So in my opinion this is not a matter of 'if' there will be a problem, but rather a matter of 'when.' Thus I urge you to reconsider the value of the Muskellunge fishery in Cass Lake before allowing the spearing ban to be lifted. Simply put, it should not be lifted--and the muskies in that lake should be protected as intended by the fine professionals in your Department of Natural Resources. Therefore I formally request that you please veto the bill to lift this ban on spearing.
In conclusion, thank you very much for your time and attention in this matter. The concerned musky anglers of your state--and indeed, the concerned musky anglers across the entire North American continent--are relying on you to make the right decision on this vital issue. Please say NO to lifting the ban on spearing on Cass Lake.
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas C. Betka, MD, BS (Aquatic Biology)
former Vice President of Research for Muskies Inc.
current Research Director, Titletown Muskies Inc.
Green Bay, WI
Edited by tcbetka 5/19/2010 4:42 AM
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Posts: 42
Location: Shoepack | I contacted my State Rep, Jim Davine - DFL 62A. He replied back twice indicating he doesn't support the bill. |
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Posts: 42
Location: Shoepack | I thought the Star Tribune article was interested as it seemed to me to be somewhat biased toward the groups urging vetos. Because I agree with that stand, it was fine. I did expect a bit more explanation for the pro-bill advocates.
I called the governor's office urging a veto. The entire process took about 15 seconds.
Edited by Qrocks 5/19/2010 8:55 AM
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | Keep up the calls and emails. I think if we keep the pressure on we'll get that veto.
If we can help get this veto'd I think that some legislatures will start to see what a large and vocal group we can be. Once it's noticed what we can do I think more legislators will be more wary of sponsoring/supporting legislation against our fishery in the future.
A HUGE thank you to everyone who was called, emailed and testified on this and other topics!!!!!!!!!! Underhill, Cochran and I are only as influential as the support we receive from you all. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Response received from my email:
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Thank you for contacting Governor Pawlenty’s office with your thoughts. Because the Governor’s e-mail gets several hundred e-mail a day this reply is set up to notify you that your important message has been received.
Messages are routed to the appropriate person for assistance or compiled by issue area for the Governor’s review. Please know that your comments are important to our office and will be thoroughly considered.
If you need immediate attention, please call the Governor's office at (651) 296-3391 or 1-800-657-3717.
Thank you for taking the time to contact our office. Active and thoughtful citizens like you make Minnesota a great state in which to live.
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At least they sent a reply. Hopefully they will be seeing a lot of these types of emails!
TB |
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| I believe today will be the last day that you will be able to call. Please do so. If this goes through all the spearing bans will potentially be lifted next year. |
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| Called and emailed. Worth a try. |
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Location: Racine, Wi | Email sent. |
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Posts: 2089
| Light up the phones!!!!!!!!! 651-296-3391. State you are OPPOSED to the bill put before the Gov. |
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Posts: 994
Location: Minnesota: where it's tough to be a sportsfan! | Have we heard anything on this VETO? |
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Posts: 994
Location: Minnesota: where it's tough to be a sportsfan! | I just spoke with the Govenor's office they are still taking input. She said they are still getting a number of calls on the Fish & Game Bill. Takes under two mins to make this call, all they want is your first name and what city you are from. Then say VETO the Fish & Game bill...that's it.
Telephone: (651) 296-3391
Toll Free: (800) 657-3717
Facsimile: (651) 296-2089
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Location: Green Bay, WI | I would echo that recommendation, with one caveat--take a few more seconds to give your rationale for the request. Something to the effect of:
"Please veto the bill to allow spearing on Cass Lake, because too many muskies will be mistakenly injured or killed."
...something to that effect. Use whatever reason you feel strongly about.
In my opinion, this is better because it outlines the rationale behind the call, and (because it is a very valid concern) supports the argument to disallow spearing on that lake. Otherwise I think the concern is that we have simply gotten a bunch of people together to 'stuff the ballot box,' and this can be more easily discredited. So cite a reason for your request. It only takes 3-5 more seconds...
TB |
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | At the end of April the DNR released their projections on what would happen to the northern pike fishery on Cass if spearing was opened up as well. You can see that info here.
http://michapter54.com/pubfolder/Cass/NOP%20Cass%20Lake%20Model.pdf
Their projections show that opening up spearing (a segment of the population that constitutes 1% of the angling public) would increase northern pike harvest by 52% on the lake. But the far more concerning figure is that they would decrease the number of 30"+ pike in the lake by 40%.
These DNR projections and the concern over what it would do to the northern pike fishery and in turn, all species in the lake, is another thing worth mentioning.
Aaron |
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Posts: 1516
| Made my call from CR and let them know as a vacationer in that part of MN i wouldn't want to see the muskie and pike populations in Cass harmed by spearing |
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