Originally Posted by Reggoh (Post 668708)

I think these are 2 separate issues... My situation is letting the current roads and trails get so bad that they are impassable thereby hindering areas that already have access... and your situation is the expansion of roads and trails that allow others access to areas that you once had to yourself.

It does suck for you that a spot you spent time developing by hard work and spending time is now available to others but You have just as much access as the guy in the Prius... I don't have the same access as the guy with the 4x4 ATV with the 3" lift kit.

And I do agree that some of these places have WAY too much access... it's hard to get away from a road or ATV trail on some WMA's

Originally Posted by Duck Butter (Post 668718)

Yeah my situation is a different situation I reckon. To answer your question I have never seen any road grading or road improvements happening during the hunting season. Seems they prep the roads before the season and then wiat til after (makes sense I guess). The technicians that normally do this are probably busy doing something else during the hunting season (or took off to hunt themselves:grinpimp:) Feel like it would be pointless because it would get torn up again real soon anyways and folks hunting would probably not want people on big equipment fixing trails while they are out hunting? don't know


as far as budgets go I do know that for federal refuges, money is allocated by usage. More users of the refuge gives you a higher budget. Would think its similar with state WMAs

Originally Posted by Reggoh (Post 668898)

Still no responses from the LDWF personnel that I contacted... I may have to go all "Freedom of Information" on somebody... I would like to know where this money is spent and if there is anything I can do to help decide how it's spent. This is our public land and I want to ensure it is still available for my kids and their kids.

Originally Posted by Duck Butter (Post 668702)

I am just the opposite here (although I understand it) and I think the ease of access has ruined many a good hunting grounds. There are places we would have to ride ATVs for miles through some tough stuff that are now gravel roads for vehicles. You can literally drive (and I have seen it:rotfl:) a Camaro down a gravel road at Oua****a WMA, park it on the nice shoulder, and duck hunt 50 feet from your vehicle. Same with Boeuf WMA, same with Russell Sage WMA, same with Big Lake WMA, Tensas NWR, etc.

When I am hunting, I want to be as far away from anyone else as possible and will walk as far as I can to do that, but there are very few places where you can be one mile from an ATV trail. My favorite duck hole was in Tensas, it was a long boat ride and then a 3/4 mile walk from the river, now there is an ATV trail right to it.

I think this is one of the reasons duck hunting on some of the north La WMAs has gone way downhill - its way too easy to get around now and places that were once difficult to get you can now drive to them with a Prius:spineyes:


WMAs and NWRs do shut down ATV trails during turkey season and I think it makes a big difference. Would be a circus show if not haha!

Originally Posted by Smalls (Post 675745)

Ok, so the "In My District" comment came from the district supervisor, and the rest was from the Head Biologist of WMAs?

Originally Posted by Reggoh (Post 675750)

He sent my email to the WMA Program Manager in Baton Rouge (not a biologist)... his response was that they are working on getting the answers to my fiscal questions (about budgets and how the decisions are made) but in the meantime he asked which specific areas I was concerned about so they could address them. The District supervisor sent me the email I posted but he did not erase the email trail back and forth with his boss.

So yes, the "in my district" comment was directly from him and the other was a request from his boss.

He did send me another email saying that I was not bothering him and that they encourage feedback from the WMA users and are always looking for areas to improve.

Originally Posted by Smalls (Post 675752)

That's one thing I can't fault the biologists (the only ones that aren't hired as biologists are game wardens and technicians) for is being receptive to feedback and being helpful. They definitely do their best to be public servants, at least the ones I've talked to have been. I've conversed with a few of the WMA managers, and I have nothing but positive things to say about them. Very helpful. Hopefully you get the answers you are looking for. Would definitely be nice to see something done about West Bay roads. That was the first public land I ever hunted on, and the only reason I quit hunting there was because of the roads.