Help get out of state prices lowered for WMA land!!!

Badride is trying to have more trials opened in TN. Also, have the ridiculous out of stat prices lowered. Please read and see if you can help.

badride wrote:

The OHV program in Tennessee is managed by TWRA. It is funded by federal grants. The source of the grants is the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). The RTP is funded by a percentage of the tax on each gallon of gas sold across the country. The TWRA is responsible for a 20% cash match. Example, TWRA has to come up with $20,000 to get a $80,000 grant to total $100,000. The source of matching funds is TWRA's wildlife and / or wetland fund: or fees charged by TWRA for use of the North Cumberland WMA trails.

As you can see above, it is a grey area about funding, this and that or this, and TWRA can apparently move money around to suit their needs. How do we know the money from the grant is actually used on the trails and not put into the general fund of TWRA? The OHV program could stand on it's own if managed properly. Just look at the OHV riding area map. The only portion of land they show for OHV use is on the east side of I 75. They do manage those trails but they don't promote any of the land to the west side. Actually, they closed some of the existing trails there. If this area that lies between Brimstone and Windrock was managed properly and the trails there were marked and the old trails re-opened, and the out of state permits costs were dropped, it would increase tourism in the state. With all 3 permits, Brimstone, Windrock and the now WMA land that would give us access to over 200,000 acres! You could ride from Oliver Springs to Huntsville all the way to I75. That would be good for all of us.

TWRA is already rocked back on their heels and are in "wind down mode" which means if the bill that is in the state legislature isn't passed the TWRA will go out of bussiness. Check out this article below. If you have an issue with TWRA now is the time to contact your state rep or senator. I have a meeting with my state senator this friday to address my issues with TWRA. Brimstone is haveing a similar meeting with state reps/senators/mayor and other government officials on October 7th in Huntsville which I plan to attend. I want the OHV portion of TWRA to be removed and placed in a separate organization. Having a "game warden" over the OHV program is like having the fox guarding the hen house. Another issue is I want the in-state OHV permits lowered to the same price as the hunting license. If you agree, please post here and I will pass your coments on to the senator. I would like some replies from out of state riders also to show that you out of state guys would buy permits if they were a resonable price.

http://www.newschannel9.com/articles/agency-1001096-twra-house.html

I for one pray that this happens. TWRA does what ever they want. They report to a 13 member panel that has 6 year staggered terms. The openings are filled by the govenor at the time. TWRA is also over what little off road program there is in North Cumberland - Sunquist unit. TWRA does NOT listen to the people of the state and use any of their input before making any policy changes.

After our last Govenor bought the land that was under Brimstone management, the TWRA wasted little time in closing most of the trails. What we need is for the OHV program to be removed from TWRA and placed in a separate program which will be dedicated to promoting OHV use in the state. It has worked for other states and it could here.

So, pass the word and get everyone you can to post a coment here. Let's make this happen while we have the opportunity. Please leave your first name, city and state if possible. I want to show how many people both in and out of state are supporting this.

we are from ohio and we do not go because of the high out of state fees would be a great place because its right off 75 we would definitely use more if the fees was more reasonable .that is the main reason why we go to hatfield mccoy 6 trail systems for 50 dollars a year is a great deal . we do 4 trips a year a usual cost of 500 dollars trip. we would definitely change 2 trrips to tennessee I know more would because everybody says royal blue is too expensive

Here is a topic converstaion between me and Badride on the windrock board::::::

Stakk:::
Badride, the main problem is Stan Stooksbury. the TWRA does not need to manage the OHV that is a major conflict of interest. Stan was in the Brimstone office about 1.5 years ago and me and Erika were the only 2 people there, I told him...and I quote" charging $191.00 for out of state riders isn't a good way to promote OHV riding in this state".....His response was and I quote and will put my hand on the bible..."We dont want Royal Bloue to turn into a Windrock"......I swear on my mothers grave he said that, meaning he doesnt want the large numbers of riders. thus the conflict, he doesnt want the ATV's but sure likes their money and grant dollars. basically TWRA is using the OHV funds which is where most of there revenuw comes from and using it to float thier hunting agenda. Most all agents have a "God complex" and love strutting around with their pistols on their sides like they are a US marshall or something. anyone that has has dealings with them knows this is true. I could care less if they disband the TWRA, We just need the OHV program as far away and out of their hands as possible.


Badride:::
I totally agree Stakk!

I was told basicly the same thing from one of the TWRA officers when I asked about the higher prices for out of state riders. He finally said "we don't really want you over here just riding, we for SURE don't want a bunch of out of state people over here riding"


Stakk:::::
So the legislature and officials NEED to know this, TWRA is NOT in the business of PROMOTING ATV/OHV riding in this state. they don't want large numbers of riders, thus the conflict. Ask this question to the official Why are we giving an agency management power over something that they want to "keep down" or not promote? it's foolish!!!! the state is LOSING tourism revenue with the Wildlife agency managing the OHV!! What you were told and I was told by those TWRA agents is NOT promoting OHV, they are hindering it by there mindset of "There don't want people riding"......I will more than happy to help anyway I can.....let's all band together to get the OHV program out of the TWRA's control and create a stand alone OHV agency with Pro-OHV officails not anti-ohv like the TWRA is.

Most of the land in question was paid for by residents of TN from hunting fishing licenses fee were collected. From my point of view and along with other people who over the years have paid license fees i sure would hate to see it go the way of windrock. Brimstone charges 60$ (help me out here) a year for 20,000 acres(?) ayear.

$191 for twra is a heck of a lot more available land to ride over TN. Buck up if you want to ride, dont let the TN sportsman foot your bill so you can have a cheap place to ride. Dont take away our mananged wildlife areas

90% of people that ride just buy the hunting fishing liscense. The WMA would still be there the TWRA would just be gone. and they are not selling enough hunting fishing permits to stay in business, thus the disbanding. You just saw the comments where this agency DON'T WANT PEOPLE RIDING. fine, take the power out of their hands, either allow riding with affordable permits and have an agency that PROMOTES the OHV or simply close all the riding in the WMA. don't half ass something and pay the state lip service like they have all these years claiming to be a good manager of OHV riding and then working behind the scenes to restrict it and keep it down.

Rhino Rob wrote:

Most of the land in question was paid for by residents of TN from hunting fishing licenses fee were collected. From my point of view and along with other people who over the years have paid license fees i sure would hate to see it go the way of windrock. Brimstone charges 60$ (help me out here) a year for 20,000 acres(?) ayear.

$191 for twra is a heck of a lot more available land to ride over TN. Buck up if you want to ride, dont let the TN sportsman foot your bill so you can have a cheap place to ride. Dont take away our mananged wildlife areas

Rob, I have to disagree with here somewhat. Yes the land is managed by TN but the majority of the money that paid for the land is Federal. Which means some of my money helped pay for that land too.

Also, you get very little managed land for you $191 bucks. They do not improve, mark or provide facilities for trail riding. Compared to Brimstone or Windrock and that is a bum deal....

Big-R wrote:

Rhino Rob wrote:

Most of the land in question was paid for by residents of TN from hunting fishing licenses fee were collected. From my point of view and along with other people who over the years have paid license fees i sure would hate to see it go the way of windrock. Brimstone charges 60$ (help me out here) a year for 20,000 acres(?) ayear.

$191 for twra is a heck of a lot more available land to ride over TN. Buck up if you want to ride, dont let the TN sportsman foot your bill so you can have a cheap place to ride. Dont take away our mananged wildlife areas

Rob, I have to disagree with here somewhat. Yes the land is managed by TN but the majority of the money that paid for the land is Federal. Which means some of my money helped pay for that land too.

Also, you get very little managed land for you $191 bucks. They do not improve, mark or provide facilities for trail riding. Compared to Brimstone or Windrock and that is a bum deal....

Big-R wrote:

Rob, I have to disagree with here somewhat. Yes the land is managed by TN but the majority of the money that paid for the land is Federal. Which means some of my money helped pay for that land too.

In 1994, 50,000 acres of the Koppers Coal Reserve falling partially into Scott County were purchased by the State of Tennessee and the Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area was established. In 2003, the state purchased an adjoining tract of land, totaling more than 70,000 acres, and established the Sundquist Wildlife Management Area, named for former Tennessee Gov. Don Sundquist. Acquisition of the area was made possible through a coalition of private partners and federal grant awards. In 2007, the 40,000 acres of Huntsville-based Brimstone Company were sold in a deal between the State of Tennessee and Lyme Timber Co. Approximately half of the property was used to establish a new wildlife management area.

Boys and those that have commercial interests in promoting riding areas,. Dont be a welfare recipient, get out there and pay your share instead of piggybacking off the honest sweat of tn taxpayers AND the Tn sportsmen who invested in the WMA's.
sound like a bunch of norleans.

Rob, you still dont get it? this WMA was NOT mostly funded by TN taxpayers or TN Sportsmen!!! 20% of the funds comes from Hunting and liscenses, the other 80% is federal matching dollars or grants!!! Out of staters tax dollars paid for nearly 80% of these WMA's!!!

No big deal Brimstone and Windrock want my money and so does Virgina and Kentucky - let them go out of business.

Now if they had 1 permit at $191 / year to ride Brimstone, Windrock and the WMA in between I would gladly pay it.

wvyankee2 wrote:

Big-R wrote:

Rob, I have to disagree with here somewhat. Yes the land is managed by TN but the majority of the money that paid for the land is Federal. Which means some of my money helped pay for that land too.

In 1994, 50,000 acres of the Koppers Coal Reserve falling partially into Scott County were purchased by the State of Tennessee and the Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area was established. In 2003, the state purchased an adjoining tract of land, totaling more than 70,000 acres, and established the Sundquist Wildlife Management Area, named for former Tennessee Gov. Don Sundquist. Acquisition of the area was made possible through a coalition of private partners and federal grant awards. In 2007, the 40,000 acres of Huntsville-based Brimstone Company were sold in a deal between the State of Tennessee and Lyme Timber Co. Approximately half of the property was used to establish a new wildlife management area.

FYI, the state was broke during this time and used NONE of it's own funds for the 2007 deal of Brimstone with Lyme, the state borrowed the millions needed to take this land from the Nature Conservancy, and to this day has not paid them back the first cent they borrowed. I wish people really knew how the Bredesen adminstration along with the TWRA schemed and strong armed their agenda through officails that really didnt know the details of the deal. The state wasted almost 100 million dollars on this deal and got nothing, they don't own the coal, gas,mineral or timber rights, surface rights nothing......our tax dollars wasted.

Like was mentioned by Badride, they dont even manage the new property, the 20,000 acres of the Brimstone tract has not been touched since 2007, let alone maintained, all that was done was signs posted and trails closed, not maintained and yes trails that hunters liked to use.

just do without one of the latest and greatest add ons for your sxs and you will have plenty of $ for gas and permits to ride in TN for a year.

Heck of a deal for you out of staters to ride the Premier Cumberland Mountains and ALL of the other WMA ohv approved areas in TN. Make a choice, man up or quit yer bitchin

I think they ought to double their prices to keep the Damn Yankee's out!.

us damn yankees can just keep our money too

Rhino Rob wrote:

just do without one of the latest and greatest add ons for your sxs and you will have plenty of $ for gas and permits to ride in TN for a year.

Heck of a deal for you out of staters to ride the Premier Cumberland Mountains and ALL of the other WMA ohv approved areas in TN. Make a choice, man up or quit yer bitchin

Rob, that is the problem. We have ALL paid for the land numbers of time. Not only in TN but in KY and many other states.