Ownership in Alabama

Everybody needs to be a part of something. There are many worthy endeavors. Hunting and fishing being my passion, I took pride in the fact I have a lifetime Alabama hunting and fishing license bought for me by my father. One for my 16th birthday, the other for Christmas when I was 16. Both among the first 100 ever sold in Alabama. I had ownership. I was part of something. I was motivated. I supported the Advisory Board. I supported the Commisioner. I hunted, I fished. Public lands were mine and the waters a prized possession. Then one day at the hunting club, I heard a new Commisioner was in place and he intended on instating a buck limit. It was the first time I ever worried about my place in Alabama. Surely this wouldn't happen. Then one by one Advisory Board members that were true conservationist and hunters, who took care of me, began to be displaced by people that favored the limit and people who have their own agenda. Before you knew it, BAM! We have a buck limit. This morning I recieved a phone call from a friend. He recieved a letter from the Commissioner of the Department of Game and Freshwater Fisheries of Alabama asking him to renew his fishing license. Hey, I'm for it. It is a good reminder and I wish everyone in Alabama got the letter. But on the other hand I am a little confounded he would do this. I know the economy is bad. Everybody, at this point, can blame thier troubles on the economy. I'm sure it will happen in this case but but among other things, the buck limit caused a drastic decrease in license sales and land leases. This deepened the depression for those who lease us our land. In turn less equipment, shells, clothes, guns, and so on were bought in Alabama. That means we didn't recieve the tax dollars or the matching funds from the Government in turn causing millions in shortfalls for the Department of Game and Fish. This coming at a time of budget cuts in Alabama. "Will you please buy a fishing licence?" We, the rank and file, have no ownership. At one time I had a say. I was valued and my opinion weighed. So was yours. Investigate for yourselves how the Advisory Board unanimously passed a speed limit law that was so hotly rejected by the Alabama public that it didn't last two days. The Commisioner could not sign it due to public outcry. The problem in this case was not that the law was proposed. The problem was, it was a unanamous decision in favor of it, no decent. No one on that board is in touch with rank and file Alabama hunters and fishermen. Alabama didn't want it. They did it anyway. Fortunately, Alabama fought back this time. Am I being hard? My lifetime license...I am proud of it. I want to be proud of the Commisioner and the Board but our public beaches are being given away to millionaires to build condo's. Commercial fishermen banned from daylight fishing in the veiw of them. I want what is mine. The opportunity to freely hunt and fish using good judgement and conservation practices. An all for one attitude and what is best. Not an agenda of a Commissioner shoved at me to like or leave.