AND THE GAMES BEGIN ... http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/14153061.htm Well, enjoy the moment for the ban on canned hunts. For 90 days Hoosiers can expect zero,nada, nothing, nichts to happen. After that time the Governor will sign "it." Then the REAL fun begins. As we get closer and closer to the next hunting (business) season ....... compromise, compromise, compromise. They will compromise until you won't be able to get a nose hair of difference between what the 12 - 15 operators wanted all along from the legislature, and the "administrative" agreement the Governor is already babbling about. Find another business where you can circumvent the legislature, operate on a wink-wink from some field personnel, and then get the state taxpayers to buy you out????? Since this will all be in litigation there goes the right to public information on the details. Who are the 12 - 15 operators? .... EXACTLY? ..... and where did they get their shoot to kill stock? And how have they been filing their tax returns? It would have been quicker, neater, and less lucrative for many lawyers if the legislature had just agreed to buy them out, but there is the ritual dance for the public which must be carried out. Three steps forward and then back to square one .... with a sunset clause that could have, would have, been agreed on last month except that the public howled for this TO STOP. So, sadly this blog can't close out yet. Enjoy the moment. We have a ban - but not really. Thanks to the NRC Committee. Thanks to the DNR Director. Good job. But - why not surprise us and not agree to extortion in 90 days? Keep checking in. With the canned hunt ban kind of, sort of, but not really in place yet, the public attention will drift and then WHAMMO...... here comes the Governor's "administrative" solution - Note to the Governor: Why not consider the profits already taken (and enjoyed) as compensation, let them extirpate present stock (no restocking), and get on with it. If they continued to have enough spare cash around to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in their individual live antlers and semen without legislative authority, maybe they shouldn't be rewarded for their "investment." Maybe. Just think about it, OK?