Boy when you fellas get your heads together stuff happens!
Let me see now
#1 Feb is good, your timeing is right to make the most difference in livestock loss.
Or as you mentioned , wildlife loss. Just another angle to play perhaps.
#2, probably a good idea, it is going to creat hard feelings though , as you also mentioned.
There are going to be folks who are liable to feel the judging of criteria to be biased.
And how will you verify experiance?
#3, fair enough.
#4,Quite a few items here,
The idea of drawing for areas that soon before the contest ,does reduce the likely hood of baiting. The tests and safegaurds you mentioned should reduce the likely hood of cheating in the area of night calling.
The guide system you want is where I see the major blockages to the system.
I am not sure if it is realistic to think that you would be able to recrute that many guides.
Ranchers as you know are going to be very busy that time of year, and to pay a hand to go along could be iffy. Also with relying on that many different personalities in guides that opens up another can of worms.
Perhaps another idea since you will already know what areas are going to be hunted. Let it be known that there will be roving patrols out with spotting scopes watching for misdeeds.
Even going so far as to mention a plane in the air would help tremendously.
One friend with a small aircraft doing a few low level passes , and the thought of a spotting scope perhaps watching over them from somewhere I feel might be enough of a deterent.
# 5, Nuff said ,
#6,same deal.
# 7,Great idea.
#8, another great idea.
#9, even a better idea.
# 10, I am not sure about this one, calling together is a good thing for a contest, however if they elect to ride 4 wheelers you may be opening yourself up to liability by forcing them to ride on the same unit.
I think that the thought of a roving patrol may reduce the chance of spliting up to an acceptable degree.
Numbers #11, #12 ,and # 13 all good solid ideas.
# 14, make it an even 50.
You might even play on that number a little.
Call it Wiley E's top fifty showdown.
I hope that my ideas arent too far in left field, but remember you did ask.
Craig.
