There is a huge story hiding in the midst of less important news items, and I would be remiss, as would every media source in the country, to not report on what has been dubbed by conservatives as the 30 x 30 Land Grab. This initiative, endorsed by President Biden (executive order 14008), is aimed at placing 30% of our nation’s land and water under federal protection/ownership by the year 2030. A Rotary program first made me aware of the 30 x 30 Initiative. Since that time concerned landowner emails and talk around Wagner have heightened my awareness.

Though the initiative supposedly protects our access to hunting and fishing on public lands, no mention is made of the private property rights of landowners. I certainly care about property owners, but I also care about my personal interests. 95% of the hunting I have done during my lifetime has been on private property through the generosity and kindness of its owners.

A conservative organization, The American Stewards of Liberty, see the initiative as an unconstitutional policy that will shift us from a nation founded on private property to control by a federal administration. They have good reason for their concern. The Biden administration’s first act to implement 30 x 30 was to remove the veto power of local governments over federal land acquisitions (Dept. of the Interior Secretarial Order 3388).

How will this “land Grab” supposedly take place? Other than the loss of local control over federal land acquisitions, our CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) will be a major player. Large quantities of money, too irresistible to pass up, will be thrown at CRP landowners who will slowly forfeit their right to control their land.

Nebraska’s Governor Rickets is leery of the 30 x 30 initiative. He has been traveling around Nebraska talking to farmers and telling them that “more transparency is needed, and no details have been provided.” Good points!

Who is behind the 30 x 30 initiative? Perhaps it started with the liberal CAP (Center for American Progress) program entitled “How Much Nature Should America keep?” Their admitted goal is to “change our country.” The CAP is funded by a George Soros backed foundation and supported by Michael Bloomberg. To me, these names are red flags. Can we believe that these anti 1st Amendment radicals are really looking out for hunters? I don’t think so.

The 30 x 30 initiative has major supporters. Other than the duck, elk, turkey, and pheasant coalitions, as well as various sportsmen’s groups, the NRA (National Rifle Association) has endorsed the 30 x 30 proposal. As you can tell by “reading between the lines,” I am a bit leery. Could they be right, and my personal apprehensions be wrong? Possible. I just wanted you to be aware of the 30 x 30 initiative. Please make certain that your county commissioners are aware of this agenda.

This past week, while visiting family in Wisconsin, Tom, my son-in-law, and I fished Lake Winnebago. The 132,000 acre lake with its many islands has a maximum depth of 21 feet, and shallow reefs dot the west shore. Tom received some great information by visiting websites where fishermen had posted advice. Fishing reef tops in 4-8 feet of water with a quarter ounce jig and a 3” length of night crawler was recommended. Though the advice didn’t seem to make sense with July’s heat, the action was steady. We took home our limits of walleye, and the action with hard-fighting drum was furious.

Oshkosh, located on Winnebago’s west bank, hosts a major air show every year. Pilots were already flying in for the show, and a number of WWII vintage aircraft flew over while we fished. During my first Winnebago adventure, an antique Ford Tri-motor flew over.

There was a second attraction as large white pelicans “camped” around our boat. Their interest in us finally occurred to me. They were waiting for us to fillet our fish in the boat. While the boat ramp area was very attractive, there was no fish-cleaning station or garbage cans – typical of Wisconsin state parks. We South Dakotans are certainly blessed with these facilities.

I was much relieved when Canada announced its border opening for August 9th. I had booked a Saskatchewan waterfowl hunt for late September – early October, and for a while it looked like there would be no hunt.

See you next week.