Re: the Aug. 30 guest opinion "Let's not make areas too restricted."
I am a hunter and an angler, and I think Larry Audsley is demonstrably wrong.
Unfortunately, Audsley has either limited information or he willingly disregards the great body of literature that clearly shows the benefit wilderness and wild lands provide to wildlife, including many game species.
Wilderness provides those of us who value relatively unencumbered hunting and fishing opportunities a chance to experience the solitude and beauty of landscapes that have, to some degree, escaped the ravages of massive human intrusion.
As to Forest Service policy, as a former recreation manager with the agency, I am very familiar with their policies.
Forest policy can be changed at the whim of a manager or an anti-conservation administration. Wilderness cannot, and that makes a huge difference if one is planning on passing on a hunting and fishing legacy to the next generation.
Rod Mondt
Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Tucson
