1st blog

I am writing to inform you on a law that is being misinterpreted. It affects my job which is a ND Outfitter. Since 2003 I have outfitted in North Dakota and my outfitting business has always had a booking agent that helps us find clientele. People looking for hunting or fishing vacations, like using booking agents cause of their security and knowledge of the operations and they are usually located in areas that have a demand for them. Last May 2008 our booking agent contacted us saying that they have received a letter From the ND game and Fish’s Law enforcement saying that they were in violation of ND law by sending hunters to North Dakota and to immediately halt all bookings to North Dakota. Very much shocked to hear this we requested the law from the ND Game and Fish Law Enforcement that was prohibiting our booking agent from booking clients. The law that was sent to use is as follows (20.1-03-36. Guides and Outfitters to be licensed. An Individual may not act as a guide or outfitter or advertise or otherwise represent to public as a guide or outfitter without a license), and the definition of a Outfitter (is a person that holds the person’s business operation out to the public for hire or consideration; provides facilities or services for consideration; maintains, leases, or otherwise provides compensation for the use of land and which receives compensation from a third party for use of that land; or otherwise uses equipment or accommodations for consideration for the conduct of outdoor recreational activities, including hunting animals or birds and fishing on lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and streams. An outfitter may act as a guide).After reading all of this we were as confused as probably you are right now. We had to call up the chief of the ND Game and Fishes law Enforcement to clarify what they are doing is illegal. They did allot of shuffling around the department to come up with an answer and the answer they gave use was the ND Game and Fish is interoperating our booking agent as an Outfitter. Which does not make a lot of sense cause all my booking agent does for me is get hunters to come to ND and books flights if needed for the clientele. My booking agent has nothing to do with the outfitting or guiding, they do not take clients out hunting or fishing, do not own any part of my operation, do not own land in ND, do not consider them self as outfitting in any way or form. They only consider themselves as a booking agent in helping hunters and fisherman find good outfitters. Hunters and fisherman looking for a vacation like using booking agents because of their security, the booking agent that I use is a highly respected booking agent by outdoorsman, all outdoor trips are checked out to make sure there operations aren’t shady. So to say that what they are doing is wrong, which is bringing the state revenue and creating jobs for myself and others is illegal in North Dakota? After some disagreements with the ND Game & Fishes Enforcement Division we thought we better talk to some legislators and inform them on what is happening. We have got the support from numerous legislators and they cannot understand the reasoning for the actions ND G&F Enforcement and actually are appalled to hear this. I hope North Dakota is aware that we are the only place in the world that does not allow this booking agent or any other booking agents to send hunters and fisherman to our state. I hope that you can see my frustration, I plan to have this changed in legislative session in 09 with the support of ND legislatures and local public and hopefully any one that reads this.