Possible Hunting ban in the Huron-Manistee National Forest

[Dan]

Has anyone got more background information, so that when I attend the upcoming public hearings I'll have some preparation?

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5245590.pdf

[Dan]

I talked to Forest Planner, Cadillac Office, Ken Arborgast today, and by the way he's no relation to the famous hula popper and jitterbug creator. He clarified some issues for me. The public meetings coming up are only informational. No public comment will be taken. If you want to be heard, you have to use the site in the aforementioned link and submit your comments in writing. If this proposal moves ahead, then they would schedule more public comment meetings at a later date.
As I understand the ban, it would pertain to some of the nonmotorized and primitive areas within the Huron-Manistee National Forest.
In 2006, when they made their environmental plan, they neglected to take care of a few details and were sued. The man filing the suit would like these 13 designated areas to be quiet areas without motorized vehicles or hunting. The total amount of acreage affected would be about 66,000 acres. The areas are spread around within the Huron and Manistee Forests.
This looks like a small amount of land compared to the acreage of the combined forests, and who could argue with having some of the land set aside as primitive/quiet areas? Right? After all, isn't that what we would like to see more of in cities etc., land being set aside for citizens to use that is protected from development.
However, the danger in this case, as I see it, is that making these areas off limits to hunting (and snowmobiling, etc.) is that it sets a precedence that future suits, that may be filed, could use as part of their arguments to ban hunting in more areas. Precedence is an important aspect of a case that a judge considers in rulings.
In my opinion, these areas are quiet, and don't have hunting for the majority of the year. Hunting seasons, by law, limits the time these areas are used for that purpose. Deer hunting with a firearm takes up about 4% of the time, 2 weeks out of 52. I don't think that that is unreasonable.
I'm going to attend at least one of the public informational meetings next week. I'll try to gather more information so I have a more informed position.
If anyone has more info., or interprets what's on the net differently, I'd like to hear it. Knowledge is power.