WDFW bad rep

[BIGINNER]

I've never had any encounters with the wdfw.    fishing or hunting.  seems like the game warden avoid me or something.   

[Curly]

I found out his name later, when I was at a WDFW Commissioners meeting in Olympia. His name is Rich Beausoleil and he's their bear and cougar specialist. I'd be curious to know if anyone else has had any run ins with him.

I bet some of the hound guys have had run-ins with him.  He is out of Wenatchee and runs a Karelian Bear Dog.

[huntnphool]

I have never had a bad experience with WDFW law enforcement in my lifetime of hunting. I am sure they have some individuals with rough edges but I have not met any. To me their reputation is exceptional.

+1, I have talked with a few of them in the field, been checked for licenses etc and always been treated professionally and with respect.

[Knocker of rocks]

Bigtex, as usual, you go into defense mode....   Maybe the guys were just jerks.  A person can usually tell when someone is joking/goofing around, even without smileys.   

   Good point.  The knee-jerk reactions from both sides is boring. 

[buckfvr]

I know of several first hand accounts of guys being treated like scum for no apparent reason.  I personally have had only good interactions, even becoming casual friends with a few ( wardens ) over the years that made a point to visit us when we were in their areas. 

I have hunted on and off with a few different LEOs from different jurisdictions since the 80s, and one of my best hunting partners is a west side LEO , not WDFW.   There are good guys and bad eggs throughout law enforcement....even seen first hand where amongst themselves there is conflict of caricature. 

SO to me. it seems as though hunters have had more than the average share of bad encounters with WDFW.  BUt heck, Ive had bad encounters with other hunters.....bet some of you have as well.

My biggest point of focus on their henious rep is directed upward from the LEOs.  I know many law enforcement agencies keep track of individual attitudes and personal flaws that may make officers less than adequate for their jobs in the public eye, and at times wonder if WDFW LEOs arent mis managed along with everything else.   

[bigtex]

I have hunted on and off with a few different LEOs from different jurisdictions since the 80s, and one of my best hunting partners is a west side LEO , not WDFW.   There are good guys and bad eggs throughout law enforcement....even seen first hand where amongst themselves there is conflict of caricature. 

SO to me. it seems as though hunters have had more than the average share of bad encounters with WDFW.  BUt heck, Ive had bad encounters with other hunters.....bet some of you have as well.

My biggest point of focus on their henious rep is directed upward from the LEOs.  I know many law enforcement agencies keep track of individual attitudes and personal flaws that may make officers less than adequate for their jobs in the public eye, and at times wonder if WDFW LEOs arent mis managed along with everything else.   

WDFW does have a "professional" complaint/tracking system as it requried by CALEA (national accrediting agency for LE), only 2/3 natural resource agencies are accredited.

I think you bring up a very good point in "good guys and bad eggs throughout law enforcement" because you could say this about EVERY law enforcement agency. For some reason people (not all, but some) on this site seem to think that those that work in natural resource law enforcement (federal or state) are on a lower tier then their counterparts who work in general (WSP, SO, PD) law enforcement. For some reason it is "wrong" if a WDFW/USFS/NPS LEO does something but it would be "okay" if WSP or Deputy did it. I don't get it 

[buckfvr]

This being a hunting site most likely makes it look worse than it actually is................human nature.  Different user group would have same issue, probably worse with LEOs with jurisdiction over their activities.   

[Jingles]

Being a hunter and a prospector I  have had numerous occasions to interact with WDFW especially while gold dredging and have found that some of the enforcement are real P***ks while others don't know their Azz from a hole in the ground. There is one in particular that has been mentioned n other topics that I wouldn't walk across the street to emicturate on if he was on fire. Yet the main enforcement officer here is a stand up individual.  I must admit that while dredging I have had more problems with the USFWS fisheries folks than WDFW.
I think it is all a matter of how big their ego is and how much they want to try to impress people with their title.

[BULLBLASTER]

Any wdfw enforcement officer for wdfw that I have had an encounter with has been pleasant and helpful. Even the one who informed me that something that I was preparing to do was illegal and pointed out in the regs to me. I was at my truck gathering my archery gear to make a deer hunt during muzzy season assuming a lesser weapon would be legal. This was 8 years or so ago and the warden educated me and we ended up talking for an hour. To me the methods of management and the commission are the ones with the bad rep...

[pianoman9701]

I have never seen an unprofessional or discourteous gamie in the field.
The people at the Region 5 office are, without exception, very professional and courteous.
The Biologists I've worked with are knowledgeable and helpful.
The Hunter Ed people are very helpful and do everything they can to assist the instructors to be effective and have what they need.
The Master Hunter coordinator and the program itself is exceptional, especially when the other participants are there for the right reasons.

Where I start to have problems is that decisions have been and are being made that don't coincide with scientific conclusions, especially with regards to predator management. My personal belief is that some members of the wildlife/game side of the equation are more concerned with gubernatorial and public approval than they are with scientific wildlife management. And, I'm disgusted with the fact that years of liberal, even anti-hunting governors who've appointed inappropriate representatives to the commission has forced many DFW employees, from the top down, to behave in such a way as to save their jobs instead of objecting to irresponsible plans and direction. The wolf plan is a prime example of this.

[Fowlweather25]

Haven't had a bad encounter yet.   I have came back to the truck after dark to have Officer Curt Wood parked behind me.   He said "Hey just wanted to make sure you weren't lost and were going to make it out tonight".   We talked a little about hunting at the tailgate while I unpacked, and that was it.   I actually think he was genuinely concerned about someone (myself) being lost in the dark.   Seems like a good guy.   

Curt Wood is a stand up guy! Visited our camp a few times last year. His wife shot a stud mulie last year!

[vandeman17]

I have had both good and bad run in's with wardens. They seem to alternate so I will be angry and think they all suck then the next will be a good encounter and my feels change. I am just hoping that they are all good from here on out!

[dontgetcrabs]

     

[bear hunter]

Is it just me or does the WDFW have a really bad reputation and many hunters/ outdoorsmen do not support them?

From personal expeirence I've got the impression that im guilty and have to prove myself innocent.

 

[Skyvalhunter]

Whitey you know just as well as I do that the WDFW has it out for you!! Maybe you could paint your truck or buy a Ford as I sure the heck don't want them to start beliving Toyota drivers are criminals from the start!!