It's Past Time to Resign my Master Hunter Certification

[huntingfool7]

I looked real hard at the MH program when it first came out.  I decided there were better places and better ways to volunteer my time.  In my opinion, the Master Hunter program was a good idea with admirable goals.  It's shortcomings are primarily due to bureaucratic execution.

I'm sure your letter will be well thought out and well written. 

[REHJWA]

I am not a MH.
I have misgivings about anyone "falling on a sword".
I believe your letters have a greater impacted because you are a MH...not because you resign as a MH.
I don't see how being apart of the MH program endorses everything the WDFW does. 
You are standing up for what you believe by writing the letters.
All that being said, if you believe you are being used for political reasons then by all means resign.
Best wishes.

[pianoman9701]

I am not a MH.
I have misgivings about anyone "falling on a sword".
I believe your letters have a greater impacted because you are a MH...not because you resign as a MH.
I don't see how being apart of the MH program endorses everything the WDFW does. 
You are standing up for what you believe by writing the letters.
All that being said, if you believe you are being used for political reasons then by all means resign.
Best wishes.

Interesting points. Thank you.

[Special T]

I am not a MH.
I have misgivings about anyone "falling on a sword".
I believe your letters have a greater impacted because you are a MH...not because you resign as a MH.
I don't see how being apart of the MH program endorses everything the WDFW does. 
You are standing up for what you believe by writing the letters.
All that being said, if you believe you are being used for political reasons then by all means resign.
Best wishes.

  This carries a lot of weight with me. I looked into it as a harvest opportunity and decided i would do some thing else, like spend time at My Archery club and help the sport in that way...

By quitting you get 1 shot to send a message, and make a stand. By staying you get to hound them to do the right thing from the inside...

IMO We make things happen because we are persistent, Always pushing, selling, explaining. Just because you have talked to your blue in the face repeating the same points 100's of times does NOT mean the next person has ANY idea what your talking about, and couldn't use some eye opening education...

Some times you don't have to quit and give them the bird, some times you just have to step back, catch your breath and re asses the situation. Being "Known", knowing the players, and the terms and verbage is a lot of dealing with Gov agencies. Perhaps being a MH isn't in the cards any longer, OR perhaps your focus needs to change on WHAT you are doing within the program.

I must say I WE have had the conversation on HW before how WE wish there were more hunters and anglers representing us from the inside.(since there seems to be so many predator lovers and ecofreaks in the department)

Perhaps senior MH need to organise a round table of just senior MH to address the WDFW with some of its stupidity from an organized factual position... Viewing it from both sides of the coin, Hunters and agency.. 

[pianoman9701]

You guys make interesting points about working on it from the inside. Thanks.

[ELKBURGER]

You guys make interesting points about working on it from the inside. Thanks.

There are some good points for sure. I guess a guy could make a statement as an active member of the MH program. It sounds like you're in good company with Ghosthunter. I bet you 2 could work together to make the program what it was intended to be, and more.

[leed]

   I'm glad someone else sees the light!

[Bullkllr]

1. I understand feeling the need to resign based on your personal beliefs.

2. I don't see an indictment of the MH program here.

3. A one-person protest will likely be quickly written off as "one disgruntled nay-sayer", no matter how heart-felt or well planned it is. It won't garner a second thought.

4. The only thing that seems to get the WDFW's attention are numbers; as in a group of some kind has to be represented to get any attention toward a policy change.

How can you best do that?

[danderson]

  Everyone has there own way of giving back, weather enrolling in the Master Hunter program, becoming a Hunter Education Instructor, or mentoring the kid next door, it is what you make of it, all our opinions should matter, but unfortunately I know that's not true, actions speak louder than words, I like the fact that Hunter education is were you feel your time will be best served,

[pianoman9701]

You guys make interesting points about working on it from the inside. Thanks.

There are some good points for sure. I guess a guy could make a statement as an active member of the MH program. It sounds like you're in good company with Ghosthunter. I bet you 2 could work together to make the program what it was intended to be, and more.

IMHO, the MH program itself is a fine program and I think that for the most part, the people who are in it are there for the right reasons - there are always exceptions. That program is not the problem. It's the fact that MHs are a tool of the administration with whom I so strongly take exception. I guess I have to decide which is the best way to affect change and redress the grievances that so many of us have about the management of the DFW and the Watchable Wildlife Commission.

[Rider]

Before you resign consider teaching someone else to be a master hunter including your ethics.
It is because of a master hunter I met this year that I am learning even more than what my Dad taught me.

[pianoman9701]

Before you resign consider teaching someone else to be a master hunter including your ethics.
It is because of a master hunter I met this year that I am learning even more than what my Dad taught me.

That's important to me. I do mentor a young neighborhood boy in archery and we talk about ethics all the time. Good comment.

[arrowflinger]

Fight the power!!! Keep doing what you believe! I will keep my MH card and fight for what I believe in.
Wolves are here to stay even if we all quit hunting!! But I would love to read your letters and maybe even help pass them along.

[wence5]

I looked real hard at the MH program when it first came out.  I decided there were better places and better ways to volunteer my time.  In my opinion, the Master Hunter program was a good idea with admirable goals.  It's shortcomings are primarily due to bureaucratic execution.

I'm sure your letter will be well thought out and well written.

I, like you, looked at the program a few years ago and came to the same conclusion. For that reason I never perused finishing the MH program. 

[fair-chase]

Is there a way that you can contact all of the enrolled members of the MH program? If so, getting a letter of grievance signed by a significant number of the enrolled members would have much more of an impact than you going at it alone.