Free: Contests & Raffles.
Anybody who doesn't drink the kool-aid is obviously a weyco employee Complete loss of credibility when you resort to personal attacks. If this is how you behave around WDFW I can also understand if they just cast you aside as irrelevant and remain focused on their working group members opinions. I think you've got a handful of internet doctors and biologists misinterpreting and oversimplifying this issue. I will wait to hear what the working group professionals come up with...you armchair biologists keep posting your theories to these forums...its obviously helping solve the problem
Many of us also question why WDFW has been relying so heavily on timber funded research, especially from the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI). According to their official website, "NCASI was established in 1943 by a consortium of pulp and paper companies" and "NCASI is funded largely by voluntary contributions made by its member companies — primarily forest products companies and industrial timberland owners in North America." NCASI's "expert" Toxicologist claimed during the last Working Group meeting that, “We’ve done research on the synergistic effects of herbicides… We didn’t find any.” As many have said, it's hard to find something when you're not really looking for it. Here's what I found on the subject:In 2011, researchers from the University of Siena stated that, “Because coformulants (also known as adjuvants) represent the highest amount in pesticide mixtures, even a minor toxicological concern could become significant in relation to their use especially considering the fact that, besides being toxic themselves, they can also increase the toxic effects of Active Ingredients”Of course timber funded scientists will claim herbicides are safe for the environment. It's what they're paid to "research" and "discover." Same old song and dance as it was with leaded gasoline, cigarettes, DDT, asbestos, and innumerable pharmaceuticals that were determined by scientists to be "safe." We also question why WDFW invited representatives from NCASI on their pre-meeting field trip but would not allow reps from the Washington Forest Law Center to attend. That is not transparency. That is not good faith. That does not inspire public trust.A rapidly growing coalition of hunters, conservationists and ordinary taxpaying citizens will continue to be unpersuaded by any research that is funded by the timber companies and we will not be satisfied until an independent third party research team is granted permission to study on live elk.
If you electronically search the most recent Big Game Hunting Pamphlet (effective April 1, 2014 - March 31, 2015) for the word leptospirosis you will find that it is entirely absent from this document. If you flip to page 60 dedicated to elk hoof disease, you can read the following statement: "There is no reason to believe that elk hoof disease is contagious to humans."It's important to remember that leptospirosis is considered the world’s most common zoonosis, meaning it is a communicable disease passed between animals and man. In Linda Andersson’s study in the Andaman Islands, she documented that more than 50 people per year had died as a result of leptospirosis. Hunters are among the most susceptible.Now consider the following:1) “We have detected Leptospira in the kidneys of four [elk]" said Dr. Tom Besser, a Professor at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and a member of WDFW’s technical advisory group. This was on Feb. 12, 2014. 2) Serology tests suggest WDFW/WSU only tested on 16 elk, and only 6 of the more than 200 serovars, meaning that lepstospirosis is likely much more prevalent in the herds than their limited tests indicate. 3) In 1996, Dr. Louis C. Bender, an employee of WDFW at the time, published a paper in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases entitled Leptospira interrogans Exposure in Free-ranging Elk in Washington. That can be easily found on google.4) Dr. Bender’s field research showed that 14 of 17 sampled elk had been infected by Leptospira bacteria. According to Dr. Bender, “The high seroprevalence is evidence that exposure is widespread in the herd.” 5) Dr. Mora has been warning WDFW about leptospirosis for more than a year. Again, he is a Parasitology expert and a former County Health Director. His dissertation was written entirely about leptospirosis. He has asked for no money, only permission to help. So far he has not been allowed to do so. 6) Director Phil Anderson is well aware of the threat leptospirosis poses and the reason I know that is because I was sitting across a table from him in Olympia and told it to him from my own mouth. There were five reputable witnesses to this including the Governor's Policy Adviser J.T. Austin.Now go back to the hunting pamphlet. Electronically search for the word gloves. You will not find it. Nor will you find the words blood, urine or fluids through which the bacteria are most commonly contracted by humans. You also will not find any warning that hunters should take extra precautions when harvesting elk even though they are capable of infecting hunters with a fatal disease, and even though WDFW knows and has acknowledged that leptospirosis is present in the herd. WDFW did however find the room for a 9 paragraph article written by Wildlife Program Assistant Director Nate Pamplin entitled, "Hunting camp photos keep memories alive." In closing, Pamplin wishes us all, "Good hunting."Someone who should be especially active on the subject of leptospirosis is Wayne Clifford, Manager of Pesticide Illness and Zoonotics Disease Surveillance and Prevention with the Department of Health. He is also a member of the Elk Hoof Disease Public Working Group. Some food for thought, fellas. Pure facts. You can come to your own conclusions...http://jongosch.com/infected-elk-may-pose-serious-health-risk-to-humans/
Idahohuntr seems to be an adamant supporter of the WDFW in all of their efforts, whether it be the outrageous wolf plan or their progress on the elk hoof disease issue. I wonder if he actually devotes any time to working on these issues or if he just likes to troll threads on the internet. I pick B.
Quote from: idahohuntr on May 27, 2014, 09:44:55 PMAnybody who doesn't drink the kool-aid is obviously a weyco employee Complete loss of credibility when you resort to personal attacks. If this is how you behave around WDFW I can also understand if they just cast you aside as irrelevant and remain focused on their working group members opinions. I think you've got a handful of internet doctors and biologists misinterpreting and oversimplifying this issue. I will wait to hear what the working group professionals come up with...you armchair biologists keep posting your theories to these forums...its obviously helping solve the problem I believe that these "armchair biologists" and their theories is what has brought the lack of progress into the publics eyes. The state has had this issue on the back burner for 5 years. Many of us dont want to "wait to hear what the working group professionals come up with". They would prefer to keep this issue quiet and avoid stirring up the hornets nest with the timber companies.While these 'armchair biologists' may not be professionals, I applaud thier involvement and out of the box thinking. They are the reason the state is getting off thier butts, not the beloved working group. The concerned community is keeping the ball in play here, not WDFW. WFDW is going into damage control to try and protect thier image.Thank you to all that have gotten involved and not been afraid to voice your concerns and ideas!
Signature:"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood..." - TR
