Does WDFW know it has an image problem?

[t6]

Good posts from Pianoman and Special T.  I agree that while this is a good first step in communication...... What's next? 

[Special T]

There are a series of things that the Department could do that would help. Some of which are symbolic, some of which are problems.

1 Hire people who hunt and fish. I have been into the SW regional office and we had to search for a hunter to help answer a question about the Shilapoo Wildlife area (Which is only about 5 miles away). Its really a no brainier because Thier passion will help them succeed at the job.

2 Pic some issue that can bring lots of SPORTMEN user groups together. Something that nearly everyone can get behind. There may be other ideas but i really like pushing for a separate bag limit for Mergansers. Its not easy but I think you could get fishermen, Hunters, Tribes and several wildlife organizations behind it.

Since the director is a Duck hunter i think this would be great because he wouldnt have to study up too much on the subject, and likely has an idea of how it would work.

[RadSav]

I would like to hear the departments honest view of the state in which our huntable wildlife is in - region by region.  I often think the regional bios try to sugar coat the conditions and health of our animals here in the SW corner.  That or they never step foot in the units.  Every trail cam in the Klick seems to have multiple cats on it, we all have seen the hoof rot issues, areas I hunted heavily 10 years ago for deer I haven't seen as much as a doe in for the past three, bear sign also seems to be in decline in most of the areas down here.  And yet every time I see a report the picture smells like roses and bacon.

Seems there are too many contradictions between what we are told and what we are seeing on the ground.  There also seems to be contradictions between what we are being told and the structure of the seasons.  I know that for myself, I would be much more willing to sacrifice some things and regulate harvesting to a greater degree if I felt there was a clear understanding of where we are. 

Instead what we hear are things like; 
*The Winston bull numbers are as strong as ever...but we need to make late archery cow only.
*We need to reduce the number of winter kill in the mud flow...So we are issuing 650 cow tags.
*Predation is effecting the Klick deer herd...but we need to close cat hunting during the best dates and reduced the quota.  And my favorite - If you kill a mature tom it's just going to lead to more cats!
*We have lost 50% of the St Helens elk herd to hoof rot and we do not know the cause...but we do not want any outside independent assistance in dealing with the issue.

When "what you say" and "what you do" conflict with logic and reason there are usually one of two things responsible.  Either someone doesn't have a clue as to what they are doing!  Or, one if not more things we are hearing is not true!  I can't help but think there is a little bit of both almost everywhere in this state.  We are big boys and I believe we can handle the truth.  I also believe there are some employees of the WDFW with fancy degrees that should have failed to graduate.  Those employees need to be hitting the unemployment line!

I often feel as though people are being managed rather than the wildlife in Washington.  Some good honest clarification on the issues and the state of wildlife in each region would go a long way to making myself and others feel better about why.  I see and read the annual regional reports, but many just do not add up no matter how open minded I try to be.

[Curly]

+1

Sent from my SM-T900 using Tapatalk

[jongosch]

Mr. Anderson,

I believe that you care.  The question for me is whether you have the backbone to stand up to the timber industry and direct your employees to conduct an honest investigation regarding toxic herbicides and the edibility of the elk meat in SW Washington.  Prove that and you will have my trust and respect.  Until then you can expect me, my family, and dozens of our friends to fight WDFW with everything we’ve got.

http://jongosch.com/citizens-express-profound-distrust-of-fish-and-wildlife-officials-herbicide-spraying-and-safety-of-elk-meat/

[Oldguy]

Questions for Hunter Ed Instructors:

How many people on average graduate hunter-ed each year?

Does this state have the ability to put more people through hunter-ed?

I was told at a meeting last week that 14,000 graduated last year. There are shortages of instructors and no real intelligent effort to recruit more. Any suggestions regarding better methods are met with lack of interest.

[JJD]

I have read with interest a number of the postings. I do understand and recognize that we have an image problem, that is to say, I know there are a number of hunters that don't trust us or respect what we do or how we do it. I also know by reading some of the postings that many think the problem is with management and some think that we just don't care. Well I am writing as your director to say that I do care.

WDFW does confront a number of controversial issues. As director, some of the decisions I have made have been easy, not that the issue was easy, but knowing the difference between the right decision and the wrong decision made it easy for me based on my values. Others are much different in that among the choices I have all have drawbacks, and sometimes that is a gross understatement. But, in every case, I make every effort to equip myself with all the knowledge on the subject I can and then make the decision that I think is the best for fish and wildlife and the people that care about them.

I also reviewed some of the suggestions on where a director should focus his/her efforts. Not surprisingly, I agree with some of them and disagree with others.  I have some basic priorities in terms of where I spend my time. Some of them are internal like working closely with the Wildlife, Enforcement, Habitat, or Fish Program leadership on critical contemporary issues, another internal priority for me has been having a quality and committed staff; some are external like working with congressional members and state legislators and their staff regarding budget and policy issues impacting the Department, attending stakeholder meetings or interacting with leaders of organizations that represent our customers/stakeholders, working with the tribes on fishing and hunting issues takes a good deal of my time, working with federal agency leaders on issues we have a common interest like NOAA Fisheries, USFWS, National Park Service, Army Corps of Engineers; I also work closely with the Governor's Policy Office and other state agency directors and the Commissioner of Public Lands. My bosses, the Fish and Wildlife Commission, is another area where I devote a significant amount of time. Finally, there are always a list of "hot issues" that I am intimately involved in that includes things like hoof disease, wolves, land acquisitions and public access, federal Funding issues, state/tribal fishing and hunting issues, Wanapum Dam and Fish Passage, several lawsuits including the Wildfish Conservancy and Skokomish Tribe lawsuits.

I have hunted (mostly ducks and upland birds) and fished (mostly salmon, halibut, albacore) all my life. I have been director since December of 2008 including the 9 months I was interim director. When I took the job I knew full well that I wouldn't be winning any popularity contests, but I took it because I wanted to give something back to the resource, I had already taken more than my share of some species. I was recently told by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Association Executive Director that 40 states had replaced their directors within the last 36 months. I am 64 years old and you will get another director sometime down the road. Until that happens, I will continue to the best job I can for fish and wildlife and for the people who care about our natural resources. If that can include helping with changing the image of the Department in the eyes of our customers/stakeholders to a more positive one, I welcome that opportunity....because I do care.

Ducks,
Thanks for posting up on this thread and welcome. 
Read your post with great interest and I was not surprised that you did not address any issue.
What I got out of it was I’m busy as h*ll, spread thin and contrary to popular belief, I do care.  If this was your goal, mission accomplished, though it read a bit like a political speech.
Ok, great.  I know you don’t have all day to sit at your computer and address each of our individual concerns.  I don’t have all day to sit at a computer and read them either.  I still work for a living and most of my days off, I spend living the outdoors rather than talking about it.  Others can do whatever turns their crank.
A suggestion if I may.  How about taking a single issue from a list of topics we provide here and addressing it.  Maybe one a month, or something to that effect.  Or maybe having one of the dept heads or other qualified person representing you, address the subject if they have expertise in the field of said question?
Many of us read the words, "I do care" but will judge their validity by future actions.