9 new members appointed to WDFW Wolf Advisory Group

[TriggerMike]

Click on this link http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/feb1015a/ and scroll to the end to see who the new members are and what their affiliation is and where they're from. The format of the table didn't want to copy and paste

February 10, 2015
Contact: Dave Ware, 360-902-2520

WDFW Wolf Advisory Group
expanded from 9 to 18 members

OLYMPIA - Nine members have been added to the committee that advises the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) on wolf recovery and management. Their appointments, for two-year terms that run through 2016, bring the Wolf Advisory Group's membership to 18.

WDFW Director Jim Unsworth said the new members will bring diverse personal and professional backgrounds to the group that makes recommendations to guide the department's implementation of the state's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan.

WDFW formed the group in 2013, with nine members representing the interests of wolf advocates, cattle ranchers, and hunters. Unsworth said the new members bring a wider range of perspectives and, for example, include a science teacher and a member of the state's largest hiking association.

"Wolf recovery has been and will continue to be a very challenging issue, and the advisory group members will provide valuable advice on how to achieve the goals of the wolf plan," said Unsworth.

Dave Ware, the department's wolf policy lead, said more than 50 people applied for the new positions following the department's announcement in October that it was seeking to expand the group. Ware said WDFW placed a priority on selecting people from diverse backgrounds who have the ability to share information about the advisory group's discussions within their own networks of contacts.

Ware said the nine people who served as original members or alternates will continue to serve through 2016. Those members have been very helpful to the department, and their continued presence will lend stability and continuity to the advisory group, he said.

The group's next meeting is planned for March, with details to be announced on the Wolf Advisory Group website: http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/advisory/wag/.

[Bob33]

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[elk247]

Interesting, thanks for posting. Anyone know if Lisa Stone of Shelton is a H-W member?

[elkboy]

Those will be interesting meetings, for sure...  It blows my mind that they have a representative from the HSUS.  How on earth is that organization going to contribute to any meaningful discussion on wolf management?! 

[TriggerMike]

My thoughts on this... I feel like it's a waste to have people from groups like Conservation NW, Defenders of Wildlife, Wolf Haven International and the Humane Society on the committee. Not because I think they're "crazy wolf humpers" and that I don't agree with them but because history has proven that no amount of logic will ever change their opinion on wolves. They love them and they want them to stay forever and ever and breed, breed, breed. The same goes for some of the people on this forum and the "kill 'em all" approach. Regardless of how I feel or what I believe, it would be nice to appoint a committee of people from academic backgrounds that rely solely on science and not emotion to make decisions. People that don't already have an emotional investment or really any investment for that matter and who rely purely on fact based research should be the type of people on this committee. It is nice to see that there is people from all over the state, though. That should make it more of an even debate once they start discussing topics and issues.

[bobcat]

Good to see Dan McKinley of the Mule Deer Foundation on the list.

[Bob33]

My thoughts on this... I feel like it's a waste to have people from groups like Conservation NW, Defenders of Wildlife, Wolf Haven International and the Humane Society on the committee. Not because I think they're "crazy wolf humpers" and that I don't agree with them but because history has proven that no amount of logic will ever change their opinion on wolves.

WDFW represents all citizens, not just hunters.

[TriggerMike]

My thoughts on this... I feel like it's a waste to have people from groups like Conservation NW, Defenders of Wildlife, Wolf Haven International and the Humane Society on the committee. Not because I think they're "crazy wolf humpers" and that I don't agree with them but because history has proven that no amount of logic will ever change their opinion on wolves.

WDFW represents all citizens, not just hunters.

I understand that and I'm not saying to only have hunters on the committee. I'm saying only have people with education and credentials that aren't biased one way or another to be the ones to hear the input from all the citizens and to make the judgements based on the scientific research and from the citizens concerns. It is very likely that most of the people from the conservation groups aren't going to give a fudge about the opinion or concerns from anyone living in the NE corner. And a rancher from the NE corner isn't going to give a fudge about a wolf lovers opinion from Seattle. If there are 9 outright pro wolf people and 9 outright anti wolf people on the committee then nothing will ever get accomplished is all I'm saying.

[Bob33]

My thoughts on this... I feel like it's a waste to have people from groups like Conservation NW, Defenders of Wildlife, Wolf Haven International and the Humane Society on the committee. Not because I think they're "crazy wolf humpers" and that I don't agree with them but because history has proven that no amount of logic will ever change their opinion on wolves.

WDFW represents all citizens, not just hunters.

I understand that and I'm not saying to only have hunters on the committee. I'm saying only have people with education and credentials that aren't biased one way or another to be the ones to hear the input from all the citizens and to make the judgements based on the scientific research and from the citizens concerns. It is very likely that most of the people from the conservation groups aren't going to give a fudge about the opinion or concerns from anyone living in the NE corner. And a rancher from the NE corner isn't going to give a fudge about a wolf lovers opinion from Seattle. If there are 9 outright pro wolf people and 9 outright anti wolf people on the committee then nothing will ever get accomplished is all I'm saying.

"Not because I think they're "crazy wolf humpers" and that I don't agree with them but because history has proven that no amount of logic will ever change their opinion on wolves.

History has proven that nothing will change the opinion of those who despise wolves either.

It's a no-win situation for WDFW.

[jackelope]

Interesting, thanks for posting. Anyone know if Lisa Stone of Shelton is a H-W member?

I don't.

Good to see Dan McKinley of the Mule Deer Foundation on the list.

I agree...Dan is a Hunt-WA member...goes by "MuleDeer".

[wolfbait]

My thoughts on this... I feel like it's a waste to have people from groups like Conservation NW, Defenders of Wildlife, Wolf Haven International and the Humane Society on the committee. Not because I think they're "crazy wolf humpers" and that I don't agree with them but because history has proven that no amount of logic will ever change their opinion on wolves.

WDFW represents all citizens, not just hunters.

I understand that and I'm not saying to only have hunters on the committee. I'm saying only have people with education and credentials that aren't biased one way or another to be the ones to hear the input from all the citizens and to make the judgements based on the scientific research and from the citizens concerns. It is very likely that most of the people from the conservation groups aren't going to give a fudge about the opinion or concerns from anyone living in the NE corner. And a rancher from the NE corner isn't going to give a fudge about a wolf lovers opinion from Seattle. If there are 9 outright pro wolf people and 9 outright anti wolf people on the committee then nothing will ever get accomplished is all I'm saying.

"Not because I think they're "crazy wolf humpers" and that I don't agree with them but because history has proven that no amount of logic will ever change their opinion on wolves.

History has proven that nothing will change the opinion of those who despise wolves either.

It's a no-win situation for WDFW.

The problem we have had from the beginning is the lack of any wolf/prey base management. If we look at the wolf plan that WDFW and the pro-wolf crowd came out with, it doesn't leave much doubt as to what kind of wolf management WA is in for. I think there would be less people against the wolves if they would have/were strictly managed from the beginning.

What has happened is the USFWS and state game agencies have lowballed the wolf count from day one. WDFW claim the wolves start migrating into WA in 2002, here we are 13 years later at a lowly 52 wolves, WDFW's count, with how many more wolves, WDFW won't even guess. WDFW don't want to talk about their wolf push of the 1970's-90's.

Look at Idaho 13 years later, even five years later.

 Folks in Idaho have said the best way to estimate your wolf problem is to watch the prey base drop.

The lack of honesty with WDFW and their wolf management to date, doesn't leave too many people with a lot of hope.

Wolf management has never been based on science, it has been fraud and corruption from the very beginning starting with the USFWS and environmentalists.

[DOUBLELUNG]

Molly Linville, Nick Martinez and Dan McKinley are solid reps for their interest groups. 

[sakoshooter]

Not sure about a couple of the affiliations but it looks like only six(6) members of the committee are on our side. The rest appear to be tree hugger types. Correct me if I"m wrong.

[Curly]

I was thinking like 12 

 

[CAMPMEAT]

Tim Coleman is our biggest enemy in Ferry County, right smack dab in the middle of wolf country. This puke is 100 % anti-everything unless it's enviro related. He is well known around here..................who picked these people anyhow. No wonder nothing gets done. Again, the deck is stacked against us hunters, ATVers etc.