IMPORTANT POLL: Does WDFW Appreciate and Listen to Hunters & Anglers?

[Bushcraft]

Please take a moment to answer this question and share this link with as many sportsmen and women as you know.

[Oldguy]

The focus of the WDFW is not creating more quality hunting and fishing opportunites for the sportsmen and women of Washington State, but instead is spending money and effort to pacify special interest groups.

[KFhunter]

The focus of the WDFW is not creating more quality hunting and fishing opportunites for the sportsmen and women of Washington State, but instead is spending money and effort to pacify special interest groups.

Ya, and $800,000++ mediators for the WAG

[pianoman9701]

I put no and will qualify that. I've been very pleased with any communications I've had with LE, Biologists, and Hunter Education. I'm extremely dissatisfied with response from Administration regarding predator and other game issues.

[Stein]

I would vote sometimes.  I think they do some things extremely well and others not so well.

[Gringo31]

I put no and will qualify that. I've been very pleased with any communications I've had with LE, Biologists, and Hunter Education. I'm extremely dissatisfied with response from Administration regarding predator and other game issues.

It seems to me they listen as part of their job.  They do so with a smile with NO intention of actually listening or trying to find middle ground, improve or even take into consideration what you say.  Granted, I realize not all ideas are good ones and it would be taxing to have to explain over and over (educate) the community. 

This really started falling apart when they stopped leading by way of science and went the way of emotion/votes.   

[JDHasty]

I put no and will qualify that. I've been very pleased with any communications I've had with LE, Biologists, and Hunter Education. I'm extremely dissatisfied with response from Administration regarding predator and other game issues.

It seems to me they listen as part of their job.  They do so with a smile with NO intention of actually listening or trying to find middle ground, improve or even take into consideration what you say.  Granted, I realize not all ideas are good ones and it would be taxing to have to explain over and over (educate) the community. 

This really started falling apart when they stopped leading by way of science and went the way of emotion/votes.   

That is the Alpha and the omega.  You can shut down comments now and nothing will be lost or gained.   

[JimmyHoffa]

Hmmmm...wolves and other predators, hoof rot, steelhead, salmon....

[Skyvalhunter]

being a Hunt-WA poll will this get fed back to WDFW?

[Bob33]

There appears to be a slight trend in the voting...

[KFhunter]

being a Hunt-WA poll will this get fed back to WDFW?

WDFW doesn't have an official capacity on this site, but some might see it.  If I were WDFW...I'd have my public media people on this site being that perhaps 10% of the entirety of Washington's hunting population are on here and it's growing everyday. 

If WDFW wanted to really listen, they'd be here listening to 22018 members (and tons of guests) of the Hunting Washington forum

[Mfowl]

I would vote sometimes.  I think they do some things extremely well and others not so well.

I voted no but I agree with this statement. We need less emphasis on predator introduction and more on building bigger and healthier ungulate numbers. We could have it so much better here. 

[pianoman9701]

I also think the IT/webmaster team listened and responded when they rolled out the new licensing system - far better than it was. 

[WSU]

How about we do away with WDFW getting any general funds.  I bet they listen to those that pay the bill then.  Commercial fishers, birders, etc. can pay their fair share if they want to continue receiving services.

[skeeter 20i]

I put no and will qualify that. I've been very pleased with any communications I've had with LE, Biologists, and Hunter Education. I'm extremely dissatisfied with response from Administration regarding predator and other game issues.

Agree 100% with this.  Every interaction I have had at the "hands on" level have been top notch, I think there are some really good people trying to do good things within the confines of a horribly screwed up state run department.

But then again isn't that the case with most if not all state run departments here in Washington State?

[JDHasty]

I put no and will qualify that. I've been very pleased with any communications I've had with LE, Biologists, and Hunter Education. I'm extremely dissatisfied with response from Administration regarding predator and other game issues.

Agree 100% with this.  Every interaction I have had at the "hands on" level have been top notch, I think there are some really good people trying to do good things within the confines of a horribly screwed up state run department.

Agree 100% with that statement

[ctwiggs1]

I put no and will qualify that. I've been very pleased with any communications I've had with LE, Biologists, and Hunter Education. I'm extremely dissatisfied with response from Administration regarding predator and other game issues.

Agree 100% with this.  Every interaction I have had at the "hands on" level have been top notch, I think there are some really good people trying to do good things within the confines of a horribly screwed up state run department.

Agree 100% with that statement

   I've had great interactions with GWs, Bios, and the regional office's when I've stopped in.  All of the problems at WDFW seem to come from Olympia.  They have the same problem WSP has - great people with miserable leadership.

[pianoman9701]

How about we do away with WDFW getting any general funds.  I bet they listen to those that pay the bill then.  Commercial fishers, birders, etc. can pay their fair share if they want to continue receiving services.

Never happen. They want more from the general fund and less from us so they can justify pandering to the wolf huggers and the patchouli crowd.

[WSU]

How about we do away with WDFW getting any general funds.  I bet they listen to those that pay the bill then.  Commercial fishers, birders, etc. can pay their fair share if they want to continue receiving services.

Never happen. They want more from the general fund and less from us so they can justify pandering to the wolf huggers and the patchouli crowd.

I agree, but the Leg. is fed up with them and turned down their request for a fee increase.  I know it's extremely unlikely and would be harmful to some programs, but I honestly oppose any increase in general funds until WDFW (and those in the leg that hold the purse strings, COUGH, coastal caucus) figure out who really is footing the bill and who needs to be paid attention to.

[JDHasty]

Looks like Jim Unsworth took time to stop by HW and cast his vote. 

[skeeter 20i]

Looks like Jim Unsworth took time to stop by HW and cast his vote.

 

[Stein]

Last year, I had an interaction with an officer as well as several guys that run the waterfowl access program.  When I had a problem or two, they got it fixed and were working pretty hard to make the system better.

It was I that cast the lone vote

[pianoman9701]

How about we do away with WDFW getting any general funds.  I bet they listen to those that pay the bill then.  Commercial fishers, birders, etc. can pay their fair share if they want to continue receiving services.

Never happen. They want more from the general fund and less from us so they can justify pandering to the wolf huggers and the patchouli crowd.

I agree, but the Leg. is fed up with them and turned down their request for a fee increase.  I know it's extremely unlikely and would be harmful to some programs, but I honestly oppose any increase in general funds until WDFW (and those in the leg that hold the purse strings, COUGH, coastal caucus) figure out who really is footing the bill and who needs to be paid attention to.

Just ask the Governor's office. He's the one appointing the Defenders of Wildlife and HSUS to the wildlife commission.

[bobcat]

Overall I believe they only like us for the revenue we provide. They give preference to Native Americans and predators, and would prefer to end hunting if doing so didn't eliminate the justification for many of the WDFW jobs.

[Bob33]

It takes a broad brush to characterize WDFW as not appreciating or listening to hunters and anglers. Without batting an eye I could name ten or more WDFW employees that genuinely care about hunters. Unfortunately, with a wee bit more time I could name off quite a few WDFW employees whom I would consider at best as being ambivalent about hunters, and they range from the highest to the lowest ranks of the organization. It’s unfortunate that the good ones are lumped in with the bad ones.

[dscubame]

With these poll results it is apparent WDFW has a perception and PR issue.  Surprising, NOT.

[CAMPMEAT]

Get rid of Conservation Northwest who runs the WDFW. That's the problem and any other environmental group who holds lawsuits over their heads.

[bigtex]

How about we do away with WDFW getting any general funds.  I bet they listen to those that pay the bill then.  Commercial fishers, birders, etc. can pay their fair share if they want to continue receiving services.

Never happen. They want more from the general fund and less from us so they can justify pandering to the wolf huggers and the patchouli crowd.

I agree, but the Leg. is fed up with them and turned down their request for a fee increase.  I know it's extremely unlikely and would be harmful to some programs, but I honestly oppose any increase in general funds until WDFW (and those in the leg that hold the purse strings, COUGH, coastal caucus) figure out who really is footing the bill and who needs to be paid attention to.

The legislature in the recently approved 2017-19 budget provided a one-time increase in general fund monies. This was largely due to Senator Pearson. According to Pearson this is a one-time increase meant to soften the blow with the lack of funds coming from license revenue. Pearson has ordered WDFW to figure out a funding structure which will satisfy both outdoorsmen and the legislators.

[JDHasty]

With these poll results it is apparent WDFW has a perception and PR issue.  Surprising, NOT.

It doesn't impress me that WDFW has across the board perception and PR issues.  What I am inclined to believe is that WDFW Administration is seen as being less than trustworthy and from that is not a perception and PR issue.  That is a personnel issue. 

Experience leads me to believe that most sportsmen trust and respect WDFW field staff and biologists, but that trust and respect rapidly diminishes once you get above a certain level until by the time you get to the upper levels it is practically non-existent.     

[Hunter4Life]

I voted no, but as a lot of other have said, you can't paint everyone in WDFW with the same brush.  I do not believe the higher-ups care one lick or appreciate those who hunt or fish, but those in the field are very good and very dedicated people.  Those in Enforcement, the Bios, the lunch bucket people working hard at 40 hours a week trying to make a living are great people.  I will never say a negative word about those people.

[Gringo31]

I think the key words are WDFW, APPRECIATE AND LISTEN.

I don't count LEO's in this discussion.  I take it to mean policy, regs etc.

[bigtex]

Those in Enforcement, the Bios, the lunch bucket people working hard at 40 hours a week trying to make a living are great people.  I will never say a negative word about those people.

Little known fact here. WDFW Officers work 171 hours per month compared to the usual 160. Yet those extra 11 hours aren't considered to be OT. Most of your urban city cops/county deputies who only work 160 make about $10k per year more than WDFW Officers despite the fact that WDFW requires in most cases a 4-year degree and most city/county agencies require a high school diploma or GED....

[PlateauNDN]

Why not break this down to wdfw pencil pushers and wdfw officers? 1 does more then the other for the hunters and anglers.

[bobcat]

Not sure about that when you consider Mike Cenci.

[PlateauNDN]

Field officers then?

[Bushcraft]

I edited the original question by adding the key word "leadership":

Do you feel like WDFW leadership genuinely appreciates and listens to Washington's hunting and fishing communities?

If warranted, feel free to modify your original response.

Thank you for all the valuable feedback thus far...keep it coming!

[buglebrush]

With these poll results it is apparent WDFW has a perception and PR issue.  Surprising, NOT.

It's not merely perception / PR, but a genuinely awful reality.

[fireweed]

my YES was based only on the difficulty of working with other groups(specifically the USFS, DNR and private timber) compared to the WDFW.  I've been trying to improve recreation and access in SW Washington for all types of recreation. My community has approached the WDFW, DNR, and USFS about multiple recreation and access issues, and the best response we have received has been from the WDFW.  They are the only agency to actually improve the situation on the ground, albeit modestly.  Due to suggestions from our group the WDFW 1) created the Whittier elk tag 2) expanded the Mudflow hunting area 3) opened Green River/Toutle to catch/release trout fishing 4)has written letters of support  5) kept 5,000 acres of public land open to hunting.
It's not much, but the WDFW is much more responsive than the DNR or USFS.

[Gringo31]

How much money do you send directly to DNR and USFS every year?