Major wdfw overhaul

[HuntinCrazy]

I personally believe a big hit to their pocketbook is the only thing that will open their eyes. I would have no problem holding on to the $200 plus that I typically fork over for one year, if only I could convince about 10,000 other guys to do the same..

Agreed

[bigtex]

Unhappy with the location or timing of meetings? Here is a thought.
F&W Commission meetings always extend into Saturday. They have open comment periods. You can comment on anything you wish. Does not have to be related to any of the other business of the Commission that day although it helps.
Make your case for meetings more friendly to the average guy. You'll have 3 minutes so don't go off on a tangent.
Can't attend? You can send in a written response as long as you want. Warning though, you better have some well thought out reasoning and short and concise will be read.
I doubt if one commenter or letter will make a difference but if they heard the same thing from a bunch of people I bet they will listen.

And many of those open comment periods have literally zero comments given.

For the written response, your correct, it better make sense. (No spelling/grammar issues or other falsehoods).

[olyguy79]

Unhappy with the location or timing of meetings? Here is a thought.
F&W Commission meetings always extend into Saturday. They have open comment periods. You can comment on anything you wish. Does not have to be related to any of the other business of the Commission that day although it helps.
Make your case for meetings more friendly to the average guy. You'll have 3 minutes so don't go off on a tangent.
Can't attend? You can send in a written response as long as you want. Warning though, you better have some well thought out reasoning and short and concise will be read.
I doubt if one commenter or letter will make a difference but if they heard the same thing from a bunch of people I bet they will listen.

And many of those open comment periods have literally zero comments given.

For the written response, your correct, it better make sense. (No spelling/grammar issues or other falsehoods).

The numerous times I've worked in Oly one of the biggest issues is people complaining about non-state level issues. So if you send a letter that has spelling/grammar issues or it talks about non-state issues it isn't going to go anywhere. As an example, if you want to complain about waterfowl seasons for example, most likely it'll be a federal issue. Want to complain about a gate on USFS land, don't contact WDFW or DNR contact USFS. Etc.

[bigtex]

I personally believe a big hit to their pocketbook is the only thing that will open their eyes. I would have no problem holding on to the $200 plus that I typically fork over for one year, if only I could convince about 10,000 other guys to do the same..

Agreed

That $2M is a drop in the bucket for WDFW.

[Humptulips]

Unhappy with the location or timing of meetings? Here is a thought.
F&W Commission meetings always extend into Saturday. They have open comment periods. You can comment on anything you wish. Does not have to be related to any of the other business of the Commission that day although it helps.
Make your case for meetings more friendly to the average guy. You'll have 3 minutes so don't go off on a tangent.
Can't attend? You can send in a written response as long as you want. Warning though, you better have some well thought out reasoning and short and concise will be read.
I doubt if one commenter or letter will make a difference but if they heard the same thing from a bunch of people I bet they will listen.

And many of those open comment periods have literally zero comments given.

For the written response, your correct, it better make sense. (No spelling/grammar issues or other falsehoods).

The numerous times I've worked in Oly one of the biggest issues is people complaining about non-state level issues. So if you send a letter that has spelling/grammar issues or it talks about non-state issues it isn't going to go anywhere. As an example, if you want to complain about waterfowl seasons for example, most likely it'll be a federal issue. Want to complain about a gate on USFS land, don't contact WDFW or DNR contact USFS. Etc.

I'll  just add this. We really need to get hound hunting back to control cougar but do you think it is really going to do much good to complain to the F&W Commission about that? It is out of their hands. Take that to the Legislature.
Now if you want to complain about the ban on using dogs on coyotes that is prime real estate to  talk to the Commission.
Anything to do with I-655 or I-713 is fodder for the Legislature. F&W Commissions hands are tied on these issues.

[bigtex]

Unhappy with the location or timing of meetings? Here is a thought.
F&W Commission meetings always extend into Saturday. They have open comment periods. You can comment on anything you wish. Does not have to be related to any of the other business of the Commission that day although it helps.
Make your case for meetings more friendly to the average guy. You'll have 3 minutes so don't go off on a tangent.
Can't attend? You can send in a written response as long as you want. Warning though, you better have some well thought out reasoning and short and concise will be read.
I doubt if one commenter or letter will make a difference but if they heard the same thing from a bunch of people I bet they will listen.

And many of those open comment periods have literally zero comments given.

For the written response, your correct, it better make sense. (No spelling/grammar issues or other falsehoods).

The numerous times I've worked in Oly one of the biggest issues is people complaining about non-state level issues. So if you send a letter that has spelling/grammar issues or it talks about non-state issues it isn't going to go anywhere. As an example, if you want to complain about waterfowl seasons for example, most likely it'll be a federal issue. Want to complain about a gate on USFS land, don't contact WDFW or DNR contact USFS. Etc.

I'll  just add this. We really need to get hound hunting back to control cougar but do you think it is really going to do much good to complain to the F&W Commission about that? It is out of their hands. Take that to the Legislature.
Now if you want to complain about the ban on using dogs on coyotes that is prime real estate to  talk to the Commission.
Anything to do with I-655 or I-713 is fodder for the Legislature. F&W Commissions hands are tied on these issues.

People need to understand the roles/abilities of the F&W Commission vs. the legislature vs. the feds. Complaining to one about an issue that isn't their responsibility will go nowhere.

[wolfbait]

No it doesn't. If they want input from all hunters there should be meetings held in each corner of the state, not just the biggest cities where they get urban input.

So...you'd get more than the 7 people who came to Spokane if you held the meeting in Republic? C'mon now.
Yes I've watched the video, thanks.
So are you saying that it's futile and it doesn't make a difference to give input.
See the list of public meetings that we didn't attend?
http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/seasonsetting/
Below that see Public Comment on specific rule proposals will happen in February 2018??
Maybe comment in Feb??
Maybe call your local wildlife bio?? 

Ok, now I'm out.

I bet it would be standing room only if they held a meeting in Republic! I think the meetings in these cities are mostly a dog and pony show which are held in areas which are easy for WDFW to attend, then WDFW can say they held public meetings. Then when hunters who live hundreds of miles away don't attend they say we don't care. That's exactly what has happened. WDFW holds several meetings a year, there's no reason they all have to be in a few major cities, they could be in a few rural areas, let the WDFW drive hundreds of miles for a change, aren't they being paid to serve the public? Maybe they forgot that too? 

I honestly do not think WDFW wants to listen to folks in rural areas, they would rather listen to the praising they get in the cities! 



I'm not saying it's not important for sportsmen to be heard, if we don't get our views documented then WDFW will say hunters had no other opinion. I know I've attended many of these WDFW meetings through the years. Many groups like RMEF and MDF are focused on habitat, which is important too, but they won't tackle the politics of hunting, so it seems SCI is one of the best options for political purposes. I remember Hunter's Heritage tried to get hound hunting and trapping back and I have supported them in the past too, they seem like a good group, maybe more of us need to support them like Humptulips mentioned?

I applaud SpecialT for wanting to make a difference, you certainly have my support, I'm anxious to see what you get going, I most definitely hope you can find a way to make a difference! Maybe you can be more effective at getting involved and rallying an existing group that already has numbers? Something to consider!

The fishermen have a pretty effective group, they are much more organized, if hunters could somehow come together like the fishermen have, we could probably be more effective.

  I agree 100%

[KFhunter]

we need numerous initiatives to fix it

1) divorce WDFW enforcement from WSP (bring back professional game wardens)

2) send hunting revenue back to wildlife management instead of general state fund

1- WDFW Enforcement has never been apart of WSP, that merger effort has failed every time
2- All fishing and hunting license revenue goes to the wildlife fund. Been that way for almost 10 years. Nothing goes into the general fund anymore

I knew this lol     

thanks for the reminder, sometimes I have more passion than brains

[KFhunter]

I don't blame WDFW for lack of deer, I think they could have helped the Elk a whole lot more in some areas though. 




The anti trapping and hound initiative killed our herds more than anything. 

[wolfbait]

I don't blame WDFW for lack of deer, I think they could have helped the Elk a whole lot more in some areas though. 




The anti trapping and hound initiative killed our herds more than anything.

Who do you blame for refusing to confirm wolf packs/predation on livestock and the BS wolf plan?

[KFhunter]

Who do you blame for refusing to confirm wolf packs/predation on livestock and the BS wolf plan?

WDFW for sure


To be fair though the deer population was in decline before the wolves really started showing up

The Elk were on the incline prior to wolves, but now are back in decline

[wolfbait]

Who do you blame for refusing to confirm wolf packs/predation on livestock and the BS wolf plan?

WDFW for sure


To be fair though the deer population was in decline before the wolves really started showing up

The Elk were on the incline prior to wolves, but now are back in decline

What is your date for "when the wolves started really showing up"?

[wolfbait]

I don't blame WDFW for lack of deer, I think they could have helped the Elk a whole lot more in some areas though. 




The anti trapping and hound initiative killed our herds more than anything.

Is WDFW in charge of managing All wildlife or just predators? Seems if they were managing the deer herds etc. there would be strict predator control. 

The Fish and Game of the past use to poison the coyote population when they started impacting the deer herds, I realize the methods they used would not be allowed now, today WDFW protect predators. So, what or who is responsible for the decline of the deer herds, in your honest opinion?

[pianoman9701]

I don't blame WDFW for lack of deer, I think they could have helped the Elk a whole lot more in some areas though. 




The anti trapping and hound initiative killed our herds more than anything.

They remained silent when they could've presented facts regarding the repercussions of eliminating hounds and bait. They could also have addressed the misconceptions planted by the animal rights freaks when they aired completely incorrect and inflammatory videos and "information" about hounding and baiting. This has affected our deer and elk herds considerably. It wouldn't have required them to take a stance on the initiative. Accurate information would probably have been enough. They stayed silent.

[winshooter88]

Just so you guys know, WDFW is not allowed by law to comment on any initiatives in this state. It isn't that they didn't want to they couldn't.