Unsworth Resigns

[Humptulips]

I know nothing about cougar management or biology - but I can't understand why harvest is so restricted for a species that is so difficult to hunt given dogs are outlawed.  Of all the wildlife the state manages, cougars and coyotes are 2 species I probably wouldn't spend a whole lot of time worrying about the hunters killing them all off. For those who are far more informed on cougars...is there really a risk of hunting them to dangerously low levels if season were open all year? Or at least from fall to spring? If hunters kill 1 or 2 or 5 over their quotas...what's the harm?

Great points, and it highlights the idiocy of the department and thier suggested rule changes.

How many west side units never reach thier quota?

How dumb is it of the WDFW to tighten restrictions across the state when only a few gmus ever reach or surpass the quotas? It makes them look disconnected and harms thier relationship with hunters... 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Last year the answer was 26.

[Knocker of rocks]

Probably the worst job in the state other than Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools,  Director of Washington State DSHS, and manager of the Seattle Mariners.

[Netminder01]

I'd like to see the person that takes office be passionate about finding new ways to grow access, opportunities, and increase the new hunter/angler enthusiast numbers. Someone who was passionate about providing a balanced conservation approach to with a mentality to help grow our sport and voice in this state.

IMO, WDFW should be run like a business or high performing team (sport, military, etc). Identify strong leadership, create a vision that's hard to achieve, trim the fat, provide unfettered transparency, modernize and listen to the people (us) who support the brand and sport. A shared goal that's hard to achieve will ignite a passion in the outdoor community in WA who could make meaningful change.

Without leadership we believe in and will follow, our state will continue to fall behind. A state like Washington should be among the leaders in the US promoting hunting/fishing opportunities, education, technology, and tourism instead of cutting and restricting opportunities on top of poor hunter-ed funding & resources. We're not.

If only I could make the rules... I'd implement a mechanism that every two years we, the hunters and anglers vote to renew the person in this role - or vote someone else in. Similar to the GM position on the Seattle Sounders. Not a general voting but those of us who buy licenses and contribute more directly to the sport than average voters.

Who knows, it might help identify the kind of leader who'd thrive in that role but also the right kind of interaction with everyone involved not to mention yield the results we all want in modern conservation, hunting & fishing along the way.

#NetForPrez 

[Bob33]

WDFW is mandated to serve not just hunting interests, but also fishing and non-consumptive users.

Fishing is of far greater importance than hunting. Add in the interests of non-consumptive users, which are generally of one mind compared to the fragmented voices of hunters who often fight among themselves, and we end up too often at the bottom of the heap.

 

[Humptulips]

Just to be clear I changed my post about the number of Westside Cougar management units that reach quota. Should have said 4 did, 26 didn't.
Sorry for all the thread hijacking but needed to correct my mistake.

[bigmacc]

Good by and good riddance

[The scout]

  it’s so hard who to trust about any thing wdfw related though, time will tell, but this state seems doomed

[KFhunter]

http://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/wdfw-director-resigns-after-demands-by-wildlife-activists/281-511618916


Lesson here is don't make Ron mad.

If the activists wanted him gone....we probably won't get a better replacement

[fish vacuum]

http://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/wdfw-director-resigns-after-demands-by-wildlife-activists/281-511618916


Lesson here is don't make Ron mad.

If the activists wanted him gone....we probably won't get a better replacement

Maybe. But the Ron referenced is the president of Puget Sound Anglers. It wasn't just activists who wanted him out. After the Chinook plan, a lot of us were contacting our reps and the commission to say that the director needed to pack his bags.

[Jake Dogfish]

Head over to bloodydecks and read Ron's version of events.  Sounds like Unsworth was a no-show at lots of important meetings.

No need to pour more salt on the wound, but anyone who questions why he needed to go should read what Ron Garner has posted.
Out playing at the pool while our fisheries are being lost.  Not the leadership we need.
Hopefully Joe Stohr can hold down the fort for now.

[bearpaw]

Stohr seems like a good and fair guy, he might be better than what we had, I wonder if he will apply for the position permanently?

[bigtex]

Stohr seems like a good and fair guy, he might be better than what we had, I wonder if he will apply for the position permanently?

Sure, if you like Mike Cenci and also how Stohr did nothing to improve WDFW Enforcement.

[WSU]

Stohr seems like a good and fair guy, he might be better than what we had, I wonder if he will apply for the position permanently?

Sure, if you like Mike Cenci and also how Stohr did nothing to improve WDFW Enforcement.

It seemed like Stohr did more to protect Cenci and crew than he did to facilitate any change.

[bigtex]

Stohr seems like a good and fair guy, he might be better than what we had, I wonder if he will apply for the position permanently?

Sure, if you like Mike Cenci and also how Stohr did nothing to improve WDFW Enforcement.

It seemed like Stohr did more to protect Cenci and crew than he did to facilitate any change.

Exactly

[Skillet]

I hate to say it, but I think the commission will view hiring a guy whose expertise in fish was second to anything else was a mistake.  I predict our next director will be have a fisheries biology background and come from the middle ranks of a coastal state F&G Department.  This person will be ready to deal with fisheries on Day 1, and be more than happy to let the tribes drive the bus on wildlife management.

You can quote me later, for better or worse.