Unsworth Resigns

[Knocker of rocks]

I’ve heard that the biologists tried to up the quotas on lions a couple of years ago and it got nixed by the governor. 

Unlikely what you heard is what happened
http://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/cougar-hunters-kill-more-than-double-recommended-guidelines/281-391510894

[Jake Dogfish]

I'll listen more when I get to keep the same fish the tribes do, share the resource and all that BS.  Oh yeah, and I don't get in trouble for killing craps of seabirds or blowing through Orca pods in my boat.

The tribes are stopping you?  When did this happen and who gave them the authority?

[WSU]

I think WDFW employees are the last people we want picking the commission.   

Why, serious question

Many of the employees, and especially management, appear to me to be entrenched.  They have used the same process, are content with the outcomes, etc.  This has been true with the fisheries folks I've dealt with.  I think you'd end up with more status quo than anything if you let the employees set the direction. 

I'm not all that impressed with the status quo and existing bureaucracy.

[NoBark]

My change to the system would be that everyone who bought a hunting or fishing license in the last 2-3 years would get a ballot and they would be the one to vote for the commission members since it is those same people who provide the $$ and are most affected by any and all decision made by the commission.

[Bob33]

I’ve heard that the biologists tried to up the quotas on lions a couple of years ago and it got nixed by the governor. 

Unlikely what you heard is what happened
http://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/cougar-hunters-kill-more-than-double-recommended-guidelines/281-391510894

He is correct.
https://blog.humanesociety.org/wayne/2015/10/washington-gov-nixes-cougar-killing-plan.html

[Knocker of rocks]

I’ve heard that the biologists tried to up the quotas on lions a couple of years ago and it got nixed by the governor. 

Unlikely what you heard is what happened
http://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/cougar-hunters-kill-more-than-double-recommended-guidelines/281-391510894

He is correct.

Not really.   One article says that the biological staff resisted raising cougar quotas based on their data.   The other says that the Gov nixed a plan to raise cougar qoutas as proposed by the WDFW Commission, not by the bio staff as JM stated.

[Special T]

I think what needs to change is the Commission needs to be elected by the people. Not selected by the Governor. Treat like your local school board. Require people from each region of the state.  As long as Insleez keeps deciding who's on the commission nothing's gonna change.

I think that an election could go all wrong. Hunters make up a very small portion of the population

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Bob33]

I’ve heard that the biologists tried to up the quotas on lions a couple of years ago and it got nixed by the governor. 

Unlikely what you heard is what happened
http://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/cougar-hunters-kill-more-than-double-recommended-guidelines/281-391510894

He is correct.

Not really.   One article says that the biological staff resisted raising cougar quotas based on their data.   The other says that the Gov nixed a plan to raise cougar qoutas as proposed by the WDFW Commission, not by the bio staff as JM stated.

Semantics. The Commission's recommendation came from biologists.

[bearpaw]

I’ve heard that the biologists tried to up the quotas on lions a couple of years ago and it got nixed by the governor. 

Unlikely what you heard is what happened
http://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/cougar-hunters-kill-more-than-double-recommended-guidelines/281-391510894

He is correct.

Not really.   One article says that the biological staff resisted raising cougar quotas based on their data.   The other says that the Gov nixed a plan to raise cougar qoutas as proposed by the WDFW Commission, not by the bio staff as JM stated.

Semantics. The Commission's recommendation came from biologists.

Actually the commission did increase at least a few quotas, the governor removed those increases.

[bobcat]

Look at the Seattle Times article on Unsworth's resignation. Many comments by people glad he's gone becarse they want a more predator friendly director.   

[bearpaw]

Look at the Seattle Times article on Unsworth's resignation. Many comments by people glad he's gone becarse they want a more predator friendly director.   

That's why we don't want to elect commissioners!

[Bushcraft]

He might be a real nice guy, I really don't know, but that doesn't matter one way or another, it seemed like either his hands were tied or he was in over his head on quite a few issues, and that is what does matter.

His hands were tied because that's how the law says it should be. The Director is not the overall decision maker of the department, that's the Fish and Wildlife Commission. Too many people think the Director makes all the decisions and calls all the shots. In most cases the Director simply manages the people in the department, the policies we all hate/love are made by the Commission.

As in point, the recent salmon decision. The department sent their proposed policy to the feds without running it through the commission, a big no-no.

Nailed it!

[Bushcraft]

Furthermore, it would be a HUGE mistake to have the populace of this state vote for the Commissioners.

[B4noon]

As long as WDFW continues to  chase federal funding for endangered and invasive species as a way to capitalize on the 32% indirect pay to fund managment positions you will see no change for the sporting community.  The focus and goals will continue to trend and follow towards the watchable wildlife while us the sportsmen continue to pay huge license fees for continued reduced opportunity.  The only way and it's slim is to reestablish  an agency that works for and with sportsmen is to change the priorities and responsibilites.  If WDFW is reduced to managing recreational and commercial species and passes the other endangered specimens off to other entities of the government to manage not only could they be more effective and focused on big game populations they could also reduce staff by 25% thus a cost savings.  Then you could have a commission that is also focused and based on the same priorities, WDFW has spread it's self to thin trying to dip it's finger in every pie for a stake of the money which has made them involved in many issues and experts at none.  Sad to see and to top it all off they whine for years about how to recruit new hunters and then pull the chair out from under the little guys in the youth world of their new proposals.  Why would a Kid show up for practice if they never get in the game you will lose them if you don't start them young.

[idahohuntr]

Furthermore, it would be a HUGE mistake to have the populace of this state vote for the Commissioners.

Given the politics in this state - it could be a positive if Commission members were elected by region/district; not a statewide vote...sort of like county prosecutors or something.  Even in sportsmen friendly states like Idaho you get Governors playing politics with appointments that makes me nauseous.