WDFW's Plan to Cover 30 Million Dollar Deficit

[bigtex]

BigTex, The thing about the mandated items in the RCW is that they can be changed at any time by the liberals in the legislature. It appears that the last time was in 2000.

As with any other law in any state or the country...

[Oh Mah]

I agree with a lot of what you are saying bigtex,But it is someones fault and with everyone blaming the next it all comes back to wdfw.Why?Because this state claims to use science in all of its decision making and it does not seem that the dept. of fish and wild life is using the science they have to advocate for the ungulates.no one sees as much in the fish and wildlife world than the dfw officers.

[KFhunter]

"The department shall conserve the wildlife and food fish, game fish, and shellfish resources in a manner that does not impair the resource"

 Big Tex, I know you are an apologist for WDFW, but can you really say they are doing this when their predator management is aimed at the reduction, not conservation, of wildlife?   

I'm not an apologist for WDFW, I've called them out many times. But I am a realist, which many aren't. Everybody wants every chinook to be 50 pounds with guaranteed limits everyday on every river, guarantee your going to get a 400 class bull every year etc and if they don't then it's WDFWs fault.

The "conserve the wildlife and food fish, game fish, and shellfish resources in a manner that does not impair the resource" is all up to each individuals view. Who's right and who's wrong, who knows. I know people who think hunting in WA is amazing because not many states have OTC buck and bull tags, heck some states if you don't draw then you don't hunt. Then you have those who think hunting in WA sucks. Who's right and who's wrong, who knows. Everybody is their own expert.

I feel that our quality of our hunting and fishing opportunity is swirling down the toilet bowl and has been for many years. We have less chance at quality hunt draws, less chances of landing OIL tags, heavily restricted fishing rules and it's getting worse not better.
 
Now I see a proposed fee increase that's going to do nothing but fund the excesses in Olympia. 
Nothing in this fee increase is going to improve hunting or fishing, it'll only feed the bloated bureaucracy that churns out rule after rule after rule making all outdoors people miserable at trying to keep up with it all.

It's a bit shallow to suggest that everyone expects a 400 class bull or 50 lb Chinook. 

[Oh Mah]

 

[Wacenturion]

Until we get a Director who has the courage to cut top down rather than let self protecting HQ managers cut bottom up, these continued budget problems are like the Energizer Bunny.  Just keeps going.  It's pretty much the field positions that actually do something that end up getting the axe, generally speaking.  Always has been result of WDFW's budget process.  We all know what has happened the past 20-30 years to the resource and opportunity under this approach.  Raising user fees and then continuing down the road of poor management is so predictable.

[hunter399]

Until we get a Director who has the courage to cut top down rather than let self protecting HQ managers cut bottom up, these continued budget problems are like the Energizer Bunny.  Just keeps going.  It's pretty much the field positions that actually do something that end up getting the axe, generally speaking.  Always has been result of WDFW's budget process.  We all know what has happened the past 20-30 years to the resource and opportunity under this approach.  Raising user fees and then continuing down the road of poor management is so predictable.

+1

[Oh Mah]

Until we get a Director who has the courage to cut top down rather than let self protecting HQ managers cut bottom up, these continued budget problems are like the Energizer Bunny.  Just keeps going.  It's pretty much the field positions that actually do something that end up getting the axe, generally speaking.  Always has been result of WDFW's budget process.  We all know what has happened the past 20-30 years to the resource and opportunity under this approach.  Raising user fees and then continuing down the road of poor management is so predictable.

+1

Another +1

[Alpine Mojo]

a proposed fee increase that's going to do nothing but fund the excesses in Olympia. 
Nothing in this fee increase is going to improve hunting or fishing, it'll only feed the bloated bureaucracy that churns out rule after rule after rule making all outdoors people miserable at trying to keep up with it all.

And now you know where the real problem is for the working man, and why people are angry.

[Man Tracker]

Please don't think that Zero Based Budgeting is the total answer.  It was implemented in the "old" Game Dept. back in the 80's or early 90's during another budget crisis.  Maybe WaCenturian can remember.  But it went away.  Maybe DFW is ready to try it again, but I question their ability to implement and stick with it, despite what the legislature has mandated.  One of the issues will be, the people making the decisions on what programs are important and need to retain funding are mostly in Olympia.  Many have little or no field experience. 

IMO, the Director and Commission need to prioritize and decide what DFW is going to look like in the future as well as in the present.  There are way too many unfunded mandates.  DFW needs to mend many relationships with the legislature.  Not sure they are trusted to tell the truth.  Maybe they can ask that unfunded mandates get a boost of General Fund monies and let the dedicated Wildlife Fund be used for those core activities that are identified as priorities.

I know, we each have our own ideas as to what should be a priority.  No one said this will be an easy process.

[Special T]

"The department shall conserve the wildlife and food fish, game fish, and shellfish resources in a manner that does not impair the resource"

 Big Tex, I know you are an apologist for WDFW, but can you really say they are doing this when their predator management is aimed at the reduction, not conservation, of wildlife?   

That's not fair to paint him that way. He gives you and me an onsite as to how the system works. You and I Dont speak the language and BT does. Most of the time he doesn't give his own opinion. Unless you want to wander around dead dumb and blind you had better think about who is going to help you navigate the fight!

Grrr

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Tbar]

Please don't think that Zero Based Budgeting is the total answer.  It was implemented in the "old" Game Dept. back in the 80's or early 90's during another budget crisis.  Maybe WaCenturian can remember.  But it went away.  Maybe DFW is ready to try it again, but I question their ability to implement and stick with it, despite what the legislature has mandated.  One of the issues will be, the people making the decisions on what programs are important and need to retain funding are mostly in Olympia.  Many have little or no field experience. 

IMO, the Director and Commission need to prioritize and decide what DFW is going to look like in the future as well as in the present.  There are way too many unfunded mandates.  DFW needs to mend many relationships with the legislature.  Not sure they are trusted to tell the truth.  Maybe they can ask that unfunded mandates get a boost of General Fund monies and let the dedicated Wildlife Fund be used for those core activities that are identified as priorities.

I know, we each have our own ideas as to what should be a priority.  No one said this will be an easy process.

Not sure what they want the department to look like but it sure looks like the writing is on the wall with their senior management team they have in place.

[huntnphool]

"The department shall conserve the wildlife and food fish, game fish, and shellfish resources in a manner that does not impair the resource"

 Big Tex, I know you are an apologist for WDFW, but can you really say they are doing this when their predator management is aimed at the reduction, not conservation, of wildlife?   

I'm not an apologist for WDFW, I've called them out many times. But I am a realist, which many aren't. Everybody wants every chinook to be 50 pounds with guaranteed limits everyday on every river, guarantee your going to get a 400 class bull every year etc and if they don't then it's WDFWs fault.

The "conserve the wildlife and food fish, game fish, and shellfish resources in a manner that does not impair the resource" is all up to each individuals view. Who's right and who's wrong, who knows. I know people who think hunting in WA is amazing because not many states have OTC buck and bull tags, heck some states if you don't draw then you don't hunt. Then you have those who think hunting in WA sucks. Who's right and who's wrong, who knows. Everybody is their own expert.

I feel that our quality of our hunting and fishing opportunity is swirling down the toilet bowl and has been for many years. We have less chance at quality hunt draws, less chances of landing OIL tags, heavily restricted fishing rules and it's getting worse not better.
 
Now I see a proposed fee increase that's going to do nothing but fund the excesses in Olympia. 
Nothing in this fee increase is going to improve hunting or fishing, it'll only feed the bloated bureaucracy that churns out rule after rule after rule making all outdoors people miserable at trying to keep up with it all.

It's a bit shallow to suggest that everyone expects a 400 class bull or 50 lb Chinook.

 +1

[huntnphool]

Until we get a Director who has the courage to cut top down rather than let self protecting HQ managers cut bottom up, these continued budget problems are like the Energizer Bunny.  Just keeps going.  It's pretty much the field positions that actually do something that end up getting the axe, generally speaking.  Always has been result of WDFW's budget process.  We all know what has happened the past 20-30 years to the resource and opportunity under this approach.  Raising user fees and then continuing down the road of poor management is so predictable.

 Well said!