Pay Attention: Inslee Appoints Radicals to WDFW Commission

[Skyvalhunter]

looks good XXXX

[whackmaster]

Pigslee is a pile of *censored* 

[Bushcraft]

Here’s what I wrote. He’s actually my state senator. I’m not the best word smith but hey, better than nothing.

Senator Billig,

Please reject the appointments of Lorna Smith and Fred Koontz. If these appointees are confirmed, RCW laws will be broken. RCW 77.04.040 discusses the goals and objectives of the commission and how it intends to represent a broad swath of citizens in the state. This includes environmental protection groups, however also includes alli incredibly important parts of natural resource user groups like hunters, recreation and commercial anglers, private landowners, bird watchers, hikers, etc.

If these two people are confirmed, the commercial fishing will not have a significant voice on the commission. This is in violation of RCW 77.04.040. Little if no input from organized hunters or recreational/ commercial fisherman was solicited prior to appointing these people. This is in violation of RCW 77.04.040. If these two people are confirmed, the commission will be out of balance in favor of heavily “environmental” minded, predator heavy, anti hunting minds that violates 77.04.040 by not maintaining a balance of reflecting all aspects of fish and wildlife.

Please make the right choice and do not confirm these two appointments. Washington’s ungulate population, hunting and fishing heritage, and hundreds of millions of tax dollars generated by license sales, excise taxes from hunting equipment, and economic value from commercial fishing depends on your decision.

Thank you for your time.
From a concerned citizen and your constituent,
XXXXX

Excellent!

Very similar language has been used in the automated campaign that SCI's mothership will have out very shortly (I just proofed it), hopefully later this afternoon.  Some other pressing issues in needed to be addressed in Colorado and Virginia or it would have been completed sooner.

[Bushcraft]

With regard to the tip-of-the-spear organization of sportsmen, particularly in the hunting community, there aren't any statewide hunting .orgs that have paid staff like the anti-hunters and enviros .orgs (like Conservation Northwest for example), whose full-time job it is to be involved to varying degrees on a daily basis with both WDFW staff, the Commission, the Legislator, and the Governor's office.

SCI and HHC have traditionally maintained the strongest amount of clout among the legislators (since we have a full-time lobbyist and very involved volunteers like myself), but has done so with unpaid part-time volunteers that have other jobs and businesses that they must prioritize.  Quite frankly, it's amazing what a relatively small group of volunteers have been able to do to fight some of the nonsense that comes out of Olympia every legislative session.  We could use the help.

If any of you have any ideas on how to put a paid staff for hunter and hunting advocacy in place, I am all ears!

[Tpetie3509]

Here’s what I wrote. He’s actually my state senator. I’m not the best word smith but hey, better than nothing.

Senator Billig,

Please reject the appointments of Lorna Smith and Fred Koontz. If these appointees are confirmed, RCW laws will be broken. RCW 77.04.040 discusses the goals and objectives of the commission and how it intends to represent a broad swath of citizens in the state. This includes environmental protection groups, however also includes alli incredibly important parts of natural resource user groups like hunters, recreation and commercial anglers, private landowners, bird watchers, hikers, etc.

If these two people are confirmed, the commercial fishing will not have a significant voice on the commission. This is in violation of RCW 77.04.040. Little if no input from organized hunters or recreational/ commercial fisherman was solicited prior to appointing these people. This is in violation of RCW 77.04.040. If these two people are confirmed, the commission will be out of balance in favor of heavily “environmental” minded, predator heavy, anti hunting minds that violates 77.04.040 by not maintaining a balance of reflecting all aspects of fish and wildlife.

Please make the right choice and do not confirm these two appointments. Washington’s ungulate population, hunting and fishing heritage, and hundreds of millions of tax dollars generated by license sales, excise taxes from hunting equipment, and economic value from commercial fishing depends on your decision.

Thank you for your time.
From a concerned citizen and your constituent,
XXXXX

Thank you. I think I speak for many of us that would like to do something, but don't know where to go or how to get started. I am going to send this to my state senator this evening.

[Bushcraft]

Here’s what I wrote. He’s actually my state senator. I’m not the best word smith but hey, better than nothing.

Senator Billig,

Please reject the appointments of Lorna Smith and Fred Koontz. If these appointees are confirmed, RCW laws will be broken. RCW 77.04.040 discusses the goals and objectives of the commission and how it intends to represent a broad swath of citizens in the state. This includes environmental protection groups, however also includes alli incredibly important parts of natural resource user groups like hunters, recreation and commercial anglers, private landowners, bird watchers, hikers, etc.

If these two people are confirmed, the commercial fishing will not have a significant voice on the commission. This is in violation of RCW 77.04.040. Little if no input from organized hunters or recreational/ commercial fisherman was solicited prior to appointing these people. This is in violation of RCW 77.04.040. If these two people are confirmed, the commission will be out of balance in favor of heavily “environmental” minded, predator heavy, anti hunting minds that violates 77.04.040 by not maintaining a balance of reflecting all aspects of fish and wildlife.

Please make the right choice and do not confirm these two appointments. Washington’s ungulate population, hunting and fishing heritage, and hundreds of millions of tax dollars generated by license sales, excise taxes from hunting equipment, and economic value from commercial fishing depends on your decision.

Thank you for your time.
From a concerned citizen and your constituent,
XXXXX

Thank you. I think I speak for many of us that would like to do something, but don't know where to go or how to get started. I am going to send this to my state senator this evening.

No...thank you!  Please send it to the Senate Majority leader and every member of the NR Committee I mentioned.

[Tpetie3509]

With regard to the tip-of-the-spear organization of sportsmen, particularly in the hunting community, there aren't any statewide hunting .orgs that have paid staff like the anti-hunters and enviros .orgs (like Conservation Northwest for example), whose full-time job it is to be involved to varying degrees on a daily basis with both WDFW staff, the Commission, the Legislator, and the Governor's office.

SCI and HHC have traditionally maintained the strongest amount of clout among the legislators (since we have a full-time lobbyist and very involved volunteers like myself), but has done so with unpaid part-time volunteers that have other jobs and businesses that they must prioritize.  Quite frankly, it's amazing what a relatively small group of volunteers have been able to do to fight some of the nonsense that comes out of Olympia every legislative session.  We could use the help.

If any of you have any ideas on how to put a paid staff for hunter and hunting advocacy in place, I am all ears!

I don't have the brain power to even speculate on how to go about starting an organization. It appears that these organizations are 501c3's that take donations and fund raise (maybe sponsored by universities?) and are able to have paid positions. I for one would be willing to become involved and help where I can, I have spent a few hours listening to recent commission meetings and it makes me sick how little these folks on our commission even know about the subject at hand.

[Special T]

With regard to the tip-of-the-spear organization of sportsmen, particularly in the hunting community, there aren't any statewide hunting .orgs that have paid staff like the anti-hunters and enviros .orgs (like Conservation Northwest for example), whose full-time job it is to be involved to varying degrees on a daily basis with both WDFW staff, the Commission, the Legislator, and the Governor's office.

SCI and HHC have traditionally maintained the strongest amount of clout among the legislators (since we have a full-time lobbyist and very involved volunteers like myself), but has done so with unpaid part-time volunteers that have other jobs and businesses that they must prioritize.  Quite frankly, it's amazing what a relatively small group of volunteers have been able to do to fight some of the nonsense that comes out of Olympia every legislative session.  We could use the help.

If any of you have any ideas on how to put a paid staff for hunter and hunting advocacy in place, I am all ears!

I don't have the brain power to even speculate on how to go about starting an organization. It appears that these organizations are 501c3's that take donations and fund raise (maybe sponsored by universities?) and are able to have paid positions. I for one would be willing to become involved and help where I can, I have spent a few hours listening to recent commission meetings and it makes me sick how little these folks on our commission even know about the subject at hand.

It's all about fundraising. National orgs like SCI have economy of scale to do important stuff.  Otherwise you need a very organized team.

[Tpetie3509]

Here’s what I wrote. He’s actually my state senator. I’m not the best word smith but hey, better than nothing.

Senator Billig,

Please reject the appointments of Lorna Smith and Fred Koontz. If these appointees are confirmed, RCW laws will be broken. RCW 77.04.040 discusses the goals and objectives of the commission and how it intends to represent a broad swath of citizens in the state. This includes environmental protection groups, however also includes alli incredibly important parts of natural resource user groups like hunters, recreation and commercial anglers, private landowners, bird watchers, hikers, etc.

If these two people are confirmed, the commercial fishing will not have a significant voice on the commission. This is in violation of RCW 77.04.040. Little if no input from organized hunters or recreational/ commercial fisherman was solicited prior to appointing these people. This is in violation of RCW 77.04.040. If these two people are confirmed, the commission will be out of balance in favor of heavily “environmental” minded, predator heavy, anti hunting minds that violates 77.04.040 by not maintaining a balance of reflecting all aspects of fish and wildlife.

Please make the right choice and do not confirm these two appointments. Washington’s ungulate population, hunting and fishing heritage, and hundreds of millions of tax dollars generated by license sales, excise taxes from hunting equipment, and economic value from commercial fishing depends on your decision.

Thank you for your time.
From a concerned citizen and your constituent,
XXXXX

Thank you. I think I speak for many of us that would like to do something, but don't know where to go or how to get started. I am going to send this to my state senator this evening.

No...thank you!  Please send it to the Senate Majority leader and every member of the NR Committee I mentioned.

Done.

[Tpetie3509]

With regard to the tip-of-the-spear organization of sportsmen, particularly in the hunting community, there aren't any statewide hunting .orgs that have paid staff like the anti-hunters and enviros .orgs (like Conservation Northwest for example), whose full-time job it is to be involved to varying degrees on a daily basis with both WDFW staff, the Commission, the Legislator, and the Governor's office.

SCI and HHC have traditionally maintained the strongest amount of clout among the legislators (since we have a full-time lobbyist and very involved volunteers like myself), but has done so with unpaid part-time volunteers that have other jobs and businesses that they must prioritize.  Quite frankly, it's amazing what a relatively small group of volunteers have been able to do to fight some of the nonsense that comes out of Olympia every legislative session.  We could use the help.

If any of you have any ideas on how to put a paid staff for hunter and hunting advocacy in place, I am all ears!

I don't have the brain power to even speculate on how to go about starting an organization. It appears that these organizations are 501c3's that take donations and fund raise (maybe sponsored by universities?) and are able to have paid positions. I for one would be willing to become involved and help where I can, I have spent a few hours listening to recent commission meetings and it makes me sick how little these folks on our commission even know about the subject at hand.

It's all about fundraising. National orgs like SCI have economy of scale to do important stuff.  Otherwise you need a very organized team.

Agreed, I will admit I haven't thought about SCI in particular. I'm going to look into the Columbia Basin chapter which would be local for me.

[Bushcraft]

Alright, we're live with the automated e-mail campaign tool!

Link in the Washington's SCI website: http://sci-washington.com/advocacy.html

Link in the SCI website: https://safariclub.org/hunter-advocacy-action-center/

Please feel free to share with friends and on social media.

Thank you!

Allen

[bearpaw]

good job SCI... 

[Odell]

Nobody is going to change their minds.

I agree. It's over, the future of WA is California

[bearpaw]

Nobody is going to change their minds.

I agree. It's over, the future of WA is California

No doubt the future is pretty bleak for WA, but there is no chance if people give up, everyone needs to take action!

[Special T]

With regard to the tip-of-the-spear organization of sportsmen, particularly in the hunting community, there aren't any statewide hunting .orgs that have paid staff like the anti-hunters and enviros .orgs (like Conservation Northwest for example), whose full-time job it is to be involved to varying degrees on a daily basis with both WDFW staff, the Commission, the Legislator, and the Governor's office.

SCI and HHC have traditionally maintained the strongest amount of clout among the legislators (since we have a full-time lobbyist and very involved volunteers like myself), but has done so with unpaid part-time volunteers that have other jobs and businesses that they must prioritize.  Quite frankly, it's amazing what a relatively small group of volunteers have been able to do to fight some of the nonsense that comes out of Olympia every legislative session.  We could use the help.

If any of you have any ideas on how to put a paid staff for hunter and hunting advocacy in place, I am all ears!

I don't have the brain power to even speculate on how to go about starting an organization. It appears that these organizations are 501c3's that take donations and fund raise (maybe sponsored by universities?) and are able to have paid positions. I for one would be willing to become involved and help where I can, I have spent a few hours listening to recent commission meetings and it makes me sick how little these folks on our commission even know about the subject at hand.

It's all about fundraising. National orgs like SCI have economy of scale to do important stuff.  Otherwise you need a very organized team.

Agreed, I will admit I haven't thought about SCI in particular. I'm going to look into the Columbia Basin chapter which would be local for me.

I personally dont care what organization people join, but JOIN ONE! Become active and Insert yourself into part of the solution We dont need to reinvent the wheel we just need more help turning it! Just an hour or 2 a week in an organized fashion can have a huge impact.