Pay Attention: Inslee Appoints Radicals to WDFW Commission

[Bob33]

One thing to remember that we have heard from the Biologists, Wardens, etc. time and time again both working and retired is that they are afraid to speak up against WDFW policies for fear of losing their jobs and retirement. Now what kind of a organization is that to work for?

Sadly that's the norm across all levels of government (city, county, state, and federal.) It's a "sit down & shut up", don't speak out mindset. Because if you do speak out guess what, you can kiss that promotion/transfer you wanted goodbye. I can name dozens of people with all sorts of agencies who have been blacklisted from promotions/transfers because they spoke out and went against higher ups.

That's true in most organizations, not just government. Try telling your manager in a private industry that he's making stupid decisions and see how it turns out. 

[bigtex]

One thing to remember that we have heard from the Biologists, Wardens, etc. time and time again both working and retired is that they are afraid to speak up against WDFW policies for fear of losing their jobs and retirement. Now what kind of a organization is that to work for?

Sadly that's the norm across all levels of government (city, county, state, and federal.) It's a "sit down & shut up", don't speak out mindset. Because if you do speak out guess what, you can kiss that promotion/transfer you wanted goodbye. I can name dozens of people with all sorts of agencies who have been blacklisted from promotions/transfers because they spoke out and went against higher ups.

That's true in most organizations, not just government. Try telling your manager in a private industry that he's making stupid decisions and see how it turns out. 

Exactly!

[Bushcraft]

One thing to remember that we have heard from the Biologists, Wardens, etc. time and time again both working and retired is that they are afraid to speak up against WDFW policies for fear of losing their jobs and retirement. Now what kind of a organization is that to work for?

Sadly that's the norm across all levels of government (city, county, state, and federal.) It's a "sit down & shut up", don't speak out mindset. Because if you do speak out guess what, you can kiss that promotion/transfer you wanted goodbye. I can name dozens of people with all sorts of agencies who have been blacklisted from promotions/transfers because they spoke out and went against higher ups.

The Private Sector isn't immune from that either.

But, unlike the Public Sector with its patently absurd unions (which should be illegal for the most part IMHO), Private Sector businesses need to be very pro-customer and proactively advance great employees (or they will go elsewhere) while carefully tending to their bottom line if they are going to be competitive and thrive.

Sadly, public sector agencies and their personnel are largely unaccountable to their customers (citizens). Worse, some of them know it.

[buckfvr]

AND.....many of them that know it, blatantly display it in their attitude.

[Skyvalhunter]

One thing to remember that we have heard from the Biologists, Wardens, etc. time and time again both working and retired is that they are afraid to speak up against WDFW policies for fear of losing their jobs and retirement. Now what kind of a organization is that to work for?

Sadly that's the norm across all levels of government (city, county, state, and federal.) It's a "sit down & shut up", don't speak out mindset. Because if you do speak out guess what, you can kiss that promotion/transfer you wanted goodbye. I can name dozens of people with all sorts of agencies who have been blacklisted from promotions/transfers because they spoke out and went against higher ups.

That's true in most organizations, not just government. Try telling your manager in a private industry that he's making stupid decisions and see how it turns out. 

Exactly!

With that being said there are certain large companies and I will use BNSF for example that after your 3 or 6 month trial period it takes an act of god to fire you even if you were lazier than a cut hog. But you do something unethical or critical then its probation or fired.

[KFhunter]

I know several who were fired.

Seems that flopping over a few cars due to overspeed does it, 2-3 separate incidences 

and digging big holes in the rails by applying too much power does it

and being an arsehat to everyone does it, especially govt inspectors, which causes more fines isn't career enhancing

So ya, I know 4 railroad guys fired just off the top of my head

[wags]

Make WDFW self funded.

It is essentially self funded.
If all you guys would stop buying every license, tag, drawing application, and every other revenue generating scheme they come up with the Department would finally go broke. Of course it would them become a free-for-all in the woods. Any self respecting enforcement agent would move on to another agency or move out of state. I don't really see how there could be any decent ones left right now anyway.
Just say no to WDFW.

Sorry but this simply isn't true. License fees only make up about 25-30% of WDFW's budget. The rest comes from state taxes, federal funds, and outside entities.

That is partially true. However, those Federal funds are Pittman Robertson funds. Those are a 3:1 match of Federal funds for every dollar the State takes in from license and tags sales. So if you buy $100 worth of licenses and tags, the State gets another $300 from the Feds. Don't buy the stuff and they don't get the huge matching funds.

[Skyvalhunter]

Anyhow I digress back to Inslee's appointees and if there is a chance of reversal. If you read that article stating how some of the other commissions felt that the sportsmen were getting the short end of the stick then in their discussions its probably happening. when we have people like that saying yea or nay on our wildlife decisions it surely a no win and reorganization might be called for.

[Bushcraft]

Anyhow I digress back to Inslee's appointees and if there is a chance of reversal. If you read that article stating how some of the other commissions felt that the sportsmen were getting the short end of the stick then in their discussions its probably happening. when we have people like that saying yea or nay on our wildlife decisions it surely a no win and reorganization might be called for.

Thank you. 

The more of a resolute stink that can be generated by the hunting and angling community (and others ), the better our chances of getting a "not recommend" for each of them at the Committee level. Failing that, more pressure will need to be applied to more legislators to the extent possible during this bizarre leg session.

The article was WAY too soft on Zookeeper Koontz. Having witnessed firsthand how he operates with staff, he's far, far more dangerous than Smith IMHO.  I hold him somewhat accountable for the extirpation of the last remaining Woodland Caribou in Washington since he deemed them less worthy of protecting than [non-endangered] wolves and other predators like lions and bears. 

[cougforester]

Since I've not heard from Senator Billig I just resent my same email. May as well keep bugging them. Sounds like we may have a chance.

[Special T]

A little sharper opinion on the issue.

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jan/10/new-commissioners-and-lawsuits-have-some-saying-hu/?fbclid=IwAR1kep-Y0AiqqJCvILSqVACmejSEMJtoMJAiD-DT2h7O7Ficf7oYhVfrGj4

[KFhunter]

A little sharper opinion on the issue.

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jan/10/new-commissioners-and-lawsuits-have-some-saying-hu/?fbclid=IwAR1kep-Y0AiqqJCvILSqVACmejSEMJtoMJAiD-DT2h7O7Ficf7oYhVfrGj4

She cites that disavowed Wielgus study on large carnivores, WSU fired that turd and issued a public letter saying his work was biased and untrue.

Yet, she picks it up anyways. She certainly didn't say she'd improve hunting or fishing did she? No.

And Spoksman review left Wielgus out, even though they did an article on Wielgus' controversy some years ago.

Not good.

[Special T]

A little sharper opinion on the issue.

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jan/10/new-commissioners-and-lawsuits-have-some-saying-hu/?fbclid=IwAR1kep-Y0AiqqJCvILSqVACmejSEMJtoMJAiD-DT2h7O7Ficf7oYhVfrGj4

She cites that disavowed Wielgus study on large carnivores, WSU fired that turd and issued a public letter saying his work was biased and untrue.

Yet, she picks it up anyways. She certainly didn't say she'd improve hunting or fishing did she? No.

And Spoksman review left Wielgus out, even though they did an article on Wielgus' controversy some years ago.

Not good.

Yes but she hangs herself in the comments

[cooltimber]

New commissioners and lawsuits have some saying hunting is under attack in Washington
Sun., Jan. 10, 2021

Mark McLean hikes through Rustler’s Gulch, public land north of Spokane, while hunting on Oct. 21, 2018.  (Eli Francovich)
Mark McLean hikes through Rustler’s Gulch, public land north of Spokane, while hunting on Oct. 21, 2018. (Eli Francovich)
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By Eli Francovich
elif@spokesman.com
(509) 459-5508
Hunting is under attack in Washington.

At least that’s the assessment of Kim Thorburn, a Washington Department of Fish and Game commissioner from Spokane.

“I’m pretty upset about what’s going on,” she said. “We’re looking at hunters as an enemy.”

Although she believes the assault has been brewing for a long time, Thorburn points to a recently filed lawsuit looking to outlaw spring bear hunting and last year’s ban on coyote killing contests.

“They just come one item at a time,” she said.

Meanwhile, the appointment of two new WDFW commissioners by Gov. Jay Inslee has drawn criticism and concern from hunters and hunting groups. Some environmental organizations praised the appointments. The commissioners both have backgrounds in wildlife conservation and advocacy.

“I’m very excited with the direction Gov. Inslee has taken with the most recent appointments to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission,” said Sophia Ressler, Washington wildlife advocate and staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity in a news release.

The direction Ressler praises is giving others pause.

Mark Pidgeon, the president of the Hunters Heritage Council, said his group wasn’t contacted prior to the appointment of the two new commissioners and worries that the commission, which traditionally has representatives from a variety of industries and cultures, is no longer balanced.

“To us, that throws the commission out of balance,” he said of the two appointments.

The two new commissioners are King County resident Fred Koontz and Jefferson County resident Lorna Smith. A third Eastern Washington commission seat formerly held by David Graybill of Chelan County will be filled in the near future.

Pidgeon and other advocates point to other instances in which hunting opportunity has been lost. In 2019, WDFW ended a popular antlerless deer hunt in Eastern Washington. Going even further back, many point to the banning of hound hunting and bear baiting in 1996 via a statewide initiative.

Marie Neumiller, the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council’s executive director, shares Pidgeon’s concerns. She’s noticed that since COVID-19 has forced commission meetings – and public comment – online, more out-of-state groups and individuals have Zoomed in to comment.

“Some of the issues at the last meeting were flooded with two hours or more of public testimony,” she said.

That isn’t to say all sides shouldn’t have a voice, she said.

But Neumiller believes hunters – a diverse catchall spanning the gamut from family deer hunts, trappers, hound hunters and more – are poorly understood and drowned out by more powerful and vocal groups.

“I feel like hunters are portrayed in the media in a way that doesn’t actually represent who we are,” she said.

‘Not coming to abolish the sport’
Smith, one of the new commissioners, is aware of these concerns but assures hunters that she’s not out to get them.

“I would like to calm those fears of the hunting community,” Smith said. “I’m not coming in to abolish this sport.”

Smith, a fifth-generation Washingtonian who comes from a family of lighthouse keepers on Discovery Bay, grew up hunting and fishing, although she doesn’t do either now.


Prior to joining the commission, she was the executive director for the nonprofit Western Wildlife Outreach and was Snohomish County’s lead environmental supervisor from 1986-2007.

While she supports hunting, she believes the commission needs to start making policy decisions that are “grounded in sound science,” even if that means getting rid of some hunting opportunities.

In particular, she points to cougar hunting in Washington.

In April, the commission approved more liberal cougar hunting rules. Some research indicates cougar hunting leads to greater dispersal of young males and possibly more human-cougar conflict. Not all biologist agree with this assessment.

Smith believes WDFW has been “too dismissive” of that research.

“I would personally like to see more emphasis on science being brought before the commission as they are making their decision, rather than it having it all digested down into a few sentences,” she said. “I’ll do my research. I’m not going to just rely on what’s brought to the table by the department.”

The commission is a nine-person citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Both new members’ terms run until Dec. 31, 2026.

Changing times
What isn’t in dispute is the fact that hunting, in Washington and nationwide, is in decline.

Only 5% of Americans 16 years and older hunt, according to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study published in 2017. Fifty years ago, 10% of Americans 16 years and older hunted.

In Washington, there has been an 11% drop in state hunting license holders over between 2008 and 2018. Even more worrying for state officials, youth hunting participation is down 22% during the same period. Between 2019 and 2012, the number of hunters dropped by nearly 5%.

At the same time, attitudes about wildlife are changing as Americans live an increasingly urban life. More than 80% of Americans live in a city or suburb, according to a 2018 U.S. Census Bureau report. The century-long retreat from rural life has left formerly developed lands vacant, giving animals like deer, cougars and wolves a place to call home.

This odd situation – increased urbanization paired with growing numbers of certain highly adaptive species – is fundamentally changing how humans understand and interact with wildlife.

This is best exemplified by a 2019 study documenting a continued shift from a “traditionalist” view of wildlife, to a “mutualist” view. Traditionalists think of wildlife as resources to be used by humans, while mutualists believe animals have their own intrinsic value, separate from human utility.

“It’s a changing world,” said the study’s lead investigator, Michael Manfredo. “We’ve gone from a world where we perceived wildlife as something we had control over and should use the way we wish, to a world where we regard animals as human-like, with a certain amount of rights like humans have.”

According to the study, which was conducted by Colorado State University, “higher income, urbanization and education at the state level were associated with a higher prevalence of mutualism orientations among state residents.” In Washington, 38% of respondents were mutualists and 28% were traditionalists. Those differences aligned roughly with urban and rural areas.

The foundation of conservation
An additional concern, at least for Thorburn, is that state fish and game agencies have long depended on hunters and anglers to fund and champion conservation work.

For instance, hunting and fishing license fees and associated federal money make up more than one-third of WDFW’s annual operating budget.

While Thorburn neither hunts nor fishes, she worries if WDFW focuses too much on “urban values” it will lose its staunchest, most invested supporters.

“We manage it for all Washingtonians, not just urban Washingtonians,” she said. “I don’t think wildlife conservation and management should be by majority view on wildlife. Especially when it’s a view that really impedes conservation and management practices.”

[Blacktail Sniper]

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,256579.msg3485746/topicseen.html#new