Spokane receives flak over inclusion of ‘animal extremists’ groups

[Ridgeratt]

Wildlife conference in Spokane receives flak over inclusion of ‘animal extremists’ groups
By Eli Francovich, , The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash. (TNS),
Published: November 6, 2022, 1:22pm
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SPOKANE—A well-respected wildlife conference is getting flak from some in the hunting community following inclusion of two advocacy groups focused on reforming state wildlife management.

“All are welcome,” Ed Arnett the CEO of the Wildlife Society said in a voicemail shared with The Spokesman-Review.

Conference organizers notified law enforcement and conference security while simultaneously reminding attendees to adhere to the organization’s guidelines for professional behavior. Due to the size of the annual conference it’s “standard procedure” to do so. There was no evidence of a specific threat, he said in an email.

He said the Wildlife Society has been in contact with the Spokane Police Department and security for the convention center to make sure that “everybody is safe at our conference.”

“I’m not expecting any shenanigans, but I believe we’re prepared for it,” he said.

Most of the weeklong conference schedule reads like a syllabus for a master’s level course in ecology. For example: “Harnessing data ranging from landscapes to individuals to advance conservation and wildlife ecology,” or “Biometrics and Population Monitoring III.”

Two events, however, have drawn the ire of hunting advocacy groups. On Monday night, Washington Wildlife First — an organization dedicated to reforming the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife — will host a meet-and-greet and show an animated film based on a poem written by the late Spokane-based wolf advocate Hanke Seipp.

Then on Thursday, Wildlife For All — a national organization also dedicated to reforming state wildlife management — is hosting a panel discussion titled “Transforming State Wildlife Management to Be More Ecologically Focused, Democratic, and Compassionate.”

“This session will explore the proposition that the current system of state wildlife management in the U.S. is out of alignment with modern ecological understanding, public attitudes, public trust principles and norms of democratic governance, and that systemic problems hinder states from meeting the challenge of protecting wildlife today,” states the panel description.

The controversy started when Sportsmen’s Alliance wrote an article in late October titled “Animal Extremists Allowed Seat at Scientific Conference.” The national organization focused on protecting hunting and fishing access criticized the inclusion of the two groups.


Both groups advocate for state wildlife agencies to focus more on species and habitat conservation and less on hunting and fishing opportunity. They broadly argue that climate change and biodiversity loss means the North American Model of Wildlife Management — which is largely credited for pulling numerous species from the brink of extinction in the 1900s and relies on hunting and fishing license sales to fund conservation work — is outdated. Neither organization says it is anti-hunting, although some in the hunting community disagree.

“The Wildlife Society, the organization responsible for ensuring science is used in wildlife management, is allowing an organization intent on destroying a century of scientific management to air their anti-hunting beliefs at the national conference to a roomful of biologists,” the Sportsmen’s Alliance article states. “I say belief system because Wildlife For All has no science to back up their positions or beliefs. Rather, they have theories … theories that contradict not just the North American model of Wildlife Management, but the … position statements of The Wildlife Society itself.”

The Wildlife Society, which has about 12,000 active members, is dedicated to sustaining “wildlife populations and habitats through science-based management and conservation.” In 2020, the society published a position paper on the animal rights philosophy calling it “incompatible with science-based conservation and management of wildlife.” The society is generally well respected by hunters and anglers.

“Make no mistake, the Wildlife Society has very strong policies that strongly support hunting and trapping,” said Gordon Batcheller, a retired New York state biologist and the president of the Wildlife Society.

“This conference, for us, is all about professional growth and inclusiveness and the willingness to hear view points we may not agree with.”


Samantha Bruegger, the executive director of Washington Wildlife First, said the Sportsmen Alliance article alongside a string of other articles critical of her group caused the Wildlife Society to alert security at the Convention Center and the Spokane Police Department. The Wildlife Society also posted its guidelines for professional behavior prominently atop its webpage and emailed them to attendees.

Bruegger shared a voicemail from the CEO of the Wildlife Society with The Spokesman-Review Friday. Spokane police spokeswoman Julie Humphreys said it’s “pretty normal for us if we get large gatherings to be notified” although she did not know specifics about The Wildlife Society conference, Saturday.

Bruegger called the Sportsmen Alliance article “dangerous rhetoric” and urged inclusivity.

“I think we’re all stronger when we’re civil and able to have these kind of tough discussions in a safe way,” she said.

Dan Wilson, the Washington co-chair for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, believes organizations like Washington Wildlife First are focused more on social issues and less on science.

“It could be problematic that an organization that demotes science-based management to a secondary role in wildlife would be at a scientific conference,” he said, adding that the inclusion of those two groups “seems to undermine their values.”


In particular, he pointed to the decision to end spring bear hunting in Washington — a move that was championed by Washington Wildlife First, despite the fact that state biologist recommended the hunt continue and said it was ecologically defensible.

“That is really adopting a lot of social or cultural positions into a scientific management model,” he said.

That being said, Wilson noted that the conference can invite whomever they like and that he still “has a lot of respect” for the Wildlife Society.

Washington Department of Fish Wildlife Commissioner Kim Thorburn, of Eastern Washington, is a frequent and vocal critic of the views espoused by both Washington Wildlife First and Wildlife for All calling them “animal rights ideologues.” She wrote to Wildlife Society organizers airing her concerns. She said organizers were unaware of the Washington group’s efforts to undermine state management prior to selling them booth space.

Still, Thorburn defended the groups’ presence.

“My position is that they shouldn’t be prohibited from being there, especially since I’ve learned that the society does not currently have procedures about vetting conference applicants with political positions that are harmful to wildlife conservation and management,” she said in an email. “I do hope, and this was the ask in my letter, that the society makes it very clear that, as the national professional association of wildlife biologists and managers, these folks represent an ideology that is antithetical to their profession.”

https://www.columbian.com/news/2022/nov/06/wildlife-conference-in-spokane-receives-flak-over-inclusion-of-animal-extremists-groups/

Buckle up fellas

[Bareback]

This reminds me of what happened to our public education. Wackos were allowed in and changed the curriculum. Kids once were taught math, science (biology, physics, chemistry), history, english. Now they are taught that a boy is not a boy, a girl is not a girl, everyone gets a trophy, and no matter how many times you fail an exam you can just “REDO.”………. It’s not working.

I can only imagine how much the term “science" is going to be misrepresented in our near future.

[GWP]

Did they have a Drag Show? It can only be 'inclusive' if they had a Drag Show!
Is Spokane trying to be the new Seattle?
 

[chukarchaser]

Spokane is Seattle east.  Doubt me drive threuy thru downton after dark

[Skillet]

These groups have been playing chess while hunters have been playing checkers.

Why haven't hunting groups been attending these conferences before the anti's did, extolling the virtues and benefits of a pro-consumptive management model and lauding platitudes upon the managers that make that happen?

Lack of vision and unity within the community, IMHO.

[Ridgeratt]

Skillet
Do you have any suggestions on how to combat these groups when they have their biologists implanted in the wdfw promoting their agendas?
I have been to the wolf presentations and they really don't want to hear anything we have to say.

[Skillet]

Skillet
Do you have any suggestions on how to combat these groups when they have their biologists implanted in the wdfw promoting their agendas?
I have been to the wolf presentations and they really don't want to hear anything we have to say.

In the short term, the tides have turned against consumptive users and we'll need to play defense.  That's all consumptive users, as a team.

Next steps : vote Inslee out, and find a way to limit un-confirmed appointees from sitting on the commission.

Long term: Re: bio's in the system- we gotta plant our own.  And the ones that are there must come to view consumptive users as supporters/allies, not enemies. 

If you were a WDFW bio without an agenda and read some of the comments on here (and elsewhere, I'm sure) about how worthless/stupid/biased/leftist the WDFW bio's are, how enthusiastically would you work to ensure there was consumptive user opportunity? 

[Ridgeratt]

I have asked the question numerous times. And maintain that its hard to win when they are working on the inside.

[Skillet]

I agree 100%

The short term battle prospects are bleak, hunters are going to lose ground.  As a group, we sat on our laurels for far too long, expecting what had always been will always be.  We got lazy and felt entitled to historical access, simple as that.   . There's some people on here that have been fighting the fight, and I appreciate their efforts.  I hope they continue them, now that consumptive users are feeling the squeeze and are more likely to act to preserve their way of life.

The anti-consumptive groups played the long game, and are reaping the rewards now. This move to present at the wildlife conference by not one, but two groups that outwardly advocate to restrict consumptive use of resources shows they are thinking 5 steps ahead of us and are willing to put the time, money and effort in to continue planting seeds to harvest in the future.

Are we?

[Ridgeratt]

Not that it matters but over 40 years ago I was in the Blues hunting elk. Had a blue hair tell me that I was a dinosaur. Said that in my time I would see the end of hunting in Washington. He might just be right.

I also think we share the same views Skillet.

A few years ago, I had a member asked me about the wolves in the Northeast corner and I shared everything that I knew. They were compiling information. I inquired what they had found out the response was they couldn't revel the information. I learned a valuable lesson.
So, like I have said I'm just sitting in the corner listening to the band play. I don't have the answer on how to fix it with the current administration and the extreme biased game commission.

[Gamblin Guy]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/in-washington-state-hunters-may-no-longer-be-necessary-to-manage-wildlife/ar-AA13Qwad?cvid=e868a6e8ec0c4f85b6d42b75dc105f39

and the beat goes on......

[Platensek-po]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/in-washington-state-hunters-may-no-longer-be-necessary-to-manage-wildlife/ar-AA13Qwad?cvid=e868a6e8ec0c4f85b6d42b75dc105f39

and the beat goes on......

This article was not good for my health

[dwils233]

These groups have been playing chess while hunters have been playing checkers.

Why haven't hunting groups been attending these conferences before the anti's did, extolling the virtues and benefits of a pro-consumptive management model and lauding platitudes upon the managers that make that happen?

Lack of vision and unity within the community, IMHO.

I think you should check out the list of The Wildlife Society sponsors, pretty much every major hunting org is there and supports them because hunters, for the most part, really respect wildlife science.

That's the issue- the antis are trying to break the model and doing it in a forum paid for by hunters, to agencies funded by hunting, by presenting an unscientific opinion at an academic gathering. The Wildlife Society got way out of line on it, and their sponsors got upset.

The article makes it sound like a bunch of country bumpkins are coming down to harass attendees and presenters but that's not the case at all

The smart thing would have been to pull the panel since it doesn't fit the conferences academic integrity or the orgs position statements. Instead, they are going to allow it and hope that "more speech" is the solution, but they don't realize that giving these groups any air at all will hurt their model, their profession and their funding stream lingterm

[Skillet]

These groups have been playing chess while hunters have been playing checkers.

Why haven't hunting groups been attending these conferences before the anti's did, extolling the virtues and benefits of a pro-consumptive management model and lauding platitudes upon the managers that make that happen?

Lack of vision and unity within the community, IMHO.

I think you should check out the list of The Wildlife Society sponsors, pretty much every major hunting org is there and supports them because hunters, for the most part, really respect wildlife science.

That's the issue- the antis are trying to break the model and doing it in a forum paid for by hunters, to agencies funded by hunting, by presenting an unscientific opinion at an academic gathering. The Wildlife Society got way out of line on it, and their sponsors got upset.

The article makes it sound like a bunch of country bumpkins are coming down to harass attendees and presenters but that's not the case at all

The smart thing would have been to pull the panel since it doesn't fit the conferences academic integrity or the orgs position statements. Instead, they are going to allow it and hope that "more speech" is the solution, but they don't realize that giving these groups any air at all will hurt their model, their profession and their funding stream lingterm

I'm glad you pointed that out - that's a twist I didn't realize was taking place.  Sounds like the anti-consumptive agenda is trying to co-op the Wildlife Society's message, then? I'll do some more research and educate myself.
 

[dwils233]

These groups have been playing chess while hunters have been playing checkers.

Why haven't hunting groups been attending these conferences before the anti's did, extolling the virtues and benefits of a pro-consumptive management model and lauding platitudes upon the managers that make that happen?

Lack of vision and unity within the community, IMHO.

I think you should check out the list of The Wildlife Society sponsors, pretty much every major hunting org is there and supports them because hunters, for the most part, really respect wildlife science.

That's the issue- the antis are trying to break the model and doing it in a forum paid for by hunters, to agencies funded by hunting, by presenting an unscientific opinion at an academic gathering. The Wildlife Society got way out of line on it, and their sponsors got upset.

The article makes it sound like a bunch of country bumpkins are coming down to harass attendees and presenters but that's not the case at all

The smart thing would have been to pull the panel since it doesn't fit the conferences academic integrity or the orgs position statements. Instead, they are going to allow it and hope that "more speech" is the solution, but they don't realize that giving these groups any air at all will hurt their model, their profession and their funding stream lingterm

I'm glad you pointed that out - that's a twist I didn't realize was taking place.  Sounds like the anti-consumptive agenda is trying to co-op the Wildlife Society's message, then? I'll do some more research and educate myself.
 

What these orgs crave is the one thing they don't have- legitimacy. Even if their panel was decried by wildlife bios in attendance, they'll get to walk out and say "we got to present our idea at a wildlife conference. We're a valid voice and got to speak at a highly respected conference." The damage was done when they were allowed to host a panel, if they were pulled it might have staved off some of the following damage that's going to come from their credibility or victimhood

[Skillet]

Interesting tactic.  I can see that story paying big dividends in their fund-raising efforts.

[GWP]

I will say also that in certain area's of the State, just from the people I know of, the California folks that have moved in outnumber the long term residents in some Cities. They are bringing in the thought patterns and voting that ruined that State. Why not here as well? Other States are finding this out too.
Does not matter if you live out rural. The cities outnumber and carry the State.

[Chesterdog]

I just read these articles and I'm glad they were posted yesterday.  My blood is boiling.  The North American model of wildlife conservation is the only reason these public lands exist, giving habitat to the animals that they now don't want us to hunt.  This is very troubling. I wish we could get a politically experienced pro-hunting governor on the ballot in Wa. State who could stand a chance at pulling votes out of Seattle like Dino Rossi did.  He got very close in that election. That's the only way to re-balance the commission and have a shot at fighting these nutcases' agenda.

[timberfaller]

NO surprise here!  This tactic has been going on  for decades!  If you've not been involved with farming/ranching and irrigation boards, you've missed it!   All state, county and Feds have an "agenda" and FACTS will not deter them in the least bit!  Spotted Owl anyone?  As an "egregious" irrigate-tor of the Methow I had first hand experienced with the indoctrination these clowns suffer from! They ALL were highly "degree-ed" from various University's but were dumber then a box of rocks.   I've seen no improvements from any of these "groups" of late.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result!

[WAcoyotehunter]

I will be attending the panel, hopefully it's well attended and folks recognize that the groups involved are antithetical to the NAMWC.  99% of the attendees make thier living  working and adhering to that model hopefully they speak up

[JakeLand]

I will be attending the panel, hopefully it's well attended and folks recognize that the groups involved are antithetical to the NAMWC.  99% of the attendees make thier living  working and adhering to that model hopefully they speak up

Bart please keep us filled in on the panel meeting. What is our director doing about all this nonsense?

[WAcoyotehunter]

I will be attending the panel, hopefully it's well attended and folks recognize that the groups involved are antithetical to the NAMWC.  99% of the attendees make thier living  working and adhering to that model hopefully they speak up

Bart please keep us filled in on the panel meeting. What is our director doing about all this nonsense?

I'm not sure what the director is doing.  I don't know what he could do, aside from encouraging staff to stick to the mission and avoid the trappings of emotional arguments for management.   

I will let you know how it goes Thursday.

[hunter399]

So does this mean I don't have to wear hunter orange.