New commissioners

[hughjorgan]

In case you folks want to see what Woody Myers said as well…

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/mar/05/questions-and-answers-with-woody-myers-washingtons/

[hunter399]

In case you folks want to see what Woody Myers said as well…

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/mar/05/questions-and-answers-with-woody-myers-washingtons/

I had to refresh page a few times.
I think they want me to pay for content.
Got most of it ,without paying.

[pickardjw]

Better responses from Woody for sure...

What is the role of the commission, in your view, and how should it interface with WDFW staff?

The commission sets policy that guides agency direction of resource management. In general, I believe the commission should focus on landscape and state -level issues including but not limited to policy guiding management of threatened habitats and fish and wildlife populations and other populations of concern including species at the top of tropic levels, and interactions with other governments. The commission is legally bound to ensure the preservation, protection and perpetuation of the state’s fish and wildlife resources and maximize recreation of those resources.

The decision to end the spring bear hunt was a controversial and divisive one. If you had been a commissioner, how would you have approached that decision, and what would your vote have been?

I am aware of the controversy of the commission’s decision to end the spring bear hunt. As a scientist, I do not rely on information from popular publications, social media or rumor to make informed decisions. Thus, I do not have all the pertinent information I need to respond to this question

What role do hunters and anglers have in fish and wildlife management? How, if at all, has that role changed?

Hunters and anglers need to be celebrated in North America as they have been in Europe because hunters and anglers were among the first conservationists and environmentalists. Without their concern for our natural resources and the actions they took nearly a 100 years ago or so, the wildlife and fish and their habitats that we take for granted may not exist today. Hunters and anglers continue to play a major role in fish and wildlife management by helping fund state fish and wildlife agencies through taxes on the equipment they use in recreation, taxes that they requested. At this point in time, hunting and fishing are primarily forms of recreation although hunting is occasionally used as a management technique to address wildlife damage or disease issues; hunting and fishing harvests provide biologists and managers with meaningful data collection opportunities as well.

[hunter399]

Better responses from Woody for sure...

What is the role of the commission, in your view, and how should it interface with WDFW staff?

The commission sets policy that guides agency direction of resource management. In general, I believe the commission should focus on landscape and state -level issues including but not limited to policy guiding management of threatened habitats and fish and wildlife populations and other populations of concern including species at the top of tropic levels, and interactions with other governments. The commission is legally bound to ensure the preservation, protection and perpetuation of the state’s fish and wildlife resources and maximize recreation of those resources.

The decision to end the spring bear hunt was a controversial and divisive one. If you had been a commissioner, how would you have approached that decision, and what would your vote have been?

I am aware of the controversy of the commission’s decision to end the spring bear hunt. As a scientist, I do not rely on information from popular publications, social media or rumor to make informed decisions. Thus, I do not have all the pertinent information I need to respond to this question

What role do hunters and anglers have in fish and wildlife management? How, if at all, has that role changed?

Hunters and anglers need to be celebrated in North America as they have been in Europe because hunters and anglers were among the first conservationists and environmentalists. Without their concern for our natural resources and the actions they took nearly a 100 years ago or so, the wildlife and fish and their habitats that we take for granted may not exist today. Hunters and anglers continue to play a major role in fish and wildlife management by helping fund state fish and wildlife agencies through taxes on the equipment they use in recreation, taxes that they requested. At this point in time, hunting and fishing are primarily forms of recreation although hunting is occasionally used as a management technique to address wildlife damage or disease issues; hunting and fishing harvests provide biologists and managers with meaningful data collection opportunities as well.

He seems like a good guy.
I like the fact that he is or was a biologists.
Seems as though he might be able to see through some of the BS.

[Jake Dogfish]

not impressed at all. total cop-out not answering the spring bear question. saying he hadnt heard any of the arguments does not inspire confidence.

I thought his answer on spring bear was appropriate.

[KFhunter]

It was some what of a cop out, Smith said it wasn’t a scientific decision but rather a decision based upon social considerations

He should have referred to that comment with his answer, which he very lightly alluded too.

I’m not “docking him any points” for the response he gave however, as it was accurate, prudent but lacked the red meat we’d like to see

Reading between the lines though, I think we get a good picture of what he thinks about Smith and some of the others though

The guy is intelligent

[Special T]

Of course we would love to hear them shout out this commission is an abomination and they are here to help fix it... But they aren't confirmed and they likely wouldn't have been chosen if they would say such a thing.

I'm much more interested than anything else in how they vote than anything else.

[bigtex]

Of course we would love to hear them shout out this commission is an abomination and they are here to help fix it... But they aren't confirmed and they likely wouldn't have been chosen if they would say such a thing.

I'm much more interested than anything else in how they vote than anything else.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[Ghost Hunter]

Same.

[Rainier10]

It was some what of a cop out, Smith said it wasn’t a scientific decision but rather a decision based upon social considerations

He should have referred to that comment with his answer, which he very lightly alluded too.

I’m not “docking him any points” for the response he gave however, as it was accurate, prudent but lacked the red meat we’d like to see

Reading between the lines though, I think we get a good picture of what he thinks about Smith and some of the others though

The guy is intelligent

[bearpaw]

Of course we would love to hear them shout out this commission is an abomination and they are here to help fix it... But they aren't confirmed and they likely wouldn't have been chosen if they would say such a thing.

I'm much more interested than anything else in how they vote than anything else.

   exactly, staying middle of the road answering questions was a no brainer