I spoke before the commission yesterday

[CJ1962]

Went to Seattle and sat through the whole meeting yesterday.  Finally got a chance to speak about the conservation policy.  Below is what I intended to say.  I got a little of script and lost my place and felt I didn't do a good job.  I went back and listened to it this morning and felt better about it.  At the end of the meeting John Lehmkuhl took exception to what I and others said.  I called the draft conservation policy a lie and he didn't like that.  He took it that I called him a liar.  He also said he is tired of hearing about Spring Bear and hunters need to step up there game with our arguments.  One of his comments surprised me.  He said we should go hire a biologist.  I wanted to reply why would we hire a biologist when we already have hired biologist on the department that they ignored.

Anyway here is what I intended to say:
I’m Carl Barner, I’m from Auburn and I am here representing myself.  I am a lifelong hunter, angler, and outdoorsman.  I am against this so called conservation policy.   I thought long and hard about want I wanted to say today.  I was hoping to come up with something convincing enough that it might make a difference.  In the end I decided that no matter what I said it wouldn’t matter.  The reason for that is…There are several members on this commission that have shown by your behavior on this commission that you are not open to discussions or opinions that go against your beliefs.  You are not interested in facts or data or even science that you disagree with.  Your actions speak loader than your words.

Earlier today it was stated that managing wildlife in current times is hard.  It is my opinion that it is not.  Because you have an effective management model that has been in place for a 100 years that you could easily follow.  You have convinced yourself that it is hard because you are not being honest with your motives or intent.  It’s hard because you are trying to redefine definitions or terms, or word smith traditional language to hide your intentions.  This so called conservation policy is an example of that.  It was not asked for, it’s not needed, and it is a lie. It is a lie because you are not being honest with your motives.  It is my belief that your motive is to end recreational hunting and angling as we know it today.  It is also my belief that everyone that is here today and everyone that has already commented on it knows it for what it is.  Whether you are for it or against it you believe it is the beginning of the end to recreational hunting and fishing.  It is also my belief that those of you on the commission that are pushing it know It is a lie but you don’t have the courage to admit it. 
Lying is hard, being honest is easy.

You can hear what I actually said at the 3:28:25 mark in this link https://tvw.org/video/washington-fish-and-wildlife-commission-2023061142/?eventID=2023061142

You can also here what John says at the 4:52:35 mark

[jstone]

Good for you.!
You could have had facts in your pocket and they wouldn’t want to hear them. They should listen to their won Bios. And yes they are liars and idiots.

Thanks for speaking

[2MANY]

Thanks Carl.

[Bareback]

Thanks for your time and effort. It’s appreciated.

Sometimes, letting a spade know it’s actually a spade, is best.  Good on you. 

[ducks4days]

Thank you for standing up and telling the commission what they don’t want to hear.

[Tbar]

Thank you Carl.  Overall hunters were dominated but you not only did great but brought out the hypocrisy of the chameleon. THANK YOU!

[Henrydog]

Thank you!

[baker5150]

Why does Lehmkuhl keep saying he "WAS a lifelong hunter"

Does he no longer hunt?  If so, he ins't a "lifelong hunter"

And if he can't sit in a meeting and not take a little criticism, he isn't suited for public appointment of this position. 
Grow a set, or step down.

[fishngamereaper]

I watched some of the meeting but it's hard to stomach the arrogance of the commission.
I think they know these meetings are just checking boxes...they don't honestly care what people have to say...

I applaud those that are putting themselves out there. It doesn't hurt to try.

[buckfvr]

Why does Lehmkuhl keep saying he "WAS a lifelong hunter"

Does he no longer hunt?  If so, he ins't a "lifelong hunter"

And if he can't sit in a meeting and not take a little criticism, he isn't suited for public appointment of this position. 
Grow a set, or step down.

They all have the "how dare you" attitude.  Dont question them, dont challenge them, accept their elite other worldly knowledge and insight.   

[HillHound]

Hire a biologist. Ha ha that’s a joke. If you hired 10 he would’ve told you you should’ve hired 11. And like you said they wouldn’t listen to a single one anyways. We are already paying for biologists with our fees like you said and they sure don’t listen to them

[CJ1962]

Thanks guys.  It definitely was difficult sitting through it all day.  I bit my tongue so much it was bleeding.  Overall we were very out numbered in the room.  But online we were closer to even.  So to everyone else that spoke, thank you!  I hope I go do it again, but it definitely isn't something I enjoyed.

[Mtnwalker]

Continuing to sue them at every possible opportunity is probably going to be our best course of action at this point. The biologist comment is ridiculous, then they'd be saying the 3rd party biologist was biased because they were being paid by sportsmen.

[GOcougsHunter]

I watched you provide your testimony.  Speaking truth to power is an admirable task.  Thank you for stepping up.

As a side note...  I live in Seattle.  I really think the commission meeting in downtown Seattle was silly.  The irony of the location where this meeting was held and where 100% of the historical habitat is lost... Their stated position of bringing everything back to some historical preservation point is laughable.  why are these same people not standing up to filling in the mountlake cut to bring Lake Washington back to its historic levels?  What about bringing back all of the soil and vegetation where the denny regrade happened?  Just a bunch of myopic fools.  Easy to destroy other's ways of life than take accountability for your own carbon footprint.

[timberfaller]

Thanks for your time and effort CJ!

We are in a battle against people who think more highly of themselves then they ought to think!!!  And funding by the Center of Biological Diversity and other radical groups!