CCW response to FWC Melanie Rowland's op-ed

[Firstgenhunter]

The day before the March Commission meeting, WDFW Commissioner Rowland published an op-ed in the Methow Valley News. While commissioners have First Amendment rights, Rowland is currently under investigation by the Governor’s office over allegations of collusion, malfeasance, and corruption.Her op-ed appeared official, never clarifying she was speaking as a private citizen.

The piece cherry-picked the Commission’s mandate — highlighting one portion while ignoring the rest. Sorry Melanie, you can’t support half the law and condemn the department for following the other half.
She defended removing the spring bear hunt despite support from department biologists. Claims of “following the science” fall flat when that science was ignored. The result? A respected biologist lost, revenue gone, and a favorite hunt stripped from sportsmen.

She says she’s not against hunting — yet celebrates reducing cougar opportunity and keeping wolves listed, despite downlisting being recommended by department biologists.

On public records, she dismisses the Sportsmen’s Alliance as “out of state,” though they represent thousands of Washington members. Conservation Coalition of Washington has also provided records supporting allegations of collusion with anti-hunting groups, ethics issues, meeting disruptions, and etc.

She complains about investigation costs and time- but from all the records we have this was long overdue. If these allegations were not so clear or if she just resigned maybe this wouldn’t be a problem.

Her claim of “just exchanging emails” with citizens that represent the majority is not reality. Her close relationship with the state’s leading anti-hunting and self-proclaimed animal rights group funded by a billionaire — is clear from all of our records. And last time we checked.. billionaires and animal rights groups don’t represent Washington.
She says she’s open to hunting groups, yet declined repeated invitations and has refrained from replying to emails.
Her op-ed appears to urge supporters to pressure the Governor to keep her in place. Continuing to divide stakeholders isn’t the answer. Melanie, you should step down. You certainly do not “protect balance”.

Read the article yourself and let us know what you think!
https://methowvalleynews.com/.../my-turn-protecting.../

[ghosthunter]

Yeah it’s a train wreck. She an$ Smith have got to go. There is no way to regain any trust in the Commission with them sitting feeding info to WWF.

The governor is going to just sit on it because he got no balls to take them on.

What a racket some commission members sitting on a state board feeding info to an anti consumption group so they can sue the state. You can’t make this stuff up.

Fishing is next on their list.

[Firstgenhunter]

I've had a lot of back-and-forths during public comment with Melanie over the years but calling her out on her op-ed was the best yet.

I honestly believe their time on the commission is coming to an end, as is WWF's influence. Whether its resigning, removal, or letting their terms run out. No way that they're brought back. They know that, and they're all desperate. Doing whatever they can to save themselves, looking innocent, or jamming through their dream policies or trying to remove Susewind. As for WWF, they've destroyed their relationship with the governor's office when they sued Ferguson over removing Ragen and O'Connor. Very desperate group, that has burned many bridges and losing influence and power fast.

[MADMAX]

I've had a lot of back-and-forths during public comment with Melanie over the years but calling her out on her op-ed was the best yet.

I honestly believe their time on the commission is coming to an end, as is WWF's influence. Whether its resigning, removal, or letting their terms run out. No way that they're brought back. They know that, and they're all desperate. Doing whatever they can to save themselves, looking innocent, or jamming through their dream policies or trying to remove Susewind. As for WWF, they've destroyed their relationship with the governor's office when they sued Ferguson over removing Ragen and O'Connor. Very desperate group, that has burned many bridges and losing influence and power fast.

Hoping you are correct

[Pegasus]

Sorry but I don't see Ferguson as ever being on the side of hunters. If they get the boot the replacements will likely be part of the same crowd.

[Jake Dogfish]

Sorry but I don't see Ferguson as ever being on the side of hunters. If they get the boot the replacements will likely be part of the same crowd.

[pianoman9701]

Ferguson follows the money...right into his pocket from animal rights groups, just like his daddy, Blue Jay Inslee.

[TriggerMike]

I think the Tribes provide a much bigger chunk of change to Ferguson's pockets than animal rights groups did to Inslee's. The Tribes are obviously pro hunting and quite frankly our only hope left in this state. Funny how that works. They don't want any more of this anti hunting rhetoric and out of control predator populations going unchecked. I agree that these anti hunting people's time on the commission is nearing an end. Whether removal or not getting reapppinted. If Ferguson wanted a bunch of anti's on the commission then he wouldnt have put Linville, Anderson and the new guy on in place of Inslee's final picks days before his term was up.

[HntnFsh]

Sure hope your right!

[Humptulips]

I think the Tribes provide a much bigger chunk of change to Ferguson's pockets than animal rights groups did to Inslee's. The Tribes are obviously pro hunting and quite frankly our only hope left in this state. Funny how that works. They don't want any more of this anti hunting rhetoric and out of control predator populations going unchecked. I agree that these anti hunting people's time on the commission is nearing an end. Whether removal or not getting reapppinted. If Ferguson wanted a bunch of anti's on the commission then he wouldnt have put Linville, Anderson and the new guy on in place of Inslee's final picks days before his term was up.

This^^^^

[Skyvalhunter]

Rowland is obviously in a panic mode and trying to defend her actions. She's trying to appeal to the tree huggers in the Methow and the pro wolf people there.
The tribes are smart in that they are buying chunks of land, some large and some not so. However some are smart enough to manage the predators on their land the right way. I critized the WWF group on their own FB page and didn't get a response so they are weak but still trying to disrupt things.

[bearhunter99]

Here's hoping you are right.  It turns my stomach reading their drivel.  Bear cubs as small as kittens - give me a break.  Never mind the data of actual cub rearing sows taken.

If they really wanted to save the sows they would reintroduce baiting.  Giving the hunter time to evaluate the bear before shooting instead of taking a snap shot through the trees when encountered by chance while hunting deer or elk....

[Firstgenhunter]

Rowland is obviously in a panic mode and trying to defend her actions. She's trying to appeal to the tree huggers in the Methow and the pro wolf people there.
The tribes are smart in that they are buying chunks of land, some large and some not so. However some are smart enough to manage the predators on their land the right way. I critized the WWF group on their own FB page and didn't get a response so they are weak but still trying to disrupt things.

Something also to note: if anyone’s watched the meetings since the release of the SA petition and record dumps by the orgs, the WWF founder, Claire Davis has not spoken at a meeting since I think April of 25. I could be mistaken, but I don’t remember her speaking at all since the release of everything. The record dumps, and meeting testimonies by hunters have exposed a lot about WWF. She hangs out in the corner these days, but I don’t think she’s actually shown up for a couple of meetings. Could be nothing, but something to note.

[30.06]

"I’ve been an environmental lawyer for decades, working to support conservation of fish and wildlife." 

"They decided to push back hard, even though we’ve made it clear that we do not oppose hunting in general." 

"We reduced the numbers of cougars that could be killed by hunting to numbers based on scientific analysis."   
 
  "I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished with respect to large carnivores." 

"This was no surprise, given that Director Susewind is a spring bear hunter who strongly defended this hunt at a Commission meeting." 

ghosthunter is correct, fishing will be next on their list if the non-license buyers contingent remains at the table, or even in the room. But that op-ed reads more like a woe is me plea for more $.
I read the MV News once a month or so, and its pure bunny huggery and wildflower walks. Good on SA for standing up behind us!