WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/ July 20, 2009
Contact: Mike Kuttel, (360) 902-8413
Traci Loveless, (360) 902-8412
Members sought for Master Hunter Advisory Group
Olympia - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is accepting letters of interest through Sept. 30, 2009 for membership on the WDFW Master Hunter Advisory Group.
The group, which represents master hunters statewide, advises WDFW on issues and opportunities affecting master hunters and the Master Hunter Permit Program.
The WDFW director will make formal appointments by March 2010.
Five volunteer positions will be open on the 15-member group early next year. Applicants must be certified master hunters and will serve three-year terms starting March 4, 2010. Appointed members must retain their certification status during their entire term. At least two advisory group members should reside within each of WDFW’s six administrative regions. Letters of interest will be accepted from applicants residing in:
Region Three (one vacancy) (Kittitas, Yakima, Franklin, and Benton counties).
Region Five (one vacancy) (Lewis, Cowlitz, Clark, Skamania, Klickitat, and Wahkiakum counties).
Region Six (two vacancies) (Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor, Mason, Thurston, Pierce, Pacific, and Kitsap counties).
Any county in the state (one vacancy).
The responsibility of the advisory group is to communicate with other master hunters, solicit their input, share their views with other members and WDFW, and keep them informed of meeting outcomes and progress on the Master Hunter Permit Program. The group works in full partnership with WDFW in development of program requirements, curricula and direction.
Letters of interest must be received by Sept. 30, 2009. Those applying are asked to answer three key questions: why they want to be a member, what qualifies them to be a member, and how they can help achieve the advisory group’s vision.
After the letters of interest are reviewed, five applicants will be selected to participate in a telephone interview during an upcoming advisory group meeting (likely Dec. 3, 2009).
The advisory group meets at least four times a year in Ellensburg. Members serve as volunteers and do not receive direct compensation for their work, but mileage reimbursement is currently available through a grant to the group. Active members are expected to donate at least 100 hours of their time each year and may participate in or lead master hunter orientations, information and outreach sessions, or special hunt management meetings held near their area of residence.
The application process is open to all certified master hunters with no ongoing legal proceedings or convictions in the last 10 years under the state’s fish and wildlife enforcement code (RCW 77.15). Finalists also must authorize a criminal background check conducted by WDFW, but at no cost to them.
Interested master hunters are advised to thoroughly review the Master Hunter website,
http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/masterhunter/ , paying particular attention to the bylaws, roles and responsibilities, vision statement, and meeting summaries found under the "Advisory Group" page, and to Policy C-6005, proposed amendments to WAC 232-12-073-Master Hunter Permit Program, the new Master Hunter Statutes, and the three Progress Reports found under the "Master Hunter Policies and Procedures" page.
Letters of interest should be sent to Tracy Loveless at Tracy.Loveless@dfw.wa.gov or to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Enforcement Program, Master Hunter Section, Attn: Tracy Loveless, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091.
The letters must include permission for the WDFW to conduct a criminal background check, answers to the three questions, county of residence, and contact information (email, mailing address, and phone number(s).
