WDFW meeting today

[bobcat]

thanks for atending the meeting bobcat, I wish i coulda went, it sounds like if every hunter in the state said they didnt like this proposal they are still going to do it! Wdfw is such a joke, including the citizens commission and the whole agency, just a complete joke!

You're right, the proposal is a done deal. (as far as I can tell)  Just look at all the time and money they've spent on it in the last year or so that they've been working on implementing it. Why don't they put the proposal out for public input BEFORE they've got a year of work into it  It's obvious they really don't care what we think.

Bobcat didn't mention what the first guy to give public input had to say:  He thought the wolf recovery program needed more breeding pairs of wolves than what WDFW had stated and he wanted more done for wolves in the State.   Must have been a defender of wildlife guy......I muttered something about SSS as he was coming back to sit down after.... but I didn't say it load enough for anyone but Bobcat to hear as not to offend anyone......(luckily the guy left shortly after he said his piece).

Yeah I couldn't believe that guy. Here we are, facing a shortage of huntable animals for various reasons, a major one being the last two bad winters we've had in a row, and this guy is concerned with having enough wolves? WTH is wrong with some people

[bobcat]

The thing that was the biggest disappointment is the lack of participation. People on this site and others I surf on will spend countless hours, cutting people and the WDFW down but can't spend the time to make a difference.

I agree, there was an obvious lack of people present at the meeting from the general public. I'd guess there was about 5 people in attendance that weren't required to be there, not counting the wolf lover.

I see they are use to the lack of participation from the public though, as the room was just big enough for those that were there. Any more people and the room would have been beyond capacity.

[Bob33]

Maybe if they really cared what the public thought, more would attend...

[bobcat]

Maybe if they really cared what the public thought, more would attend...

Yes, I was thinking the same thing. I will probably mention something to that effect in my letter.

[Ray]

I've not attended but from what I read about a meeting in the past few months ... the WDFW had an enforcer cutting people off and was more interesting in using the meeting to publicly declare what they intended to do as opposed to ask for public input and really consider that input.

[bobcat]

Well I'm sure the way they're looking at it, is that they've already got all the public input they need. They feel that this has been in the public's eye for over a year now and apparently they feel the majority approves of the new plan.

In the meeting today I wouldn't say they cut people off, but they do have a policy of nobody can speak for more than 3 minutes. They have a timer that goes off when the 3 minutes is up.

[Bob33]

They feel that this has been in the public's eye for over a year now and apparently they feel the majority approves of the new plan.

Surely Dave Ware knows better.  If they really wanted to know what the public thought, they would have released the details earlier.

In my letter to the commission I asked to see minutes of the meetings with GMAC and the other "hunter" organizations they surveyed to conclude the public liked this.

[bbarnes]

The only way to get there attention is to quit buying tags, i think in my 45 years of life i seen the best hunting in this state.The worse the economy gets,the less enforcement, and the poaching that's going on i see no positive that can come from it.Everyone is on the take and unless ALL of us hunters, hire a lobbyist and fight this bureaucratic nightmare were finished.I love the part where you show up and the agenda is amended,and your expected to speed read 500 pages and figure out what needs to change.Everyone better be writing there state reps this week.My suggestion is to hire MICHEL VICK because I'm certain he would do a better job manageing our wildlife, than our present WDFW officials.What's the most frustrating to me is my 2 sons won't have the same opportunities, I've had and they call this freedom and democracy.

[Special T]

Maybe if they really cared what the public thought, more would attend...

Yes, I was thinking the same thing. I will probably mention something to that effect in my letter.

Unfortunately they have the goal in mind before they start.. If they wanted input from hunters they would have a forum like this set up that could only be accessed with your wild ID# that's how you would get REAL input from you customers.... But they don't car about that...
 Like BBarnes said the only way to get hier attention is to quite buying their tags... Unfortunately its harder for us to give up hunting for playing games on the Wii... That could change in a couple of years tho...

[wolfbait]

My suggestion to everyone is to hunt while you can, because hunting is on the way out in Washington. I hate the thought of buying anything from the *censored*s, but in a few years there will be no hunting and I would rather kill what I can as to let the wolves have it all.

[Bob33]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2008/05/may0308_11b_advisory.pdf
Advisory group: Game Management Advisory Group (GMAC)
Staff Contact: Dave Ware

[bbarnes]

Well wolfbait i have some good news for you .I was told today, they won't be transplanting wolves anywhere in the state.They will though let them come here naturally,and in my op ion is reckless endangerment, and until we file a class action law suit, nothing will be done about that.So again start dialing your state reps and show them facts of the matter.The one thing i can guaranty is none of them are on this web site.Information is key in our success as outdoors people,so flood the law makers with it .

[Special T]

I've talked to my reps, and they agree with us... who is gona stand up and become part of this system? Who is going to be our elected/ appointed informant on issues that affect us? that's how the anti's work the system.... we have to beat them at their own game!

[billythekidrock]

Maybe abolishing the commission and consolidating F&W, DNR & Parks isn't such a bad thing.

[bbarnes]

That's a bigger bureaucracy the combination of these agencies.One allows multiple land use,and the other allows none especially if your a offroad enthusiast.I want all of you to ask these questions of your Reps.
1.What studies have they done in the past 5 years.
2.What habitat studies have they done and what units.
3.How did they come up with the carrying capacity of each unit for the wildlife
4.How did they determine how many animals are in each unit.
5.Lastly ask for the information in writing under the freedom of information act.
I personally want some black and white proof to study myself ,the hunters of this stateknow the population.Whens the last time you have seen a WDFW employee out in the timber.