DFW Commision Meeting in Leavenworth

[Elkaholic daWg]

  I was just wondering how many are planning to make the meeting April 9,10? I do on the day this new S/P thing is discussed/decided. Just say NO

[bobcat]

I'd like to be there but I'm not going to drive to Leavenworth. However I have sent one letter and will be sending a couple more. Hopefully some of the members here that are in the Wenatchee area can make it to that meeting.

[Curly]

Hopefully someone can go there and take a picture of Dave Ware's face when the commission  votes NO on the proposal.....

[Elkaholic daWg]

I'll take my camera!

[bobcat]

So you're going? Good! I want to hear what is said. I already know, but would like to hear about it anyway. You'll be amazed at how some of those guys can get up there and lie with a straight face.   

[Elkaholic daWg]

 That's my plan...it will cost me hours of roaming around that  place that I consider a roadblock on my trips east ( with my better half). but I will be there tomorrow morning when it seems the most important issues to me are discussed. Typing is not my forte so we might have to talk on the phone.

[Bob33]

Give 'em heck for us!  They really did the hunters and themselves a disservice by not being honest about this change.

By their own website postings it is clear that were not honest.  Note how they first said the change would improve draw odds, and then later they posted again to say they don't know:

Earlier post:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/permits/2010_changes_faq.html. 

This approach has several advantages over the current system, which pools all applications for deer permits and for elk permits. First, it would reduce the number of applicants in each drawing, thereby potentially improving hunters' odds of being selected for hunts they prefer.

Later post:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/permits/2010_changes_faq.html

What if the proposed changes don’t improve the odds of getting drawn?
There are several objectives to changing the way that the permit system application process is conducted. The primary objective is to provide revenue to expand the hunter access program on private lands. Another objective is to create a permit application program that provides greater options for hunters. The odds of drawing a permit within each of the proposed categories rely on the number of applicants. How the changes proposed will affect the number of applications in a category is largely unknown. The concept of increasing the odds of drawing popular permits is important, and the new structure proposed of application by category will allow for future modifications to better achieve that result. Several options for improving the odds of drawing popular permits were discussed with the public during the 2009-11 hunting season package. We will monitor the results of the current proposal before recommending further changes.

[Ridgerunner]

jsut make sure to report back and let us know what changes got approved.

[winshooter88]

Well I went to the game commission meeting. There was also a gentleman from Arlington who spoke during the comment period, (I think it was Elkaholic dawg). During the comment period no one spoke about the new permit applications. After the break Dave Ware presented the proposals to the commission. There was some discussion about the points and about 1 person drawing 2 different permits, but other than asking to have the people drawing 2 permits tracked this year to see if it was going to be a major concern the proposal passed unanimously. The commission did say that the system may have to be tweaked over the next couple of years, but for right now it stands as it was. According to Dave Ware this process started with hunter surveys back in 2008 and in 2009. In 2010 the WDFW sent out emails to 70,000 washington hunters asking for comments. He said that in total they received around 70-75 comments. The commission members did not dispute these figures. The rest of the session was about modifying individual WACS to bring them in line with this years calendar. I had an appointment so had to leave early.

[Ridgerunner]

thanks for the feedback, no real surprise there, looks like the rules of the permit game just changed big time(AND TANKED OUR ODDS) !!!!!   

[Bob33]

Well, now we know the definition of "broad public input and support": 70 out of 70,000.

[Ridgerunner]

The thing that ticks me off more than anything is draw odds will be worse, if the state needs the money then they need to raise the price to apply not monkey with the actual draw itself, in 4 short years of applying in NM I've watched application fees go from $6 per species to over $30.   

[winshooter88]

The 70 out of 70,000 comments is not the departments fault. Look at the letter writing campaign you tried to get going here, from what I saw on the poll responses there were less than 25 people who responded to that poll. That problem shows that we as sportsmen need to get more involved in trying to make changes. If we don't work for what we want, no one will do it for us.

[Bob33]

Sadly, you're right that more sportsmen aren't active.  I still don't buy the "strong public input and support" line, however.

[bobcat]

The 70 out of 70,000 statistic is a lie and it IS the department's fault. How can you say it isn't? Nobody knew about the changes until a couple months ago. So they can't possibly say they got 70 comments out of 70,000 people a year ago on the changes... NOBODY knew what the changes were! If we had known a year ago, we could have sent letters then. But they wait until the changes are pretty much final, and then told us what they were! I hope there is total chaos the day before and the day of the deadline in May, and I hope they get an earful from all the many disgruntled people there are sure to be.