I'm back, let the questions begin.

[Wacenturion]

What specific public disclosure request would produce whatever documents the licensing dept and law enforcement uses to implement regulations? What's the name of the in-house processing. Guidelines?  I've spoken to multiple agents in different departments that all but verbatim quote very specific language that is NOT found in the wdfg booklet nor wac's... ?  If a member of the wdfg are failing their duties or conducting themselves unethically...what course of action is the most effective to get. The situation rectified?  As in... an email to D Ware fails to yield. Results...  what out of house office or agency has the weight to get it done?  Is there anything below the gov's desk?

Letters to the Governors office is you best bet.  WDFW doesn't like those and creates a fairly quick turn around down the chain of command.  Governors office sets the reply time line and response back to you....not WDFW.  Expecting WDFW to reply to your complaint....you'll get the run around.

Public information requests is also irritating to them.  They have to pony up.

[meathunter]

What say you InsideWFDW? I would really like to know how many in the department hunt (in this state). I'm wondering if any of the people that make the key decisions hunt to get a feel for what goes on in our state?

[huntingfool7]

Meathunter- your was answered on page 1

"Believe it or not I was the odd duck out and was one of the few who didn't hunt (not anti-hunting, just never had the chance).  The guys who are directly involved with land use and game management (people like Dave Ware, Jerry Nelson, ect.) are just about as hardcore about hunting as you are.  WDFW is one of those places where it's fairly easy to take a vacation during the summer, but almost impossible to get time off in the fall because everyone is out in the field."

[Wacenturion]

Meathunter- your was answered on page 1

"Believe it or not I was the odd duck out and was one of the few who didn't hunt (not anti-hunting, just never had the chance).  The guys who are directly involved with land use and game management (people like Dave Ware, Jerry Nelson, ect.) are just about as hardcore about hunting as you are.  WDFW is one of those places where it's fairly easy to take a vacation during the summer, but almost impossible to get time off in the fall because everyone is out in the field."

That isn't necessarily the case.  Not everybody is in the field during the fall.  Many years ago everyone for the most case worked opening weekend of hunting and fishing season.  Most old Dept. of Game field staff were commissioned and wrote tickets, whether agents, biologists or office managers.  With the change in enforcement duties and full police powers over the years, only Agents are out there for the most part.  You may have some biologists and others taking bag checks, checking signage, or whatever field duties during the season, but certainly not in the field checking folks like years ago.  So the inability to go hunting or fishing isn't there on opening weekend like it used to be, or any other time during the season.  They now can go if they so choose, in most cases. 

The office jockeys can take off whenever during the year.  Field staff are certainly in the field, but also have the same ability to take off, not just their weekends or prescribed days off, but vacation time as well.  The resource is also closer....like out the back door, so much easier to be hard core about it.  Hardcore means something entirely different than spending a couple days deer hunting or taking an occasional bird hunting trip, which most the office jockeys rarely do.  Many hunt, some more than others, but certainly not hardcore for most, at least not by my definition.  Hardcore is like many here, who when having the time to do so.....go, week in, week out.

Years ago, like during the 60's -80's as an example, if a steel-head hatchery manager wasn't working he was fishing.    The same was fairly evident on the hunting side....but again more so in the field than the main office.  Today you have managers who don't exactly hunt or fish the specific resource they manage like those folks of yesteryear.  Those managers of years ago looked at the resource as we do...users.  They managed for recreational opportunities as they too were users.  Today...not the same management approach, particularly if you don't pursue what you responsible for.  Just the way it is. 


Today personnel at WDFW are far more diverse than 30 or 40 years ago.  They come from less specific educational degree background so to speak.  At one time it was pretty much fish or wildlife management degrees, or experience for some jobs.  Today...ecological studies, wild-lands ecology, biology degrees from like Evergreen as examples are more the norm.  The evolution away from those desired degrees of yesterday and the personal makeup of those people who earned them, as in they all hunted or fished, to a more a politically correct makeup in my mind.  Therefore the new mix of birdwatchers, hikers, etc., are thrown into the management of WDFW.  I don't even think the Director has a fish and wildlife degree, at least that's my understanding.  I believe he comes from a charter fishing background.  Nothing personal...but should tell you something.  That new less specific, broader mindset, in itself, has changed the management landscape over the years to what it is today.  Sad in my opinion. 

 

[Hangfire]

         'Years ago, like during the 60's -80's as an example, if a steel-head hatchery manager wasn't working he was fishing.    The same was fairly evident on the hunting side.      '


  A friend of mine is a retired Game Department, fish hatchery manager.  In the past couple of years he has: Hunted Africa, Guided cougar hunt in Idaho and British Columbia, Drop camp horse  Elk hunt in Colorado, So far this year,  Archery buffalo in Cheney. Bear in Idaho, Bear in the Olympics, Elk hunt Montana, Muzzle loader deer and elk Washington, He is leaving today for a  deer hunt in Montana with a friend, will hunt white tail in northern Idaho with relatives, and late season muzzleloader in Washington. He has a drift boat and jet boat. This summer he fished Alaska, shrimped in Hood Canal, fished in Grays harbor and  steel head and salmon fished the west side.  He is in his mid 60's and often hunts/fishes by him self. His Olympics bear, he was by him self several miles from the trail head and camped over night. He carries a alarm in case of a problem. In his house are mounted Turkey, cougar, bear, mule deer, goat, 8 African animals, halibut tail, bobcat and pronghorn, the last I knew. This is the kind of person that used to be a Game dept employee.  He is lucky that his wife still works, with a well paying job.

[Special T]

Insides last active was oct 29th...Wonder if someone gave his ass a beating about talking???

[Wacenturion]

Insides last active was oct 29th...Wonder if someone gave his ass a beating about talking???

Hopefully he out hunting.

[Wenatcheejay]

My only real ?



Is there any hope for hunting in Washington?                            Is There Any Hope For Hunting In Washington?[/size]

[bobcat]

My only real ?



Is there any hope for hunting in Washington?

Sure, great coyote, cougar, and wolf hunting.

[Mr T]

Hopefully the inside source got his job back and his only requirement was to keep his mouth shut!

 From this statement earlier..."If a member of the wdfg are failing their duties or conducting themselves unethically...what course of action is the most effective to get. The situation rectified?"   Years and years ago I was having trouble obtaining my teaching certificate in a timely manner from Olympia after I graduated.  I was a week away from working as long as my certificate came through in a time, however Olympia continually told me it could be another 2 months.  I WAS FURIOUS that I was about to lose my first job out of college over this.  I contacted some three of my local government represenatatives by phone and email.  Believe it or not I had my certificate in three days and all three representatives contacted my personally or had an assistant call me to be sure that I received it and that all was ready for me to begin work.   Your local officials may not have the same concern for hunting (especially here on the west side) but just a potential idea for you.

[InsideWDFW]

Hey guys sorry to leave ya like.  As I mentioned originally I was fired and looking for work.  A few weeks ago I was doing some in-person follow ups on applications.  A couple of places informed me that when they called WDFW regarding my application, WDFW did everything they could, within the law, to black-ball me.  As one guy put it, what they didn't say and what they implied made me sound like the worst employee they've ever had.

I loved my job, and enjoyed helping you guys out while working for them and afterwards.  But I can't continue to help an agency that's actively trying to make my life hell.

At this point in time, the only advice I can give ya is to contact the agency with your questions.

[400out]

dude that blows! Just distance youself from all that and become just a friend to us all on here....  anjoy all that this great site has to offer   

[Special T]

Thankyou for responding and giving us the 411.. 

[Kc_Kracker]

Mike, are you the guy mentioned on the news last night?  Just curious. 

I'm assuming you are talking about this http://www.theolympian.com/2010/10/19/1408857/former-washington-department-of.html?  Nope.

Basically I made the mistake a messing around with my boss.  She eventually got mad and had friends up on high.  So I got the crap audited out of me, and they found that I was using Firefox, had used the WILD system to look up an address of the a coworker for Christmas cards, and had looked a sub-shop's webpage to see what I was going to have for dinner.  Life lesson # 3454: Do not date co-workers, especially if she signs your evaluation.

[gotfish?]

How about master hunter? why no class ? why so hard?