Master hunter enrollment suspended!

[Dip-Zag]

My reading of this announcement is that enrollment is suspended and not the entire program.  If this is the case then the WDFW has created an special class of 2000 individuals entitled to draw hunts at the exclusion of the general public.  I do not think this is equitable or appropriate.  Either suspend the entire program or open enrollment to public. 

[cem3434]

My reading of this announcement is that enrollment is suspended and not the entire program.  If this is the case then the WDFW has created an special class of 2000 individuals entitled to draw hunts at the exclusion of the general public.  I do not think this is equitable or appropriate.  Either suspend the entire program or open enrollment to public.

 
I am guessing most guys that support the suspension of enrollment are guys who have already became MH's and dont want anymore competion for permits.   

[pianoman9701]

My reading of this announcement is that enrollment is suspended and not the entire program.  If this is the case then the WDFW has created an special class of 2000 individuals entitled to draw hunts at the exclusion of the general public.  I do not think this is equitable or appropriate.  Either suspend the entire program or open enrollment to public.

 
I am guessing most guys that support the suspension of enrollment are guys who have already became MH's and dont want anymore competion for permits. 

You would be wrong then.

[Skyvalhunter]

This is nothing new they stop enrollment this time of the year, and have done so for the past several years.

[JLS]

My reading of this announcement is that enrollment is suspended and not the entire program.  If this is the case then the WDFW has created an special class of 2000 individuals entitled to draw hunts at the exclusion of the general public.  I do not think this is equitable or appropriate.  Either suspend the entire program or open enrollment to public.

Sooooo, we should go ahead and punish the folks who took the time and initiative to meet the program requirements because it just isn't fair?   

[BOWHUNTER45]

My reading of this announcement is that enrollment is suspended and not the entire program.  If this is the case then the WDFW has created an special class of 2000 individuals entitled to draw hunts at the exclusion of the general public.  I do not think this is equitable or appropriate.  Either suspend the entire program or open enrollment to public.

 
I am guessing most guys that support the suspension of enrollment are guys who have already became MH's and dont want anymore competion for permits. 

we do not need anymore  just my 

[jaymark6655]

My reading of this announcement is that enrollment is suspended and not the entire program.  If this is the case then the WDFW has created an special class of 2000 individuals entitled to draw hunts at the exclusion of the general public.  I do not think this is equitable or appropriate.  Either suspend the entire program or open enrollment to public.

 
I am guessing most guys that support the suspension of enrollment are guys who have already became MH's and dont want anymore competion for permits. 

That's like saying, "I am guessing most guys that don't support the suspension of the enrollment are guys who aren't MH's and when the enrollment opens back up, they still won't take any sort of initiative and become one." 

[Bob33]

Enrollment was suspended once before in 2007. It's likely this suspension will be temporary as well.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/mar2907a/

"While the revisions are under way, the AHE program will take no new enrollees."

[Skyvalhunter]

Once again the closed to enrollment is a yearly thing that happens and not some "special circumstance!!
Master Hunter Applications will only be accepted during the open enrollment period of January 1 – February 15 of each year.  All program requirements must be completed by November 15, of the year the application is received.

[Dip-Zag]

Sky traditionally your statement is correct; however, this suspension is different. Please see the announcement by WDFW. 

To be clear my beef is with this ruling and not Master Hunters (MH).  The MHs I've met are  great guys.  We need more MHs to promote the sport! I am a proponent of the program improvement as well and a member of CORT.  I want to see more hunters, with more opportunities to hunt.
 
That being said: The current situation is not appropriate.   The State is using their administrative power to create a special class of hunters entitled to draw hunts for animals that are a natural resource of all WA State residents.  It is not equitable, in addition, I wonder if the WAC grants this power....   I'm done with my rant, I will pursue it with the state.

[Bob33]

The State is using their administrative power to create a special class of hunters entitled to draw hunts for animals that are a natural resource of all WA State residents. 

How is that different than allocating a certain number of permits (for a natural resource owned by all residents) to muzzleloader hunters, archery hunters, disabled hunters, senior hunters, and so forth?

[pianoman9701]

Sky traditionally your statement is correct; however, this suspension is different. Please see the announcement by WDFW. 

To be clear my beef is with this ruling and not Master Hunters (MH).  The MHs I've met are  great guys.  We need more MHs to promote the sport! I am a proponent of the program improvement as well and a member of CORT.  I want to see more hunters, with more opportunities to hunt.
 
That being said: The current situation is not appropriate.   The State is using their administrative power to create a special class of hunters entitled to draw hunts for animals that are a natural resource of all WA State residents.  It is not equitable, in addition, I wonder if the WAC grants this power....   I'm done with my rant, I will pursue it with the state.

I respectfully suggest that you're reading too much into the "ruling", as you call it. The program only has so many resources and therefor, so much capacity for enrollment. There are a set number of WDFW employees who work on the MH program as part of their regular service and beyond a certain number of enrollees, it becomes unmanageable.

I will have to agree with you that the MH program is about creating a special class of hunters. But special class is not the same as restricted class - When there are slots open in the program, it's open to everyone without a record or wildlife infractions to enroll in the program and complete the fairly rigorous requirements toward certification. They then use dedicated hunters, sworn to ethics and tested to competence, to complete needed conservation projects and keep a check on overpopulation and wildlife-caused damage, utilizing people who are sensitive to public perception.

This isn't to say that there aren't bad apples and people who abuse the system. But, those who display bad ethics or break rules are open to expulsion because they don't represent the program in a positive and ethical fashion.

So, to characterize this a simply a club that gets special tags is disingenuous. The state knows it needs massive volunteer hours to help with conservation and is willing to reward those volunteers with tags.  Dip-zag, it's perfectly fair and will be open to you and others when some spots open up. I do suggest, however, that there are gains you can garner from the program that far outweigh the freebies.

[Dip-Zag]

Agree about the gains. Just meeting more passionate hunters is huge benefit in itself.  Suspending just sends the wrong message and it does create a restricted Class.

[Simcoe hunter]

Apparently they don't need any more volunteer hours than can be filled by their current crop of MH's when they complete hours for renewal.  This has created a special class, unless they open it again and soon.  Any year that there is a suspension in new enrollment, for any period of time, there shouldn't be any MH tags available.

[Annette]

Apparently they don't need any more volunteer hours than can be filled by their current crop of MH's when they complete hours for renewal.  This has created a special class, unless they open it again and soon.  Any year that there is a suspension in new enrollment, for any period of time, there shouldn't be any MH tags available.
[/quote
If there if that would open  it up for EVERYONE!!!!]