Letter of Complaint to WDFW/CWD

[BlackRiverTaxidermy]

I have been shocked at the level of non cooperation from WDFW in regard to the CWD issue. I have had multiple hunters coming in advising of the lack of communication, help, and facilities/equipment to submit tissue samples. Every more so is the lack of willingness and even knowledge from some of Region One staff. I submitted a letter today to WDFW to include Direct K. Susewind, whom I think is doing a great job as director (see below). Posting merely for transparency   



Joel Swecker                               Oct. 24, 2025
10504 173rd Ave SW
Rochester, WA 98579


Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife
CWD Coordinator Hunter Prescott & Wildlife Director Mick Cope
CC: Director K. Susewind
2314 North Discovery Place
Spokane Valley, WA 99216-1566
Region One Office
509-892-1001

Subject: Letter of Complaint

Coordinator H. Westacott & Wildlife Director M. Cope,

Good evening. My name is Joel Swecker, I am the owner/operator of Black River Taxidermy in Rochester, Washington. I am also an avid sportsman, participating in hunting and fishing sports within this state for over 30 years.
This letter is to express my frustration and lack coordination by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for the sportsmen/women within this state regarding the recent changes for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), particularly to the 100 GMU’s. 
On March 3rd, taxidermists around the state, including myself received a letter from WDFW citing the revised WAC (220-413-030) restricting and possession of deer, elk, moose, and caribou from other states coming into Washington secondary to CWD concerns. It further stated that CWD was detected in the Region 1 unit(s). The letter asked taxidermists to comply with these new rules, requested us to assist in samples, and advised us to turn in anyone not in compliance with these new regulations citing a gross misdemeanor and up to $5000.00 fine (RCW 77.15.290).
WDFW regulations pamphlet came out in the following months, also citing the new rules to hunters requiring them to submit a tissue sample within 5 days of harvest from any deer within 100 GMUs. Sportsmen/women were later told that check stations would be utilized as well as locations for drop-off of tissue samples to facilitate in this new requirement. Deer and elk within the Region 1 would also be subject to the same restrictions as out of state game to include removal of hides/capes from skulls, deboning of meat, etc.
I fully understand the concern for CWD as it pertains to our ungulate populations, which is why I have been educating as many sportsmen/women as I can that come into our business. I have even recently participated in a well-known podcast prior to the season opener advocating and advising of the new rules and regulations. However, I have been extremely disappointed with the lack of cooperation your agency has been giving to our hunting community regarding this issue!
As a taxidermy business owner, I interact with hundreds of license holders within the month of October alone. I wish to convey what I have been hearing and looking into myself within the past week. I have had NUMEROUS successful hunters reporting the lack of check-stations open during the modern firearm season. Drop off locations for tissue samples are largely unmanned, however instructions are on-site, telling hunters to either call another location or leave the head of the animal at the location for testing by means of skull-capping their hard-earned trophy. A large majority of successful hunters typically have their skulls turned into ‘European mounts’ which means they want the skull to be intact, not sawn. Furthermore, instructions left require the use of saw, bags, and other equipment which were to be on site, but were absent according to multiple sources.
A phone call was made to your Spokane office midway through the general season regarding the lack of locations, direction, and equipment.  A woman at this office advised the laws are new and they have no way to keep check stations open with their staffing levels, even on a Saturday, which is when most sportsmen/women are typically hunting. She also advised requirements are still being learned by staff as well and that sportsmen/women must have some patience. A day later a biologist who took a sample from a deer of our customer which destroyed their ability to now shoulder-mount the buck, was not even aware of the process/requirement to have animal caped off the skull or deboned before leaving the region!
I believe the current situation and the advisement of the Spokane office is unprofessional and distrustful. You are calling on hunters to abide by new rules and regulations but fail to facilitate the very means of how they must meet these new rules and laws, while threatening them with fines and a misdemeanor. Furthermore, there are numerous states that have the same requirements, providing you with multiple examples of ways to accomplish check-stations and tissue sampling, both of which you stated you would provide to the very group of people who fund the majority of your department(s). In the past several weeks I can tell you this frustration is a very common theme and noticeable amongst sportsmen/women.
While I do not always see eye to eye in decision making within WDFW, mostly within the commission, I have respect for many of the of the men and women working within the department. My dealings with game wardens and biologists have always been professional, pleasant, and valuable. I believe the intent of these new regulations is at our wildlife’s best interest. However, you have failed miserably with this new requirement, particularly where you stated to help facilitate hunters with this study. It makes a statement that CWD is not as important as you promoted it be. 
I hope this letter finds a listening ear. Again, I want to help in any way I can, but it must be reciprocated by the very agency that sends the letters to hunters, taxidermists, and game processors, calling them to do the same under threat of punishment or fines.
I will continue to promote research and concern CWD has to our deer and elk herds as well as abide by the rules set forth by the new laws, however I hope you can change the current situation I have spoken to. 

Regards,

Joel Swecker-
Sportsman & Business Owner
 

[vandeman17]

Thank you for writing this. It is frustrating how they threaten us with all these fines and make us jump through all these hoops but don't even have their own ducks in a row. Am I surprised though... Nope.

[trophyhunt]

Thank you for writing this. It is frustrating how they threaten us with all these fines and make us jump through all these hoops but don't even have their own ducks in a row. Am I surprised though... Nope.

love that avatar pic!!  Still riding high I bet!!!

[MADMAX]

Thanks for sending that letter
Appreciate

[jrebel]

If they really cared about our ungulate population, they would stop taking away opportunities to kill predators.  Spring bear gone, Baiting of bear gone, hound hunting bear gone, hound hunting cougars gone, quotas on cougars, lying about wolf numbers, no plan to regulate wolves, live traps only for trapping, etc. etc. etc. 

They could care less if CWD is controlled.....they are just trying to make hunting so difficult, that most people just quit all together.   

[HUNTIN4SIX]

If they really cared about our ungulate population, they would stop taking away opportunities to kill predators.  Spring bear gone, Baiting of bear gone, hound hunting bear gone, hound hunting cougars gone, quotas on cougars, lying about wolf numbers, no plan to regulate wolves, live traps only for trapping, etc. etc. etc. 

They could care less if CWD is controlled.....they are just trying to make hunting so difficult, that most people just quit all together.   

 

[JDArms1240]

If they really cared about our ungulate population, they would stop taking away opportunities to kill predators.  Spring bear gone, Baiting of bear gone, hound hunting bear gone, hound hunting cougars gone, quotas on cougars, lying about wolf numbers, no plan to regulate wolves, live traps only for trapping, etc. etc. etc. 

They could care less if CWD is controlled.....they are just trying to make hunting so difficult, that most people just quit all together.   

Agree with JRebel on that, it’s all very maddening.

Thanks Joel for taking the time to write this up.  Would you be willing to tell us the podcast?  I’d like to take a listen!

[salmon]

Thank you for writing this letter!

[kentrek]

Drop your lymphnodes off at an idaho check station with the wa gmu 

[BlackRiverTaxidermy]

If they really cared about our ungulate population, they would stop taking away opportunities to kill predators.  Spring bear gone, Baiting of bear gone, hound hunting bear gone, hound hunting cougars gone, quotas on cougars, lying about wolf numbers, no plan to regulate wolves, live traps only for trapping, etc. etc. etc. 

They could care less if CWD is controlled.....they are just trying to make hunting so difficult, that most people just quit all together.   

Agree with JRebel on that, it’s all very maddening.

Thanks Joel for taking the time to write this up.  Would you be willing to tell us the podcast?  I’d like to take a listen!

Absolutely, it was pacific north wild,  Episode 191    **dont know why they censored the real spelling of this podcast

[JDArms1240]

If they really cared about our ungulate population, they would stop taking away opportunities to kill predators.  Spring bear gone, Baiting of bear gone, hound hunting bear gone, hound hunting cougars gone, quotas on cougars, lying about wolf numbers, no plan to regulate wolves, live traps only for trapping, etc. etc. etc. 

They could care less if CWD is controlled.....they are just trying to make hunting so difficult, that most people just quit all together.   

Agree with JRebel on that, it’s all very maddening.

Thanks Joel for taking the time to write this up.  Would you be willing to tell us the podcast?  I’d like to take a listen!

Absolutely, it was pacific north wild,  Episode 191    **dont know why they censored the real spelling of this podcast

Cool, thanks man, I’ll give it a listen.