gobbler's Link
I will start making the t-shirts right now.
I think it will be a positive depending on who they get. I suspect there will be an interim director for a while. I think there has been so much tension between Jezioro and the Legislature as well as the Commission and the DNR at large that it has been a dysfunctional situation for a while. Hopefully with someone else at the stern it will run smoother and there will be a better working relationship between all parties.
I would hope that a final candidate would have a combined education and experience with wildlife management and business management. I hope the days of political buddies getting appointed that have no real experience or education for the position getting appointed are over.
I know it wasn't as bad as it sounds, and I feel like early in his tenure he did several positive things, but it sounds like putting a fox in charge of the hen house.
They have to have money to pay biologists, administrators , law enforcement, vehicles, gas, equipment, land purchases, insurance, equipment for habitat improvement , etc.,etc. I could go on and on but I think the point is made.
We, the sportsmen, expect the best, but are the first to complain when they want a license price increase. A landowner with 10 acres wants all his family to kill all the game they can, plus want a Natural Resource police at their doorstep 5 minutes after they call them for a problem, and they want all of that without paying a penny to the DNR.
Now, don't get mad, I don't mean 100% of landowners, but that scenario plays out all the time.
To have Quality people running the DNR and providing the services we want requires money.
While nothing can be done about National Forests and State Forests, I do think hikers, bird watchers, and other people that use WMA that were bought with DNR money should pay some sort of fee to use that land.
I know how to kill a deer, I've killed lions, leopards, and grizzly bears but that dosen't qualify me to be the Director of the DNR
The DNR is in a bad position right now, they need over 60 million to update and repair the park system . That needs to be done without using wildlife funds or it will be in violation of the PR tax program.
It is absoultely unbelievable that our fish hatchery was fined over 90,000 dollars for pollution especially since it was given a warning 4 years ago.
Those are just a couple of multiple problems. That's why we need someone that had more expertise than just knowing how to present a Sulpher dun with a good roll cast, or being a good wing shot on grouse.
The public could end up electing a Humane Society advocate without even knowing it because he/she had lots of money and ads on TV.
The position may be appointed, but it must be approved by the WV Senate. So if we elect good Governor's and Senators then they should be trusted to make good appointments and confirmations.
