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Anyone receive DEC CWD survey ?

I’ve received a survey from the NYSDEC about CWD. Has anyone else received this survey ?

Haven't received one yet. But won't participate either. Most decisions are made with very little if any hunter,trappers or fishermans input.IMO.

I received one. Filled it out promptly.

jdbbowhunter, yes, with the survey being multiple choice answers, no matter what choice you make it looked to me the DEC can skew it anyway they want. So IMO really not much hunter input. Bottom line it looks like they will outlaw, if not already any natural deer urine or scent.

Imo, I think decisions are already made before any surveys are presented. Just to passify the hunters, trappers and fishermen.

Unfortunately, I do agree although if I get it I will complete it possibly with additional comments. Many of these decisions are not made solely in the DEC but need to be approved and sanctioned by our dictator governor.

Neither I, nor anyone else that I know has ever been sent a DEC survey. I know bowhunters that have kept the sight log for decades, and have never been sent a survey. Unfortunately it seems that decisions are made solely by the suits in charge. There was a mass exodus of Senior Biologists a few years ago, because their fieldwork, reports, and recommendations were ignored by their bosses. Notice that there have not been any "State of the Deer Herd" Town Halls in years. If the DEC were concerned about what the hunters thought, then they would reach out to the state organizations. I can tell you firsthand, that they do not. When they issue a survey, it is merely to give the impression that they care, to appear transparent, but that is not the case. Their decisions were already made, the surveys, and the comment periods are merely a formality. They kept the "Deer Management Proposal" under lock and key, even when I called Albany, the people that I spoke with did not have a clue about it. Almost as if a gag order was placed on it. Case in point, an NYB member placed a FOIL request on 9/23/2020 for information about it, as we had heard rumblings. On 10/8/2020 the member got this message: "Please be advised that a diligent search of the files maintained by the DEC provided no responsive record. Your FOIL request is now closed." Then on 10/13/2020 during a CFAB meeting, DEC Biologist Jeremy Hurst revealed their 79 page proposal. So, in just 5 days, nothing, absolute ZERO, turned into a 79 page proposal. I find that hard to believe. About as transparent as a cesspool. In the welfare state that we reside in, the powers that be care not about being stewards of the land, or managing the herd for vitality and viability, they care about revenue. The state has mismanaged its expenditures, and is bleeding at every open wound with the dictatorial, economic strangling lockdowns, and wants to squeeze every dime that it can. Wake up, and be careful what you wish for.

I agree 100% with you Al.

Al Dente for governor ! But seriously, Al hit the nail on the head. It couldn’t have been said any better.

I learned after my first discussion with NY’s biologists that science and herd health was not a priority for the DEC. It was all about politics - particularly after they passed the Safe Act. What I couldn’t tell is whether the biologist were politically motivated themselves or just silenced by the political bureaucrats that pay their salaries. There is no biological justification for the regs and season structures in NY. Sad, because with a few tweaks and within five years the state could become a destination state for NE hunters.

Pat , I worked with the DEC biologists from 1980 until I retired in 2012. At least then, the Regional field biologists were science based in decision making and most were also hunters and fishermen. They made recommendations, but the big decisions were made in Albany at the Central Office with ultimate approval by the governor’s office. Even back then many were frustrated with politics and lobbyists. Just like the outside money that has been involved in the fight over bear baiting and hunting in Maine, the same happens here in NYS. I remember there was some anti hunting, anti gun actress that spent money fighting lowering the hunting age here. With what’s going on know in Albany concerning the pandemic does it surprise anyone why science can’t be the sole determinant in hunting regulations ?

Ralph, I'm happy to hear that, that gives me some hope.

My experience is limited to brief conversations with two biologists that I spoke with directly. Jeremy Hurst on Deer, and the fur-bearer biologist about coyotes whose name escapes me. I was less than impressed with either conversation. Hurst was 'matter of fact' and not interested in having a discussion with me - or answering questions about why they maintain the season and tag structures they have in place? The furbearer guy was a whole different experience; He all but admitted that if he had his way there would be no coyote hunting. When I asked him why NY has a coyote 'season' when no other state has one? he snapped at me and asked "what will you do if you killed a coyote in June? Throw it in a ditch?"

Unfortunately, I walked away from both of these conversations wondering if these were powerless biologists or part of the problem? In all honesty, I'm still not convinced they are not the latter.

Absolutely part of the problem. they are all puppets for King Cuomo. And the ones that aren't either leave or are forced out. Sportsmen have very little if any say in what goes on with seasons and rules.

Unfortunately, many of the Albany (Central Office) supervising biologists are more politicians than biologists and unfortunately many of the Regional (field) biologists are listened to as much as we are listened to.

Having worked there, you would know better than anyone. Sad how politics has destroyed so much.

While not a conspiracy theorist, I do believe that the liberal indoctrination begins in the schools and colleges and thus you reap what you sew.....

And lest ye forget, their official position is "The mission of DEC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife is to serve the interests of current and future generations of New Yorkers by using our collective skills, in partnership with the public, to describe, understand, manage, and perpetuate a healthy and diverse assemblage of fish, wildlife, and ecosystems."

Erict: you must believe in TINKER BELL

A few years back I spoke to a class of ESF students about "current issues". I asked how many were consumptive users (which I had to explain) of our Natural Resources. Bottom line, less than 5% of the students were actively engaged in hunting/fishing/trapping. They all have a "Conservation" mindset.......and they will be running agencies in the future. It was not about logic. It had to do with authority to impose their ideals. It is here and will get worse.

Agreed! Back in the 70’s when I went to ESF most of the students hunted, fished, hiked, etc. They were children of the original ecology movement where pollution was dirty air, water, litter, not something like CO2 that all O2 breathing organisms produce. Environmental Justice is the 21st. century’s welfare program and environmental science has become a social experiment. If you want to get to the origins just take a look at how biology is now taught in High School. To effectively teach science you cannot have and push an agenda.

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