ACTION ALERT: CPW Commissioner confirmation this week

[Oak]

2 Colorado Parks and Wildlife commissioners resign, 1 confirmed amid debate over future of wildlife management

CPW Commissioners John Emerick and Chris Sichko withdrew their nominations prior to a vote on the Senate floor Friday morning; Frances Silva Blayney received unanimous support.

coloradosun.com

 

[elkduds]

2 Colorado Parks and Wildlife commissioners resign, 1 confirmed amid debate over future of wildlife management

CPW Commissioners John Emerick and Chris Sichko withdrew their nominations prior to a vote on the Senate floor Friday morning; Frances Silva Blayney received unanimous support.

coloradosun.com

Ballot box group leaders complaining that it will be hard to find future "volunteers" for these political appointments. Wanna bet? That is baseless, whiney sour grapes. Working through groups including CWCP, Howl for Wildlife, RMEF, BHA and many others, our voices were heard and acknowledged. Our resistance unified around the Prop 127 defeat, and now we have more effective shared advocacy. Next step would be to get proactive instead of reacting to threats.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Ballot box group leaders complaining that it will be hard to find future "volunteers" for these political appointments. Wanna bet? that is baseless, whiney sour grapes. Working through groups including CWCP, Howl for Wildlife, RMEF, BHA and many others, our voices were heard and acknowledged. Our resistance unified around the Prop 127 defeat, and now we have more effective shared advocacy. Next step would be to get proactive instead of reacting to threats.

Going back to the March 4th CPW commission meeting, we had so many well spoken wildlife advocates in front of the microphone making valid points about science based management, how advocacy works in our conservation groups, and how many extremely well-trained professionals were working FOR the wildlife in our state, why do we still get painted as ignorant bullies by these articles?

 

[elkduds]

Going back to the March 4th CPW commission meeting, we had so many well spoken wildlife advocates in front of the microphone making valid points about science based management, how advocacy works in our conservation groups, and how many extremely well-trained professionals were working FOR the wildlife in our state, why do we still get painted as ignorant bullies by these articles?

Because all the opposition has is character attack. Science, facts, public opinion; those have always been on our side. How to attack that? Deny, distract, deflect. Personal attacks, denial, accusing opponents of the very same bad acts one is guilty of. National politics is a daily textbook in how to win when the truth is not on your side.

 

[tormenter]

The sportsman have spoken!!

Most of you have no idea how critical and beneficial for sportsman today’s resignations are!!

Polis politics took a massive hit today and the sportsman now know, and have made it known to the people we are voting for that they better be listening!!

This is so far beyond furbearers, thank you for all of you that have shown up to the meetings and sent emails!!!

 

[bayoublaster7527]

Ballot box group leaders complaining that it will be hard to find future "volunteers" for these political appointments. Wanna bet? That is baseless, whiney sour grapes. Working through groups including CWCP, Howl for Wildlife, RMEF, BHA and many others, our voices were heard and acknowledged. Our resistance unified around the Prop 127 defeat, and now we have more effective shared advocacy. Next step would be to get proactive instead of reacting to threats.

Absolutely. No shortage of volunteers for these positions, the Governor just chooses to ignore plenty of the qualified candidates. He chose to not reappoint Dr Karen Bailey, a quite reasonable and qualified commissioner, so he could replace her with Emerick, a clear nod to the anti-hunting, anti-agriculture faction.

I find it quite humorous that many of these animal welfare folks likely attended the “No Kings” rallies so common in Colorado, but are now so upset when elected representatives of the people push back on the unchecked power of the state executive.

 

[TheGreek]

how can i buy senator roberts dinner without it being weird?

hopefully this doesn't cause a thoughtfully designed and executed return punch from a crafty administration.

Send him an email and thank him. He’s a real advocate for Colorado hunters.

 

[TOGIE]

Absolutely. No shortage of volunteers for these positions, the Governor just chooses to ignore plenty of the qualified candidates. He chose to not reappoint Dr Karen Bailey, a quite reasonable and qualified commissioner, so he could replace her with Emerick, a clear nod to the anti-hunting, anti-agriculture faction.

I find it quite humorous that many of these animal welfare folks likely attended the “No Kings” rallies so common in Colorado, but are now so upset when elected representatives of the people push back on the unchecked power of the state executive.

It’s wild to me how people can’t see the parallels between polis and trump. Willful blindness I guess

 

[bayoublaster7527]

Send him an email and thank him. He’s a real advocate for Colorado hunters.

This 100%. He is going to get a lot of flack for this from the anti-hunting groups: CatsArentTrophies flunkies, ColoradoWild, Sierra Club, Prairie Protection Colorado, Center for Biological Diversity, Science for Colorado Wildlife, etc.

Here is an example. Hit job from the antis trying to masquerade as a “backcountry” advocacy group. Clearly trying to capitalize on the respect and brand name recognition of BHA.

Dylan Roberts says he’s defending mainstream Colorado. This hearing made him look like the one out of step.

Sen.

coloradobackcountrynews.substack.com

Thank him for properly exercising the statutory role of the legislature as elected representatives of the people by providing oversight of the state executive branch. Board and commission appointments should receive scrutiny from the Senate as they make numerous decisions that affect the daily lives of everyday Coloradans.

Unfortunately, too often the Senate does not.

 

[Oak]

https://governorsoffice.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-appoints-three-new-members-colorado-parks-and-wildlife-commission-reappoints

 

[Bluffgruff]

https://governorsoffice.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-appoints-three-new-members-colorado-parks-and-wildlife-commission-reappoints

Opinions?

 

[COEngineer]

Otero has been very meh, but at least not anti-hunting. I don't think I have ever heard of Le Coq. I may have met Maquire, but don't remember anything distinct about him.

 

[bayoublaster7527]

This is bad….. incredibly bad. At least Otero and Niemiec. Don’t know anything about maguire or Le Coq.

Governor Polis getting one more stomp in on the Colorado sportsmen and women.

Otero is a complete embarrassment as a sportsmen’s rep. Didn’t bother to show up to the May commission meetings, where there were consequential votes on the next commission chair. He has a history of just not showing up to commission meetings. Completely devoid of any willingness or courage to publicly stand up for hunters and anglers during commission meetings.

Dr. Rebecca Niemiec is a leading anti-hunting activist and researcher. She leads the anti-hunting policy center at CSU that creates public opinion polling data and campaign material for anti-hunting initiatives like Prop 127, while framing it as academic research. She headlines every major Wildlife For All and CatsArentTrophies event. She headlined an event with Marlon Reis, Samantha Miller, Delia Malone, and Wayne Pacelle where she helped strategize on how to pass a mountain lion hunting ban and a post mortem analysis on why Prop 127 failed. They also discussed how to end black bear hunting. Her work centers on dividing people into dominant and mutualist views/values on wildlife management. Hunters are dominant and only see animals for consumptive use while mutualist want to preserve all animals. She claims mutualist are the majority and wildlife management should reflect mutualism views which don’t allow for hunting and consumptive use. If you read Niemiec’s work it is quite apparent that it is conducted to convince the general public that mountain lion and black bear hunting is overwhelmingly opposed by the majority of Coloradans. And hunting for sport or recreation is also opposed by the majority of Coloradans. Election results would tell us her polling is quite flawed. But that was never the point, her work was meant to assist in eliminating mountain lion and black bear hunting.

 

[tormenter]

This is bad….. incredibly bad. At least Otero and Niemiec. Don’t know anything about maguire or Le Coq.

Governor Polis getting one more stomp in on the Colorado sportsmen and women.

Otero is a complete embarrassment as a sportsmen’s rep. Didn’t bother to show up to the May commission meetings, where there were consequential votes on the next commission chair. He has a history of just not showing up to commission meetings. Completely devoid of any willingness or courage to publicly stand up for hunters and anglers during commission meetings.

Dr. Rebecca Niemiec is a leading anti-hunting activist and academic. She leads the anti-hunting policy center at CSU that creates public opinion polling data and campaign material for anti-hunting initiatives like Prop 127, while framing it as academic research. She headlines every major Wildlife For All and CatsArentTrophies event. She headlined an event with Marlon Reis, Samantha Miller, Delia Malone, and Wayne Pacelle where she helped strategize on how to pass a mountain lion hunting ban and a post mortem analysis on why Prop 127 failed. They also discussed how to end black bear hunting. Her works centers on dividing people into dominant and mutualist views/values on wildlife management. Hunters are dominant and only see animals for consumptive use while mutualist want to preserve all animals. She claims mutualist are the majority and wildlife management should reflect mutualism views which don’t allow for hunting and consumptive use. If you read Niemiec’s work it is quite apparent that it is conducted to convince the general public that mountain lion and black bear hunting is overwhelmingly opposed by the majority of Coloradans. And hunting for sport or recreation is also opposed by the majority of Coloradans. Election results would tell us her polling is quite flawed. But that was never the point, her work was meant to assist in eliminating mountain lion and black bear hunting.

Good Insight. Thank you for posting.

 

[Oak]

A recent piece from Dr. Niemiec.

Focusing on Values is Key for Transforming Wildlife Management

Debates over biological science and population data can only get us so far

drbeckyniemiec.substack.com

 

[TOGIE]

Dogshit. She purposefully makes the issue black and white by assigning the term "domination values" to traditional stakeholders and allowing zero nuance to the views of the conservation/hunting community; is essentially explicitly saying they (sportsmen and women) don't care about wildlife beyond their consumption. She then assigns the label of "wildlife advocates," to the opposing groups, or "mutualists," implying only the mutualist could be considered as advocating for wildlife.

Purposefully divisive, misleading - pretty fresh and steamy horseshit.

She claims only mutualists hold these values:

1) benefiting the broader ecosystem and the environment
2) representing the interests of non-consumptive publics (e.g., those who enjoy wildlife for its existence and for wildlife viewing), and
3) reducing unnecessary individual animal suffering.

the conservation/hunting community holds those values, holds them highly. One can hunt and simultaneously hold these values, they are not mutually exclusive. Almost the opposite, a passionate hunter will probably hold these values with more intense conviction than any non hunter.

Her point would be less BS if it wasn't already clear that she is advocating for people that are explicitly anti hunting. You can't be a "mutualist" by definition, IMO, and work to outlaw hunting activities.

 

[TOGIE]

She kinda said the quiet part out loud too.

That being: "it doesn't matter if hunting is not causing damaging negative effects to populations or ecosystems, in fact, it doesn't matter if they are THRIVING, what matters is our values over theirs"

 

[Oak]

She kinda said the quiet part out loud too.

That being: "it doesn't matter if hunting is not causing damaging negative effects to populations or ecosystems, in fact, it doesn't matter if they are THRIVING, what matters is our values over theirs"

Where did you find this quote?

 

[TOGIE]

Where did you find this quote?

I said she kinda said the quiet part out loud. Meaning here is basically what this piece saying, without directly saying it.

Just add up her whole point and this is thinly behind the veil

 

[SAJ-99]

Her point would be less BS if it wasn't already clear that she is advocating for people that are explicitly anti hunting. You can't be a "mutualist" by definition, IMO, and work to outlaw hunting activities.

I took it the same way, although I try to avoid the visceral reaction to things like this and find places of agreement. I agree with her view that hunters generally argue for consumption. Not a shock, but they can also appreciate wildlife for its mere existence as well, hunting or not. Even the majority of Americans can hold "mutualist views" (ie. enjoying wildlife) but still support hunting as well. Cognitive dissonance is real. Even mutualists may enjoy seeing the bear from a distance on their hike, but might not feel the same way when the bear is in their back yard. Regardless, the argument goes back to population, which is a guess at best.

We should work on finding places of agreement like quality habitat. I believe that Colorado is a state that is also primarily funded by license and fees. The mutualists need to open their wallets if they hold those values so strongly.