NRA Magazine article

[Aceman]

I found it interesting and maybe concerned that 50% of the new members of the Game and Fish Departments are not hunters or have never hunted. Hope I read the article correctly.

 

[2rocky]

While I wish that wildlife management decisions were made by people who were like me, i suppose it is unreasonable to expect the cross section of that field to buck the nationwide distribution of hunters vs non hunters.

nation wide, 6-11% actually hunt from online figures i have seen. 67% of the population approve of hunting according to DU in 2002.

I'd just hope that regardless of whether they hunt or not, that a non hunting biologist who makes recommendations for seasons and tags, can make the decisions based on sound science and not emotion. I'd say it is hard to advance your personal beliefs and your career if you alienate your funding source and have an agenda..

A more current article on nationwide attitudes about hunting

 

[jryoung]

I found it interesting and maybe concerned that 50% of the new members of the Game and Fish Departments are not hunters or have never hunted. Hope I read the article correctly.

Where did they get their data from and how did they authenticate it? Additionally who are these new members? Wardens? Biologists? General office staff/administration?

 

[shoots-straight]

I found it interesting and maybe concerned that 50% of the new members of the Game and Fish Departments are not hunters or have never hunted. Hope I read the article correctly.

I'd like to know what Fish and Game departments are we talking about. I'm not to concerned about New Jersy.

 

[rhomas]

The article quoted the sources. They were some of the colleges and universities that offer courses in wildlife management, and wildlife officials in several states. If I remember correctly, California, Michigan and Pennsylvania were three that were specifically mentioned. I know that here in SC, many of the DNR personnel are area specific biologists who do not hunt or fish. They spend more time studying rattle snakes, lizards, and bats, rather than actually helping with game management.

 

[Papa-Zulu]

Between 1975 and 2004 I worked for the state wildlife agencies in Wyoming, Alaska and Montana and can assure you that they are full of employees who do not hunt. And it is getting worse with the newer hires.

 

[Ben Lamb]

They spend more time studying rattle snakes, lizards, and bats, rather than actually helping with game management.

There are a lot of states who have mandated through their legislatures that the wildlife professionals manage all wildlife, and that includes non-game species. More often than not, it's the non-game species that are petitioned for listing under the ESA because the scientific data is nonexistant on those species, and the litigants have a better opportunity to get something listed if there is no data.

That means shutting down new developments like oil and gas fields, mines, subdivisions, etc.

Personally, I think the non-game work that state agencies do is vital to a better understanding of the natural world and how we can maintain wildlife populations across the board while developing natural resources (if done with the proper regulation).

As for F&G agency personnel not hunting -it would be nice if they all hunted and fished, but I don't think that's necessary to be a good wildlife professional. Tehy should be judged on their work, not their past-times.

 

[1_pointer]

As for F&G agency personnel not hunting -it would be nice if they all hunted and fished, but I don't think that's necessary to be a good wildlife professional. Tehy should be judged on their work, not their past-times.

Agreed. However, the converse is also true. They should not allow their lack of interest in hunting/fishing affect how they approach the job especially in regards to game species. IME that can be an issue...

 

[Ben Lamb]

Agreed. However, the converse is also true. They should not allow their lack of interest in hunting/fishing affect how they approach the job especially in regards to game species. IME that can be an issue...

I agree whole-heartedly. They have a job to do, an they need to be professional about it.