The hazards of non-outdoors people making wildlife decisions

In a number of states, including recently in Vermont, wildlife governance is either being trifled with or simply summarily removed from the hands of the professional wildlife managers by the courts, ballot initiatives or by fish and wildlife policy commissions that are infiltrated by anti-hunting activists.

Some examples are:

1. A ballot initiative in Oregon would outlaw hunting .

2. In Washington state, the Fish and Wildlife Commission closed down its spring bear hunt.

3. A ballot initiative in Montana would fundamentally alter the authority of the state to manage wildlife on private lands.

4. A Colorado ballot initiative would ban the hunting of mountain lions, bobcats and Canada lynx. The lynx are protected in Maine, which is the only northeastern state with a breeding population.

Charlie Booher, a wildlife biologist who specializes in natural resource conflict resolution, writes in Bugle magazine: “Across the country we are seeing increasing pressure from well-funded animal rights groups and others seeking to sway wildlife policy.”

Booher points out that, in some cases, the danger comes from within the ranks of state wildlife commissions or legislators that have members who don’t have a clue, or don’t care, about the critical role of recreational hunting in managing wildlife populations.

In our own state last year, an attempt by a few naive state legislators to ban coyote hunting served as a case in point. During a public hearing, the lack of understanding of basic scientific wildlife management by one or two legislative members of the Joint Standing Committee on Fisheries and Wildlife was stunning.

What about wildlife governance in Maine? Is there a peril? Maine is one of seven states whose fish and wildlife commissions or advisory councils serve an advisory role to agency rulemaking.

Maine’s Fish and Wildlife Advisory Council is made up of 10 members from 16 counties, who each serve a three-year term. The governor appoints each member after recommendations from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife commissioner.

Membership nominations are subject to review by the legislative joint standing committee on fish and wildlife. Each member must be confirmed by the Legislature. Over the years, the Maine advisory council has fulfilled its role quite well.

According to statute, the advisory council’s duties are to give the commissioner information and advice on administering the department and carrying out other duties specific to the MDIF&W; and to meet in May and December each year with the commissioner and deputy commissioner, plus hold special meetings when necessary.

In Mississippi, state law requires advisory council nominees to be active outdoorsmen who have held resident hunting or fishing licenses in at least five of the 10 years prior to being appointed.

Maine has no such litmus test for its advisory council nominees. Their qualifications for the post are left to the discretion of the governor.

V. Paul Reynolds is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide and host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network.