Monday, March 18, 2013

Wolf Meeting Wed. March 27, 2013 in Colville, Washington, Colville Ag Trade Center 6 to 8 pm.

Here's an upcoming meeting for sharing opinions on the topic of wildlife management, specifically wolves.

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091

http://wdfw.wa.gov/

March 18, 2013
Contact, WDFW Wildlife Program, 360-902-2515

WDFW schedules meeting in Colville
on wolves' impact on game species

OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will hold a public meeting March 27 in Colville to discuss the potential impact of wolves on area game species such as deer and elk.
The meeting is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Colville Ag Trade Center, 317 West Astor Ave.
State and local WDFW wildlife managers will present information on monitoring efforts in northeast Washington along with population trends and harvest data for white-tailed deer, elk and moose. They'll also discuss the status of wolves in the region and the impact wolves have had on deer and elk populations in other western states.
Dave Ware, WDFW game manager, said the department has not yet documented any measureable impacts from wolves on game species in Washington, but recognizes that reports from other states have raised public concerns.
"We want to talk to people in northeast Washington about this issue, because that's the area of the state that has the largest number of wolves," Ware said. "We'd encourage area residents who have concerns to attend this meeting."


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Commentary:
Three months ago in Spokane, WA January 14, 2013, the meeting about wolves was packed. Lots of folks were willing and ready to share their ideas, opinions, etc., about the wolves. However, the meeting was taken up with two speakers from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Members of the audience were only allowed to write questions on an index card, which were read after the two hours of 2 speakers. The energy was sapped out of the room, and while the speakers gave interesting information, they needed to tighten their presentations and allow at least an hour of audience participation. Otherwise, it's not a meeting; it's a lecture.
It's true that feelings and emotions were running strong in the audience (at least at the beginning of the meeting). Yet, muzzling the audience is not what a state agency must do. The state agency exists to serve the good citizens of the state. Maybe I (a wolf "hugger') was sitting next to someone who wants to shoot/trap/etc., wolves. Yet, at the same time, we both have the right to give our opinions, have people listen to and consider them. And very often, new solutions arise from the airing out of opinions, goals, dreams for our state. So, hopefully, the upcoming meeting will really be a meeting, and not WDFW people lecturing the audience until the only goal of everyone is to get out of the "meeting."
 http://washingtonstatespokanearea.blogspot.com/2013/01/wolves-need-your-help-at-wdfw-public.html

Commentary
by Ms. Dashwood.

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