I posted this in Deerhunting.com also, but figured there are some people who don't go over there at all, and thought I would post it here also.
I figured this was as good a spot to post this as any, if not then a MOD will surely move it.
I am kind of curious as to how game wardens, biologists, etc., are involved with people in other states. Do they just come along, ask for the license and go on their way? Do they stick around, chat for a few, give a few pointers as to where the fishing or hunting has been good, places to try, things to try, etc? How many people speak with the biologist covering the area they are interested in? How many volunteer for activities throughout the year?
I for one, volunteer a lot. I helped one biologist with the bibliographical section of a report he put out regarding the population of mule deer in Nevada. That was this year, and probably yeilded about 40 hours of my volunteer time. I volunteered one day this summer during a wildlife week, the DOW was hosting after school got out. It was birds and bats day, which involved a visit from a Great Horned Owl, and helping youngsters build bird and bat houses. I have also helped build 2 water "guzzlers" in the last two years (started volunteering last year), and will be helping with a desert bighorn sheep transplant in about 10 days, providing the weather cooperates, and the capture goes on.
I am making practically weekly calls to the NDOW to ask about fishing conditions of certain spots, find out where the rabbit hunting has been good, offer my efforts for any other projects, and when I am in Elko, I stop in and BS for a while.
When I am in the field, I always have good experiences with the game wardens. Not only have they checked my license as they should, but I have had one give me a ride back to my car while fishing, one pointed out where some deer were hanging out, one told me of the general habits of the deer in that peticular area, who was also the one who I chatted with for close to an hour along with my dad, and another group of people who he just warned for not having enough PFD's in their boat, forcing them to reduce the number of people in the boat.
To me it seems that most people around here have a pretty good attitude toward the DOW and in return the DOW has a good attitude towards the public.
I would just like to know how everyone else's experience has been with their respective Fish and Game agency.
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Records were made to be broken
2011 Spring Turkey Contest Team 1 Kee Kee Krew
2010 Spring Turkey Contest Team 8 Kee Kee Krew Winners
I would like to see our DNR get more involved locally, but it all does go hand-in-hand with the feedback received from the public. There's probably just not as much of a demand for the educational programs and whatnot. But I'd still like to see more chatting and interaction with the public.
I worked for another state's Division of Wildlife and know very well what the DNR is like internally. Though not without its faults, I can say that that was one of the best times of my life, and the biologists and game wardens/DWMs are generally very passionate about what they do.
Kimberly
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Field Staff Writer, WomenHunters
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Field Staff Writer, WomenHunters
I have had good interactions with DOW. They generally do a good job esp considering given the buget restrictions they have to work with in this state. Some folks seem to be always complaining about something or the other when it comes to the DOW. My guess they'd invent something to bitch about if they couldn't find something. Whenever I have talked with the field officers either on the phone or out in the field they have always been helpful.
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" Lost Highway"
Life is a tale....full of sound and fury- Wm. Shakespear
You go to heaven for the climate and hell for the company- Mark Twain
I think a lot of people tend to take out the administrative problems on the in field wardens. I myself have been guilty of that. This year while pulling my camper out of the high country in snow, I have a MFWP officer follow me down the mountain to make sure I didn't ditch it. He even offered to take off his chains and put them on my rig. It took almost to hours two get down, he was very patience and I was glad to have the help. Most wardens hunt and fish, are helpful, have wife and kids, and ar not responsible for the dumb administrative decisions.
The wardens and the admin folks are two different groups. The warden in the field can only enforce (or chose to ignore) the rules passed down from admin HQ. Personally, I like wardens and want them around my farm a lot. Just today I had a new warden here, a young man about 24 or so, this being his first field assignment. I gave him a tour of the farm and showed him where the road hunters usually shoot from as well as where wardens have caught night hunters in the past. I also promised to give him a package of deer jerky. I signed some papers giving him complete access to the place as well as permission to set up his motorized deer decoy (lots of road hunters and poachers in this area). I told him to make a pass around my fields a regular part of his day, although he has too much country to cover for this to become a reality. They are just regular folks trying to make a living. I also told him I was going to be calling him in the middle of the night and would expect him to get here soon once a night hunter(s) was spotted. He said "call me anytime", and I will!!! I have allowed previous wardens to deer hunt on my land, and will this new fellow as well. IMO, their presence can only help.
Relations with your Department of Wildlife?
