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Sportsmen need freedom from DEC
By Dick Nelson
Independence.
It worked in 1776, when our founding fathers pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor in order to secure the blessings of liberty, and it would work for sportsmen as well, if hunting, fishing and trapping groups would pledge to work together instead of focusing on their own agendas. There are enough rockets aimed in our direction by organizations looking to abolish these activities, we don’t have to help them by taking potshots at each other.
If John Hancock, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and the other 52 delegates to the Continental Congress could affix their name to the Declaration of Independence — thus creating the United States of America — there is no reason why sportsmen can’t unite around a new state agency, one that would oversee fish and wildlife programs and, more importantly, the funding that manages those programs.
You can call it the Department of Natural Resources or the Department of Fish and Wildlife, but whatever the name, an agency dedicated to fish and wildlife would provide more accountability on how and where Conservation Fund dollars are spent.
Now, before I go any further, let me say this: The people at the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Division of Fish and Wildlife aren’t bad people, but in many cases decisions concerning fish and wildlife programs aren’t being made by professionals; they’re made by administration appointees, some of whom couldn’t tell the difference between a deer and a duck or a bass from a trout.
While you may think that’s a bit far fetched, it’s not as ridiculous as it sounds. Several years ago I made just that point when I showed one DEC official photos of a bass and a trout I had caught two weeks earlier and was asked which was which.
I can’t say with any certainty, but I’m willing to bet that more than half of the people employed at the DEC don’t hunt, fish or trap. Ah, but ask them about environmental matters and chances are the answer will be on the tip of their tongue.
A perfect example of this is the Conservationist magazine, a bi-monthly publication dominated with articles on birds, bees and other tree-hugger friendly stories, and the recently launched “DEC TV” — a video platform offering content on a range of outdoor experiences in the state.
The show, available at www.dec.ny.gov/dectv/dectv.html, features short clips on outdoor recreation opportunities such as camping, hiking and canoeing with an occasional segment on fishing. It also provides information on wildlife, plants and important environmental programs, such as tagging moose and Atlantic sturgeon for research purposes, cultivating “urban forests” in cities and protecting the Lake Ontario Eastern Shore Dunes.
But you won’t find anything on hunting and trapping or the importance these activities have in maintaining a balanced and healthy wildlife population. What you will find are educational reminders about environmental stewardship and the importance of safeguarding New York’s resources for future generations.
So, you see, the days of having hunting and fishing practitioners making decisions is a thing of the past, and it’s because of this inept influence that sportsmen’s dollars are being used to fund programs that should be paid for by the General Fund.
I know I’ve been down this road many times before, but by banding together and speaking with one voice sportsmen could put in motion the wheels to create a separate fish and wildlife agency; one that is governed by a commission rather than a political appointee. That’s how it’s done in Pennsylvania, and if we show solidarity, it can be done here.
Of course, the crusade for this separation should come from the New York State Conservation Council. Unfortunately, the 75-year-old not-for-profit, grass-roots organization whose new slogan is, “preserving and protecting the world we live in”, has difficulty “preserving and protecting” its foundation, as many of its members have become disenchanted with its leadership.
That discontentment must have been heard, because in its July newsletter, NYSCC president Harold Palmer announced that he would not seek another term, and considering that the volunteer position doesn’t compensate any of its officers for travel expenses, getting someone to fill the position may be difficult.
Palmer may not have had the admiration of all of the group’s members, but he certainly made it a point to be where someone holding that position should be, and I’m sure it not only took up a lot of his time, it took a lot of out-of-pocket expense as well. So, no matter what people thought of his performance, his dedication can’t be denied.
Word has it that longtime member and once NYSCC second vice president Fred Neff of Baldwinsville may throw his hat in the ring. Neff was passed over for the presidency several years ago in a power play that put Palmer on the fast track.
That said, when you’re celebrating the nation’s 233 birthday today, think about supporting an independent movement that would give sportsmen more control over the traditional outdoor sports handed down from our forefathers.
Dropping anchor ’til next time.
It worked in 1776, when our founding fathers pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor in order to secure the blessings of liberty, and it would work for sportsmen as well, if hunting, fishing and trapping groups would pledge to work together instead of focusing on their own agendas. There are enough rockets aimed in our direction by organizations looking to abolish these activities, we don’t have to help them by taking potshots at each other.
If John Hancock, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and the other 52 delegates to the Continental Congress could affix their name to the Declaration of Independence — thus creating the United States of America — there is no reason why sportsmen can’t unite around a new state agency, one that would oversee fish and wildlife programs and, more importantly, the funding that manages those programs.
You can call it the Department of Natural Resources or the Department of Fish and Wildlife, but whatever the name, an agency dedicated to fish and wildlife would provide more accountability on how and where Conservation Fund dollars are spent.
Now, before I go any further, let me say this: The people at the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Division of Fish and Wildlife aren’t bad people, but in many cases decisions concerning fish and wildlife programs aren’t being made by professionals; they’re made by administration appointees, some of whom couldn’t tell the difference between a deer and a duck or a bass from a trout.
While you may think that’s a bit far fetched, it’s not as ridiculous as it sounds. Several years ago I made just that point when I showed one DEC official photos of a bass and a trout I had caught two weeks earlier and was asked which was which.
I can’t say with any certainty, but I’m willing to bet that more than half of the people employed at the DEC don’t hunt, fish or trap. Ah, but ask them about environmental matters and chances are the answer will be on the tip of their tongue.
A perfect example of this is the Conservationist magazine, a bi-monthly publication dominated with articles on birds, bees and other tree-hugger friendly stories, and the recently launched “DEC TV” — a video platform offering content on a range of outdoor experiences in the state.
The show, available at www.dec.ny.gov/dectv/dectv.html, features short clips on outdoor recreation opportunities such as camping, hiking and canoeing with an occasional segment on fishing. It also provides information on wildlife, plants and important environmental programs, such as tagging moose and Atlantic sturgeon for research purposes, cultivating “urban forests” in cities and protecting the Lake Ontario Eastern Shore Dunes.
But you won’t find anything on hunting and trapping or the importance these activities have in maintaining a balanced and healthy wildlife population. What you will find are educational reminders about environmental stewardship and the importance of safeguarding New York’s resources for future generations.
So, you see, the days of having hunting and fishing practitioners making decisions is a thing of the past, and it’s because of this inept influence that sportsmen’s dollars are being used to fund programs that should be paid for by the General Fund.
I know I’ve been down this road many times before, but by banding together and speaking with one voice sportsmen could put in motion the wheels to create a separate fish and wildlife agency; one that is governed by a commission rather than a political appointee. That’s how it’s done in Pennsylvania, and if we show solidarity, it can be done here.
Of course, the crusade for this separation should come from the New York State Conservation Council. Unfortunately, the 75-year-old not-for-profit, grass-roots organization whose new slogan is, “preserving and protecting the world we live in”, has difficulty “preserving and protecting” its foundation, as many of its members have become disenchanted with its leadership.
That discontentment must have been heard, because in its July newsletter, NYSCC president Harold Palmer announced that he would not seek another term, and considering that the volunteer position doesn’t compensate any of its officers for travel expenses, getting someone to fill the position may be difficult.
Palmer may not have had the admiration of all of the group’s members, but he certainly made it a point to be where someone holding that position should be, and I’m sure it not only took up a lot of his time, it took a lot of out-of-pocket expense as well. So, no matter what people thought of his performance, his dedication can’t be denied.
Word has it that longtime member and once NYSCC second vice president Fred Neff of Baldwinsville may throw his hat in the ring. Neff was passed over for the presidency several years ago in a power play that put Palmer on the fast track.
That said, when you’re celebrating the nation’s 233 birthday today, think about supporting an independent movement that would give sportsmen more control over the traditional outdoor sports handed down from our forefathers.
Dropping anchor ’til next time.
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